Catalogue description Harrison and Sons Limited, printers

This record is held by City of Westminster Archives Centre

Details of 1272
Reference: 1272
Title: Harrison and Sons Limited, printers
Description:

This collection comprises business records

Note:

Listed by AA/May/01

"
Date: 1739-1971
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged as follows:

 

CORPORATE RECORDS

 

Minute books

 

Partnership agreements

 

Share capital

 

Company status

 

ACCOUNTING RECORDS

 

Balance sheets and profit and loss accounts

 

Ledgers

 

Indexes to ledgers

 

Journals

 

Cash books

 

Bank account books

 

Bill books

 

Private ledger receipts

 

Miscellaneous

 

PRODUCTION RECORDS

 

Printing samples

 

Printing methods

 

PRINTING ORDERS

 

London Gazette

 

Stamps

 

Other government orders

 

Other official and private orders

 

BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE

 

Private letter books

 

General letter books

 

Estimate letter books

 

Pall Mall letter book

 

Miscellaneous

 

STAFF

 

Wages and working conditions

 

Apprenticeship

 

Social

 

LEGAL RECORDS

 

Legal cases

 

Insurance liability

 

Loans

 

SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

 

Truslove and Bray Ltd

 

"G K and Co"

 

Harrison Properties Ltd

 

St Martin's Publications Co

 

G H Starling and Co

 

PROPERTY

 

General

 

Deeds and correspondence for individual properties

 

Insurance

 

Inventories

 

FAMILY

 

Company and family histories

 

Probate

 

Accounts

 

Correspondence

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Photographs and pictures

 

Manuscripts and offprints

 

Other

Held by: City of Westminster Archives Centre, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Creator:

Harrison and Co, 1839-1849, printers

Harrison and Son, 1849-1854, printers

Harrison and Sons, 1854-1920, printers

Harrison and Sons Ltd, 1920-1997, printers

Physical description: 341 files
Immediate source of acquisition:

Records were deposited on indefinite loan by by D W Devier, General Services Manager, Harrison and Sons (High Wycombe) Ltd, Coates Lane, High Wycombe, HR13 5EZ in February 1983.

Publication note:

This deposit provides a detailed record of the business activities of the firm throughout its existence. The history of Harrison and Sons Ltd, government printers, is related in detail in Harrison and Sons Ltd 1750-1950 (see local studies collection) and The House of Harrison (see 1272/297).

Administrative / biographical background:

The founder of the company, Thomas Harrison, was apprenticed to the Confidential Government Printer in 1738, and was joined in the business by his younger brother James in 1743. The firm is best known for printing "The London Gazette" from 1765 to 1910.

 

When Thomas Richard Harrison entered into partnership with John William Parker in 1839, the company was called Harrison and Co., but this changed to Harrison and Son in 1849 and later Harrison and Sons in 1854. Their main premises were at 45-46 St Martin's Lane, but they also maintained private presses at the Foreign Office and the War Office. Another of their famous publications, "Burke's Peerage", was printed at the old Royal Library building in Pall Mall from 1853 to 1905.

 

The twentieth century saw branches of the business established outside central London in addition to the premises in St Martin's Lane, which they occupied until 1964. Postage stamps were printed first at Hayes, Middlesex, from 1911, and later from 1933 at High Wycombe, where the company is still based. The Hayes branch turned into a paper-coating mill. In 1923 Harrisons acquired the controlling interest in J G Hammond Ltd of Birmingham. The status of the company changed in 1920 to become a private limited liability company and again in 1948 to become a public limited liability company.

 

Two members of the family have been knighted: Sir Cecil Reeves Harrison in 1918 and Sir Guy Harrison in 1951. Both served as masters of the Stationers Company. The Harrison family connection with the company came to an end with Richard Harrison's departure in 1979 when the firm was taken over by Lonrho. It was taken over again by De La Rue International Ltd in 1997.

Link to NRA Record:

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