Oxford University has been involved with the printing trade since the 15th century and our Archive holds the records of the University’s printing and publishing activities from the 17th century to date. This week our archivists have generously unearthed some pictures to share with you. From the printing activities at Clarendon Street and the Wolvercote Mill, to our New York office and Melbourne trams, we hope they provide some insight into how our Press has grown and evolved over the years.
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Wolvercote Mill exterior.
Watercolour, 1826, by J. Buckler, showing the mill when it was owned by the Swan brothers. Oxford bought the mill in 1855. The original of this image hangs in the stairwell outside Nigel Portwood’s office. From Volume 2 of The History of the Oxford University Press.
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The Press Band
Established by the Printer, Thomas Combe, in the mid-19th century. This shot is from 1874. From Volume 2 of The History of the Oxford University Press.
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The printing house, Walton Street
General shot, c. 1930. From Volume 3 of The History of the Oxford University Press
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Paper at Wolvercote
Designated for the New English Bible. The NEB was a huge project for the Press. The New Testament was published first, in 1961. From Volume 3 of The History of the Oxford University Press
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OUP New York, West Thirty-Second Street.
New York was Oxford’s first non-UK office, opened in 1896. From Volume 3 of The History of the Oxford University Press
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Melbourne tram advertising OUP Dictionaries, c. 1970.
We have no other information on this – but it does show the ingenuity of Oxford’s sales’ team! From Volume 3 of The History of the Oxford University Press.
To celebrate the publication of the first three volumes of The History of Oxford University Press on Thursday and University Press Week, we’re sharing various materials from our Archive and brief scholarly highlights from the work’s editors and contributors. With access to extensive archives, The History of Oxford University Press is the first complete scholarly history of the Press, detailing its organization, publications, trade, and international development. Watch a silent film, learn about arguments over the first printing press in Oxford and when the Press began, or discover printing in the Sheldonian Theatre in our previous posts.
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