Fleet Street: London's printing heart

A map of Fleet Street, circa 1680.

Fleet Street was for centuries synonymous with the popular press. 

In about 1500, Wynkyn de Worde, an assistant to William Caxton, brought printing to Fleet Street. Other early printers soon joined him, which began the tradition of printing in this street, which continued until the late 1980s.

Following William Caxton's death, Wynkyn de Worde inherited Caxton's presses and moved them from Westminster to a house opposite Shoe Lane. Once Wynkyn de Worde was established he became a prolific printer, transforming Caxton's scholarly printing business into a thriving business. This was due, in part, by de Worde's move into the market of reasonably priced publications.

Wynkyn de Worde also introduced the world to the publication of romantic novels. He also developed the early newspaper market, where he published shorter works which were sold for a penny or two. He also became known for sensationalism as a way to sell his papers.

He became aware of what the public were reading and, using this knowledge, began printing volumes that were easy to handle and were quite cheap. These included children's books, instructional guides on good manners, husbandry, marriage and medicine. He also produced religious books, cashing in on Fleet Street's abundance of religious clerics and ministers.

In the 1500s Fleet Street was a road of houses and was more like a country village than what we know today.

In the 16th century Acts of Parliament prohibited foreigners from setting up their own trade, in London, with printing being the exception. So many moved to Fleet Street and set up their own businesses.

However, in 1523 Regulations were introduced that forbade foreigners from setting up printing presses. However, this was short-lived as it was deemed that the more printing presses there were, the greater the benefit to London and the country as a whole.

In the 1530s, Richard Pynson set up his printing presses, specialising in legal books. Following this more printers set up specialised businesses, aiming to grab a niche piece of the market. 

A Stanhope Press in 1800.

Early Printing Buildings.

In the beginning of Fleet Street's publishing, many of the buildings would have been shops, with the retail outlet at the front. The presses would have been at the back of the building, while those who 'set the type' and the proof readers would be above the presses, on the first floor.

The legal profession of the various 'Inns of Court' sprung up around Fleet Street and required a prolific amount of publications, which aided the development of printing in the area.

Until the end of the 18th century newspapers were actually a bi-product of the printing industry, rather than its sole purpose.

In 1702, the first daily newspaper, the 'Daily Courant', was produced just off Fleet Street. It was a broadsheet and, it is believed, was produced by a printer with good contacts and better intelligence than his neighbours.

Although all of the publishers were professionals, little change was made to their buildings over the centuries. Even the presses remained almost unchanged, until the introduction of  the cylinder press and steam-powered propulsion, in around 1814.

These buildings were often private dwellings, where walls and partitions were broken through to create more space. This made the interiors a network of narrow walkways, with even narrower stairs, reaching rooms on various levels.

The buildings were often cramped and noisy and, with the advent of industrial processes in the 1820s, became even more hazardous with unhealthy working conditions.

The books, of the eighteenth, were beautifully hand-crafted, by skilled compositors, engravers and printers who used simple machines and tools.

Fleet Street would remain linked with printing, publishing and bookselling until the end of the 18th century.

Charles Dickens was known to frequent 'Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese'.

Fleet Street grows.

Newspapers had also been secondary to book publishing, but this changed in 1772 with the establishment of the 'Morning Post'. This was followed by 'The Times in 1785 and 'The Observer' in 1791.

In 1811, John Walters, who worked at 'The Times', conducted some experiments which culminated in the development of the cylinder, steam-driven press. This made production processes quicker. Since then newspapers have led the way in the advancement of printing technology.

In 1855, the newspapers that we know today were born. This was when 'stamp duty' was repealed for newspapers. Almost overnight prices plummeted from 6d to 2d and, eventually, to 1/2d.

Other factors that aided in the growth of the newspaper was a larger population of a literate people, a greater need to know the latest news and distribution, meaning the newspapers could be sent across the country by railway.

