Most letter cases in print works were untidy as the letters would be thrown in. The workers knew where they ought to go and worked on memory. This is a cleaned up example:-

Letter cases, printing blocks etc:-

Smail’s used to print the local newspaper the St Ronan’s Standard. This is a printing block of a front cover:-

Lithograph stones:-

A press:-

Chicago press:-

Heidelberg press:-

Wharfedale press. As I recall this was Smail’s first three-colour printing press:-

The conceit of a visit to Smail’s is that you are starting a printing apprenticeship. Apprentice Card cover:-

Inside of card:-

My apprentice piece:-

Robert Smail’s Printing Works, Innerleithen, now overseen by the National Trust for Scotland is a treasure trove of printing memorabilia and artefacts. When the Trust took the premises over there was a record and sample of every single print job the works had ever produced along with all their historical printing presses.

Desk as it was left:-

Shelves and ledgers:-

Stock:-

Photos. The Yellow Pages are for 1985, the year that Smail’s was handed over:-

Printing Room:-

Reverse view:-

Originally any machinery in Smail’s was driven by this paddle wheel utilising water from a local stream:-

Paper stock:-

Guillotine. This was a late addition to Smail’s inventory of equipment; bought due to safety regulations:-