Penrith Museum of Printing

The Penrith Museum of Printing is a museum in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia with a focus on Australian letterpress printing equipment and techniques.[1]

Penrith Museum of Printing Inc.
Established2001 (2001)
LocationRansley St, Penrith, New South Wales 2750 Australia
TypePrinting museum
FounderAlan Connell
PresidentGeorge Gearside
Websitewww.printingmuseum.org.au

Establishment

In 1987 Alan Connell (1922–2020), a retired employee of the now defunct printing company The Nepean Times, after walking past the building of the old Nepean Times in Station Street, saw that the equipment used the publication of the newspaper were still there, after 25 years of disuse. He asked the then-owner if he could have some of old equipment to preserve the heritage. The machines where stored and other letterpress equipment was added. The Museum was officially opened on 2 June 2001 by Jackie Kelly, MP for Lindsay, the then Minister for Sport and Tourism as well as with the support of industry organisations and a Commonwealth Government Federation Fund Grant.

In September 2017 the Penrith Museum of Printing closed its doors for a major upgrade and added 150 m2 to their premises including the addition of a foyer and a library. The $130,000 (AUD) upgrade has given more space to show all working machines and equipment. The museum was reopened by Penrith Councillor Brian Cartwright in November 2018.

Conservation

The Penrith Museum of Printing houses a collection of fully operational letterpress machinery and equipment. A number of the items in the collection are over 150 years old and are still functioning. The objective of the museum is to have all equipment and machinery up and running for all to see and experience. The Penrith Museum of Printing currently has several early 1900 Linotype and Intertype line cast machines, a Columbian press from 1841, a Albion from 1864, the Nepean Times Wharfedale stop cylinder press from around 1880, Chandler & Price, Arab and Pearl treadle presses, Heidelberg platen and a Miehle vertical cylinder press.

The museum featured in the 2018 film Ladies in Black, where it was used to simulate the Sydney Morning Herald's compositors' room.[2]

List of machines and equipment on display
Penrith Museum of Printing
Item Utilised Year Serial Number Provenance
Linotype model 5 line composing 1902 The NEV after Neville James who restored it. believed to come from Colin McPherson, NSW, Australia
Linotype model 8 line composing 1922 31963 Nepean Times Newspaper 1887 - 1985, Penrith, NSW, Australia
Intertype C3 line composing 1935 31418 Saxon Press Commercial Printer, Bexley, NSW, Australia
Intertype C4 line composing 1942 27498 Donated by Tony Mercier, Mercier Typsetters and was formally owned by Conte & Ruggier

used to produce local France newspaper "Le Courrier Australien" and the

France-Australian trade magazine "France-Australie"

Ludlow type composing M16742
Edwards & Dunlop proofing press Sydney, NSW, Australia
Vandercook proofing press 25458
Columbian Hand press 1841 937 Carcoar Chronicle until 1939, donated by Fairfax, NSW, Australia
Albion Hand press 1864 1644 Donated by Hannanprint, NSW. It was originally owned by Angus & Coote, Jewellers, and used to proof their

catalogues before printing until its purchase and restoration by Neil Mulvaney of Champion Press.

Wharfedale Stop cylinder press ~1880 Nepean Times Newspaper. Penrith, NSW, Australia 1887 - 1962
Chandler & Price Treadle press
Arab Treadle press
Pearl Treadle press Saxon Press Commercial Printer, Bexley, NSW, Australia
Emil Kahle small hand press ~1910 Gearside, Lithgow, NSW, Australia
Adana (several) small hand press
Heidelberg platen automated press ~1935 31834 E Saxon Press Commercial Printer, Bexley, NSW, Australia
Heidelberg platen automated press 1966 T 161604 E School Graphic Arts, Sydney 1966 - 2010, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Miele vertical automated press 1966 V16033
Gestener Duplicator SP20 duplicator ~1935 25458 Hannan print, NSW, Australia

Library

The Penrith Museum of Printing has an extensive collection of books, manuals, documents and other letterpress printing artefacts which are all available for viewing.

While the Museum does not loan books or items from its collection, its open to view and or study this collection during opening hours.

See also

References
  1. Meldenson, Henry. "A refurbished 1940s printing and typesetting house has reopened in Penrith near Sydney, Australia to showcase a 'working' environment from that time". Labels and Labelling. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  2. Maddox, Gary (6 September 2018). "Ladies in Black, a love letter to Sydney". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 September 2020.

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