Catalogue description Records of J.W.Arrowsmith Ltd.

40145/C Corporate/Management

40145/F Financial

40145/E Employees

40145/P Production and sales

40145/PP Plant and property

40145/L Legal

40145/A Arrowsmith and Evans

40145/Per Personal papers:

Isaac Arrowsmith

James Williams Arrowsmith

General

J.A.Arrowsmith-Brown

40145/Dr. Drawings and prints

40145/Ph Photographs, plans, posters

40145/H Historical material

40145/X Miscellaneous

J W Arrowsmith Ltd, Bristol, printers

Received on deposit from Miss V.Arrowsmith-Brown, Managing Director. J.W.Arrowsmith Ltd., Winterstoke Road, Bristol, BS3 2NT

Arrowsmiths of Bristol

The founder of the firm was Isaac Arrowsmith of Worcester, a leading figure in Worcester Political Union in the mid 19th century, also a founder member of Worcester Typographical Society, and a proprietor of the Worcester Chronicle. In 1854 Isaac Arrowsmith moved to Bristol, where he entered into partnership with Hugh Evans, stationer and bookseller, of Clare Street. Their first joint venture was a penny Time Table of Steam Packets and Railways, which appeared in July 1854.

The partnership ended in 1857, when Isaac Arrowsmith moved to 11 Quay Street. The business expanded, including a great deal of printing work for the Great Western Railway. When Isaac died in 1871 the business passed to his son James Williams Arrowsmith, who developed the publishing side of the business, with great success. Titles published during these years included Three Men in a Boat (Jerome K. Jerome), Prisoner of Zenda (Anthony Hope) and The Diary of a Nobody (George Crossmith). J.W. Arrowsmith was also a leading figure in Bristol public life. On his death in 1913 his nephew, J.A. Arrowsmith-Brown succeeded to the business.

Arrowsmiths were printers to Bristol University from 1877 and also carried out printing work for a large number of other Bristol establishments, including Clifton College, the Children's Hospital and Bristol Record Society. The publishing side of the business did however decline during the early years of this century, while the printing work has continued to flourish.

In 1937 on the death of the chairman, the business passed to his nephew, R.H. Brown. Under his guidance the business, which had expanded beyond the capacity of the Quay Street premises, moved in 1954 to a modern factory in Winterstoke Road, giving ample room for further expansion and the adoption of the most advanced techniques.

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