BRITISH PRINTING HISTORY

125 Celebration

The history of print in Britain spans centuries, demonstrating the innovation, resilience and power of the British printing industry. It's impossible not to feel inspired by the extraordinary evolution of print over the years and, of course, the contributions of the people behind the progress. We couldn't be prouder to be part of an industry that has achieved, adapted to and overcome so much.

Explore our timeline of printing history in Britain...

Before Britain

Print had a long history, even before reaching Britain and turning into what we think of as commercial printing today.

3500 BC – 1200 AD: Early civilisations used clay and stone cylinder seals for stamps.

220 AD – Woodblock Printing (Relief): Originating in China, text or images were carved into wooden blocks, inked on the raised surface, and pressed onto fabric or paper.

Impact: The invention of printing was revolutionary. It was the first time in history that a design could be created, then quickly and accurately replicated.

801 AD – 900AD: By the 9th century in China, the Diamond Sutra became the earliest known printed book using woodblocks.

1040: Bi Sheng in China developed the first movable type using clay.

1430 – 1440: The technique of engraving metal plates for printing rose across Germany and Italy.

1440: Johannes Gutenberg introduced Metal Movable Type & Letterpress (Relief). These reusable, cast metal letter pieces, set into a wooden screw press, physically pressed thick oil-based inks into paper sheets.

1455: ‘The Gutenberg Bible’ became the very first book to be mass-produced, with around 180 copies printed.

Woodblock Printing in China - BPIF History of Print Timeline

15th Century: Print in Britain

The arrival of print in Britain is a cornerstone in British history that has shaped the nation beyond measure.

1476: William Caxton set up the first printing press in England within the precincts of Westminster Abbey, using movable type.

Impact: His press revolutionised information distribution, transitioning the UK away from painstakingly hand-copied manuscripts. Books were no longer exclusive to the clergy and the incredibly wealthy, and by printing English texts, Caxton popularised literature in English rather than Latin, helping to standardise the country’s spelling and syntax.

1478: The first book is printed in Oxford.

william caxton bings print to britain - BPIF history of print timeline the print industry of today

16th – 17th Century: Regulation and Rebellion in the Hand-Press Era

1515: German Craftsman Daniel Hopfer applied an etching technique (Intaglio) to flat plates for printmaking.

1557: The Stationers’ Company was granted a royal charter, effectively giving them a monopoly over publishing and strict control over state censorship.

Impact: Despite the crown’s attempt to control the flow of ideas and censor what could be published, religious tracts and early pamphlets fuelled public debate and laid the groundwork for the Reformation and Civil War.

1644: John Milton publishes Areopagitica, a landmark essay fiercely defending freedom of the press against government licensing.

Intaglio etching press - BPIF history of print timeline 16-17 century

18th – 19th Century: The Industrial Revolution, Journalism & Mass Literacy

The introduction of steam powered presses slashed the cost of reading materials, creating mass media and making newspapers, broadsheets and literature more accessible.

1702: London’s first daily newspaper, The Daily Courant, launched on Fleet Street.

Impact: This laid the groundwork for the famous British newspaper hub and paved the way for mass produced news and regular print advertising, igniting a golden age of print media.

1785: The Times was founded in London by John Walter.

1796: Alex Senefelder invented Stone Lithography.

1800: Lord Stanhope invents the first all iron printing press.

1814: The Times became the first newspaper to adopt the steam powered press.

Impact: This mechanised leap enabled mass market production of newspapers, moving away from slow, manual labour.

1702: London’s first daily newspaper, The Daily Courant, launched on Fleet Street.

Impact: This laid the groundwork for the famous British newspaper hub and paved the way for mass produced news and regular print advertising, igniting a golden age of print media.

1785: The Times was founded in London by John Walter.

1796: Alex Senefelder invented Stone Lithography.

1800: Lord Stanhope invents the first all iron printing press.

1814: The Times became the first newspaper to adopt the steam powered press.

Impact: This mechanised leap enabled mass market production of newspapers, moving away from slow, manual labour.

newspapers - BPIF history of print timeline 18-19 century

20th Century: Modernisation and Commercialisation

Technological leaps, such as the automation of the typesetting process and the adoption of offset lithography, transformed print into a highly scalable commercial industry.

1901: The British Printing Industries Federation was established – initially founded under the name Federation of Master Printers and Allied Trades.

1901: The Net Book Agreement was codified, setting fixed retail prices for books and fundamentally changing the publishing business.

1904: Ira Washington Rubel developed paper Offset Lithography by adapting the existing offset technique.

Impact: This established high speed, web fed rotary offset printing, which remains the standard for mass producing books, magazines, and packaging.

1905: The introduction of Flexography (originally called Aniline printing).

1907: Samuel Simon patented Commercial Screen Printing (Stencil).

Impact: This new technique allowed for printing on garments, plastics, and glass.

1938: Chester Carlson invented Xerography (Electrostatic).

1950s: Photographic processes (Phototypesetting) replaced physical metal type blocks.

1960s: The gradual transition from letterpress to offset lithography accelerated.

Impact: This revolutionised the commercial and publishing industries.

1980s: Desktop publishing (DTP) arrived.

Impact: Personal computers and software meant that typesetting and layout could happen on a screen.

Flexography print - BPIF history of print timeline 20th century

21st Century: The Digital Revolution

The rise of digital printing eliminated the need for traditional printing plates, reducing overheads and enabling highly personalised short-run print.

2000s: Saw a rise in desktop publishing, Computer to Plate (CtP) technology and digital printing.

Impact: Digital printing bypassed the need for traditional printing plates, enabling high speed, ultra short-run printing and print-on-demand publishing.

digital printing - BPIF history of print timeline 21st century

The Print Industry of Today

The modern commercial print industry is defined by adaptability, automation, sustainability and digital workflows.

The growth of digital media has certainly had a widespread impact on the UK print industry. However, printed materials remain essential, and in many cases, print’s trusted, tangible and tactile qualities are preferred.

Today’s printers utilise highly automated UV and LED machinery, web to print e-commerce infrastructure, variable data printing, sustainable materials and eco friendly practices.

Impact: Modern print businesses are now capable of delivering highly personalised, sustainable print in near real time.