Harts Printing Press

Hart’s Printing Press

Here’s some pictures of the flat bed printing press, which is on display in the museum’s Local History Gallery.

 This Imperial Press was made by Cope, Sherwin & Co. in Shoreditch, London. These presses were particular prized as the leverage system they used was much more powerful than the Albion presses, which were being used around the same time. The press is made from cast iron, with beautiful ornate castings including lion’s paw feet. 

 This particular press was used by Henry Hart, a well-known local printer, who in 1836 founded W. Hart & Son Ltd based at 18 King Street in Saffron Walden. The company advertised themselves as:

“Newsagents. Booksellers, Binders, Stationers. Selling Crest and View China. Pianos, and American Organs also for sale or hire.”

Henry Hart passed away in 1883, but the business
continued to be family run. We have handwritten diaries in the museum’s collections dating from 1886-1887 written by W. Ernest Hart.  For over 175 years, Hart’s has been an independent bookseller in the town, occupying shops in the centre of town.

  The printing side of the business continued with great success too. We have a great many items in the collections which were printed by Harts & Son. These include fascinating late 19th and early 20th century invoices, posters, books, canvassing cards for local elections, official town guides and borough directories.

 Some of the most fascinating documents associated with Harts is a poster dated to 1913 that they printed to advertise a public meeting of the Saffron Walden and District Women's Suffrage Society, with a talk by Miss Lena Ashwell titled 'Votes for Women and my deputation to Mr Lloyd George.' There are also First World War telegrams announcing key events such the death of Lord Kitchener in 1916 and another reporting casualties at the Battle of Jutland. 


In 1963 the Fountain Bookshop was acquired next to the Rose & Crown Hotel. The shop subsequently suffered considerable damage in the tragic Boxing Day fire at the Rose & Crown Hotel in 1969. Four years later Hart’s Bookshop was opened next door to the Town Hall. It was here that Hart’s enjoyed many years of business – until 2008, when the decision was made to close down the book shop, but the printing side of the business continues with the Harts name, though is now known as Harts Business Solutions and is based at Shire Hill in the town.