In the second half of Queen Victoria's reign newspapers saw an exponential explosion in growth. New titles joined the market as the old ones reformed to keep up. Daily papers, weekly editions and subscription papers all grew in popularity as every interest was catered for.

T. P. O'Connor, Journalist and Parliamentarian.

The Press Association, which had been founded in 1868, had their offices in Wine Office Court, just off Fleet Street. Their focus was to provide a service of news-collecting and reporting from, around the United Kingdom, that was a reliable alternative to the monopoly service of the telegraph companies. This made Fleet Street the prime location for the offices of provincial papers. Such was the need for office space on Fleet Street that any tenant or business not concerned with newspapers was quickly bought out.

Larger provincial papers, like the 'Birmingham Daily Post', 'Glasgow Herald', the 'Liverpool Daily Post' and 'The Scotsman' built their own branches, on Fleet Street. Other papers crowded together into buildings, with the titles of their papers emblazoned on the outside.

'The Times', which had occupied cramped premises in Blackfriars, between 1868-1874, finally moved to Fleet Street, followed the following year by 'The Standard'. 'The Telegraph' made its move to Fleet Street, in 1884, and was the most prosperous of the daily titles. Also in 1884, the 'Daily News' moved onto Bouverie Street.

The buildings remain, but the printers have gone.

After World War 2.

During 'The Blitz' Fleet Street was heavily bombed, with many of the old buildings being destroyed. Three newspapers, of differing persuasions, led the way in the reconstruction of the buildings, setting the standard for how new premises should be set out. They were 'The Daily Worker', the 'Financial Times' and the 'Daily Mirror'. These new buildings were austere, compared to those built before. These were offices for a new era.

The 'Financial Times' had a singular design in mind for their new headquarters. A stripped back building of a classical design, with pink sandstone cladding to honour the famous colour of the paper that the 'Financial Times' is printed on. In 1958, Bracken House opened its doors, above which is sited a unique Astronomical Clock.

Unlike the 'Financial Times', 'The Observer' and 'The Times' remained in fairly cramped premises until 1962, when an expert on 'the methodology of large building projects', Richard Llewelyn-Davies, constructed 'New Printing House Square'. 

At this time 'The Times' split with 'The Observer' and regrouped with the 'Sunday Times', which was located in Thomson House, on Grays Inn Road. Printing of both papers took place at this location, which marked the first significant desertion of an established paper from Fleet Street.

'Space Invaders' are used to show how technology advanced in the printing industry.

The End is Nigh.

With the revolution in information technology many national newspapers dispersed to cheaper, more accessible sites as advances in production methods went through radical changes. 

'News International Limited', owned by Rupert Murdoch, was the fastest to react to this change. They had begun the construction of a new plant, in Wapping, and after it was fully equipped moved their titles 'News of the World', 'The Sun', 'Sunday Times' and 'The Times' off of Fleet Street, in 1986.

Soon, more printing companies saw the capital value of their buildings and sold up, leaving Fleet Street for more affordable locales.

In 1988, the 'Financial Times' moved out of Bracken House.

In 1995, the Press Association moved from its Fleet Street offices to Vauxhall Bridge Road.

The professions that had shaped Fleet Street were now gone... forever.

St Bride's Church.

Fleet Street today.

Fleet Street is still a historic thoroughfare, as it has been since Roman times, linking the City of Westminster with the City of London. While some of the old printing offices still stand, they are now used for different purposes.

St Bride's church has a long association with journalists and newspapers. Since 2012, St Bride's celebrates the 'Journalists' Commemorative Service', usually on the first or second Thursday of November.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is one of the area's oldest pubs and was frequented by literary figures, like Mark Twain, Alfred Tennyson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, P. G. Wodehouse and Samuel Johnson, among others.

If you walk along Fleet Street and turn south along Bouverie Street, you will find Magpie Alley. On the north wall you will find a detailed history of Fleet Street on the white tiles of the wall, along with illustrations.