HISTORY

It is well documented that printing in Frome dates back well over 200 years to 1797. However, the exact date for the origins of Butler and Tanner is less clear. What we can say for certain is that on Wednesday 1 July 1863 Mr W.T. Butler took into partnership one Joseph Tanner, a colleague whom he knew from the non-conformist Zion chapel in Rook Lane, Frome. By this time W.T. Butler’s Steam Press in Trinity Street was a well-established commercial printing company, producing well over two million sheets a year and with customers all over the West Country and as far afield as Brighton, Matlock in Derbyshire and Dublin.

Though their relationship was short-lived (Mr Butler retired in 1867) the business flourished under their control and the company soon attained a leading position among British printers, a situation that has continued for almost 150 years. Mr Butler had been printing in Frome since arriving....

For our complete short history please click here to download the pdf.