On 20 November 1809 John Blackie established the printing firm in Glasgow which was known later as Blackie & Son.
OTD 9 November 1868
9 November 2024 by
On 9 November 1868, the Glasgow Herald moved into new premises on Buchanan Street, on a site that extends back to Mitchell Street. The frontage is decorated with figures of Gutenburg and Caxton. The Mitchell Street frontage was redesigned by Charles Rennie Mackintosh at the end of the 19th century.
OTD 8 November 1910
8 November 2024 by
The Scottish Alliance of Masters in the Printing and Kindred Trades, now known as Print Scotland, was formed at a meeting held in the North British Hotel (now the Balmoral Hotel) in Edinburgh on 8 November 1910.
OTD 30 October 1577
30 October 2024 by
30 October 1577 Thomas Bassendyne died in Edinburgh on 30 October 1577. Together with Alexander Arbuthnot, he printed the first translation of the Bible in Scotland, known as the Bassendyne Bible. The New Testament, printed by Bassendyne, was completed first, and the Bible as a whole is known as the Bassendyne Bible.
OTD 19 October 1749
19 October 2024 by
William Ged died in Edinburgh on 19 October 1749. He had trained as a goldsmith, but pioneered a system of stereotyping, though he was unsuccessful in persuading printers to adopt it. It became a standard process early in the 19th century.
OTD 12 October 1789
12 October 2024 by
William Collins, founder of the Glasgow printing and publishing house, was born.
OTD 15 September 1507
15 September 2024 by
On 15 September 1507 James IV granted Walter Chepman and Andro Myllar a licence to set up a printing press in Edinburgh.
OTD 29 August 1553
29 August 2024 by
John Scot completed the printing of the Catechism on 29 August 1553. It was the first book to be printed in St Andrews.
OTD 11 August 1711
11 August 2024 by
Robert Freebairn was appointed Printer to the Queen for Scotland on 11 August 1711 in Edinburgh. He later printed for the Pretender’s Army at Perth in 1715.
OTD 8 August 1857
8 August 2024 by
On 8 August 1857, there was a major fire in James’s Court, off the Lawnmarket in Edinburgh’s Old Town, in which the printing works of H & J Pillans was destroyed.
SPRAT is grateful for support from The Watson Foundation