Just before Christmas we popped along to Watford Museum to catch the 200 Years of Printing exhibition. We were unaware of the huge role Watford played in the development of the industry, and stumbled across the ad for the event when researching Rembrandt House.
The story was told across display boards near to the entrance. There are other artifacts and displays about printing in adjacent rooms as part of the permanent collection, and it was great (though a little sad) to read about the heyday of printing in the 19th and 20th centuries through to its decline in recent years.
Companies like Odhams and Sun employed thousands of people at large sites around the town, with the innovative technique of four-colour rotary gravure printing making Watford famous around the world.
STOP PRESS: Exciting news! Just before Christmas Watford Museum won Heritage Lottery Funding to redevelop and increase its space – more details here.
Watford Museum
Watford Observer article on the history of printing in the town (2014 article)