Record

CodeDS/UK/564
Person NameJones; George William (18 May 1860-1942); Master printer and collector
Dates18 May 1860-1942
History1882 marries Eliza Sophia Ann Durham of New Whittingham, Derbyshire and they have sons Fred and William
Jan 1889 Jones lived at 7 Roseneath Terrace, Edinburgh
Summer 1889 Jones moves back to London settling at 48 Chetwynd Road, Highgate, London
1891-1897 Jones business operated out of 35 St Bride Street, London
1897 Jones moved the business to larger premises at St Bride House, Dean Street, Fetter Lane
1906 Jones's business moved to a factory on Whippendell Road, Watford
1907 Jones lived in Elstree
1908 Jones's business is known as Cassiobury Press, Menpes Press and George W. Jones Ltd
1908 Jones sells up
1911 Jones first work printed at 12-14 the Sign of the Dolphin, Gough Square, London
1938 Jones retires and sells his business relocating to Worcestershire
ActivityUntil 1871 attended National School in Upton-upon-Severn
1871 Jones mother dies leaving him an orphan. His father had died in 1868. Jones becomes under the guardianship of his uncle William Jones
1872 Jones was an odd-job boy at Ebenezer Baylis and Son Ltd in Worcester
24 March 1873 Jones signs an indenture as a Printing Apprentice for seven years
1879 Jones's apprenticeship ends a year early, possibly due to Jones being unwell
1880 Jones rejoined the printing industry in Sheffield in the jobbing department of local newspaper Sheffield Daily Telegraph
23 October 1880 Jones becomes member of the Typographical Association
Early 1880s Jones works as Overseer with Pawson and Brailsford Ltd a high class printer
Early 1880s Jones works for Hartley and Son Ltd, Sheffield
1883 Jones joined the Raithby and Lawrence printing house, Leicester as works manager
1887 Jones set up The British Typographic, a society of printers. Jones sat on a council with fifteen others overseeing the union
1888 Jones was Chief Typographic Designer at The British Printer for the first issue only. Due to a dispute with Raithby and Lawrence, Jones left soon after
Feb 1888 Jones was employed by Printing Co-Operative in Edinburgh, Scotland. Jones worked with Darien Press in Edinburgh at the time
Feb 1888-Jun 1889 Jones taught evening classes in Typography in conjuction with the University Preparatory School at the Lecture Hall of Minto House. Jones taught nearly 100 students, 46 of which then sat and completed the City & Guilds Institute London examinations
29 Sep 1888 Jones set up and held at exhibition of printed specimens
3 Oct 1888 Jones held his first Typography class in Edinburgh
Jan 1889 Jones organised a three-day exhibition of fine printing at the Literary Institute, Edinburgh
Jul 1889 Jones is a Works Manager, Grapho Press, London
Autumn 1889 Jones establishes his own business at 20-22 St Bride Street, London
1889 Jones becomes Vice-President of The British Tyopgraphia
1889 Jones is appointed Examiner in Typography for the City and Guilds of London Institute
3 Nov 1889 Jones held an opening lecture at Bishopsgate Ward Schools in Primrose Street
4 Jan 1890 the second session of classes was launched at Champion Hotel, Aldersgate Street. More than 100 students attended
1891 Jones moved his business to 35 Bride Street, which was more spacious
Apr 1891 Jones began printing some pages for The Printing World magazine
1893 Jones purchased The Printing World as the previous owner John Bassett died
1897 Jones moved to larger premises at St Bride House, Dean Street, Fetter Lane
1897 Jones first prints a book using a Linotype machine
1900 Jones is first known to have used a Miehle machine to print
1900 Jones began printing publications for Linotype and Machinery Ltd
1901-1908 Jones is involved in the production of A & C Black Colour Books
May 1901 Jones prints the first book containing three-colour half-tones War Impressions
1904 Jones serves on the Board of Governors and Advisory Commitee of St Brides Foundation Institute
1907-1908 Jones prints several books for Chatto Press
1908 Jones gave up on The Printing World, although the title did continue to be printed until 1911
Jul 1908 Jones sold his Menpes Press, which became Sun Engraving and Co
1909 Jones was elected Freemen and Liverymen of the Worshipful Company of Stationers
1911 Jones sets upon his own printing press, The Sign of the Dolphin next to Dr Johnson's House in Gough Square, London
1913-1914 Jones develops Venezia typeface which Jones then uses at his printing press
1918--1919 Jones does some printing for the Secretary to the Queen of Belgium and for years afterwards is involved in printing works relating to Belgium and battles that involved the British miltary in Belgium
1921-1938 Jones worked for Mergenthaler Linotype Company to develop higher quality typefaces. Jones worked on Granjon, Estienne, Baskerville and Georgian typefaces, improving Linotype's quality. Jones advises Linotype and Machinery Ltd and demonstrates that elegant works could be produced by lithography
1926 Jones sat on the Book Production Committee of the Royal Society of Arts
1927 Jones sold the punches and matrices of his Venezia typeface to Stephenson Blake
1929 Jones was elected a Common Councillor of the City of London and Jones became Chairman of the Library Committee of the City of London
Jul 1936 Jones sells his personal library at Sotheby's
1938 Jones retires, selling his business to Hunt, Barnard & Co Ltd
1942 Jones died
RelationshipsThe British Typographic
The British Printer
Linotype and Machinery Ltd
SourceLawrence Wallis, George W. Jones Printer Laureate. 2004. The Plough Press Mark Batty Publisher.
https://luc.devroye.org/fonts-34416.html [Accessed February 27 2026].
Catalogue
RefNoTitle
GWJGeorge William Jones Archive
GWJ/1Invitations
GWJ/4Advert about George W Jones
GWJ/1/4Invitation to an address with George W Jones 'An hour with the early typographers' at the London Society of Compositors' Board Room, 7-9 Saint Bride Street, Ludgate Circus, London E.C.4'.
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