Life at Jarrolds

THE NEW LITHO PROCESS BUILDING, 1963

AFTER SEVERAL months of construction work, and still more on fitting out, the new extension to the Litho Process department was finally completed earlier this year.

Situated on the first floor, over the Engineers and Electricians departments, the new area provides an additional 4,000 square feet of welcome space to the, until now, rather overcrowded Litho Artists and Camera rooms.

The spacious and airy retouching room, with controlled conditions for men and materials.

The main impression of the new retouching room is one of clean lines and spaciousness. Visible pipes, cables, and other paraphernalia usually associated with departments of this kind have been kept to an absolute minimum. This, combined with the extensive use of Formica and stainless steel and the new fleck-sprayed paintwork, helps to maintain an air of pleasant efficiency. Fresh air, heated and circulated at working temperature, provides thermostatically controlled conditions essential to both men and materials.

The latest in darkroom technology.

The above refinements, and several more in addition, apply also to the five new darkrooms which lie adjacent to the main retouching room. These darkrooms, equipped with the latest in electronic and photographic techniques, are the first link in the chain which produces the high-quality reproduction of colour transparencies. This is carried further by the retouchers, the Litho Artists, who work to the fine points of colour and balance.

Other important and useful sections in the building include a spacious chemical-mixing room, a drying room, first-class toilet and cloakroom facilities and (very important!) an automatic tea and coffee machine. Yet another innovation is the internal communication system whereby the various sections of the Litho Process, and also the Litho Machine room are linked to the new office.

The whole scheme is aimed at providing pleasant working conditions allied to ease of organization and production. It adds up to what must be one of the most up-to-date departments of its kind in the country.

For some of our older readers an interesting contrast will be provided by the photograph reproduced here of the Litho Artists, class of 1923, with a litho-graphic stone prominent in the foreground.

Back, left to right: Messrs. Hunting, Elmer, Chastney, Hovell, Collins; Front, left to right: Winsworth, Saint and Burr.

This extract comes from the Jarrold Magazine, No. 2, 1963.