Design History - 'Bridge to the Twentieth Century'… Example Links 1...

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/ [The University of Manchester - John Rylands Library online Archive for Manuscript and Print]

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/Pioneers-of-Print/

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/Pioneers-of-Print/William-Caxton/

http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/firstimpressions/Spread-of-Print-through-Europe/Manchester/

http://www.mosi.org.uk/explore-mosi/explore-mosi-themes/communications/printing.aspx [Fleet Street of the North]

http://www.waitangi.com/colenso/colenso1.html [The First Printed Book in New Zealand 1835]

http://christchurchartgallery.org.nz/exhibitions/pressed-letters-fine-printing-in-new-zealand-since/ [NZ Perspective]

The above links set the background story to the beginnings, of European Typography and Letterpress development from the 15th Century, moving the power away from the Church in Europe, onwards through the Industrial Revolution of the UK and again Manchester. The spread around the Globe of the British Empire, ensuring the greater awareness of the Linotype Printing Press and the Power of Communication to the Colonies in the 19th Century, and all this from a Manchester based Company (later American led when the company diversified)

I have also included links from an NZ perspective, as this also has a Religious slant to the early development of printing in the country.

The pics shown were taken back in 2008 at MOSI in Manchester, during a Letterpress demonstration. The Press shown is called a Colombian.