Out of print after 47 years

3:10pm Saturday 29th September 2012 in News

Graham Williams Buy this photo » Graham Williams

AFTER almost half a century of inky fingers, Graham Williams has seen his last newspaper roll off the presses at the Oxford Mail.

The 63-year-old retired on Wednesday after 47 years in newspaper printing, including 44 years with the Mail.

The Eynsham resident says he has seen a wealth of changes in the industry, including widespread colour printing and use of computers. He said he still relishes the fresh smell of printing ink that brings the county’s residents its daily dose of news.

Born and raised in Headington, the father-of-three was began work at our former New Inn Hall Street headquarters aged 16 in 1965.

Our news and printing operation moved its current base in Osney Mead in the early 1970s and Mr Williams has been a regular sight ever since.

He even appeared in the paper itself as a case study in a 1976 article on parenting.

He said: “I still get a buzz getting the press up and going. It is going to be a bit strange, I have been doing the job for such a long time.”

The father of three and grandfather of two, married to Penny since 1969, said he is looking forward to pursuing his interests of rambling and gardening.

Geoff Harvey, regional print manager for Newsquest, which owns the Mail, paid tribute to Mr Williams as a reliable, conscientious colleague with an “infectious” laugh.”

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Comments (7)

4:14pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Myron Blatz says...

Maybe not so much the end of a printing era, so much as an opportunity to establish a working print museum in Oxford - not just for the tourists, but more especially for future generations of school children. Oxford has a proud history of the printed word, from the manufacture of paper, to book and newspaper publishing. It might also have the added bonus of bespoke paper making and printing, along similar lines to wallpaper design and making, cotton and wool making.
Maybe not so much the end of a printing era, so much as an opportunity to establish a working print museum in Oxford - not just for the tourists, but more especially for future generations of school children. Oxford has a proud history of the printed word, from the manufacture of paper, to book and newspaper publishing. It might also have the added bonus of bespoke paper making and printing, along similar lines to wallpaper design and making, cotton and wool making. Myron Blatz

4:26pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Darkforbid says...

Good thinking Myron, every retirement should equal museum...
Good thinking Myron, every retirement should equal museum... Darkforbid

8:11pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Andrew:Oxford says...

Myron Blatz wrote:
Maybe not so much the end of a printing era, so much as an opportunity to establish a working print museum in Oxford - not just for the tourists, but more especially for future generations of school children. Oxford has a proud history of the printed word, from the manufacture of paper, to book and newspaper publishing. It might also have the added bonus of bespoke paper making and printing, along similar lines to wallpaper design and making, cotton and wool making.
Oxford has one of the biggest "living" museums to the printed word in the world!

It's called "The Bodleian Library".

(Although some of the books are now stored in a warehouse in Swindon as a consequence of Oxford City Council policies).
[quote][p][bold]Myron Blatz[/bold] wrote: Maybe not so much the end of a printing era, so much as an opportunity to establish a working print museum in Oxford - not just for the tourists, but more especially for future generations of school children. Oxford has a proud history of the printed word, from the manufacture of paper, to book and newspaper publishing. It might also have the added bonus of bespoke paper making and printing, along similar lines to wallpaper design and making, cotton and wool making.[/p][/quote]Oxford has one of the biggest "living" museums to the printed word in the world! It's called "The Bodleian Library". (Although some of the books are now stored in a warehouse in Swindon as a consequence of Oxford City Council policies). Andrew:Oxford

9:13pm Sun 30 Sep 12

paul from Kennington says...

Myron Blatz wrote:
Maybe not so much the end of a printing era, so much as an opportunity to establish a working print museum in Oxford - not just for the tourists, but more especially for future generations of school children. Oxford has a proud history of the printed word, from the manufacture of paper, to book and newspaper publishing. It might also have the added bonus of bespoke paper making and printing, along similar lines to wallpaper design and making, cotton and wool making.
True Myron, if the paper mills had not been shut down, OUP not sacked all the printers and sent the work on tape to Hong Kong, Robert Maxwell not been the crook he was proved to be (there are pensioners still in poverty due to their money he stole), and Oxford Stationary (Hunt & Broadhurst) one of the most prestigious in the country not turned into Toys R Us, Aldi etc then we might have a proud history, but ask any Printers or Binders from the last 50 years, of the goings on, and you will have a far better story than just a stuffy museum.
[quote][p][bold]Myron Blatz[/bold] wrote: Maybe not so much the end of a printing era, so much as an opportunity to establish a working print museum in Oxford - not just for the tourists, but more especially for future generations of school children. Oxford has a proud history of the printed word, from the manufacture of paper, to book and newspaper publishing. It might also have the added bonus of bespoke paper making and printing, along similar lines to wallpaper design and making, cotton and wool making.[/p][/quote]True Myron, if the paper mills had not been shut down, OUP not sacked all the printers and sent the work on tape to Hong Kong, Robert Maxwell not been the crook he was proved to be (there are pensioners still in poverty due to their money he stole), and Oxford Stationary (Hunt & Broadhurst) one of the most prestigious in the country not turned into Toys R Us, Aldi etc then we might have a proud history, but ask any Printers or Binders from the last 50 years, of the goings on, and you will have a far better story than just a stuffy museum. paul from Kennington

10:14pm Sun 30 Sep 12

Myron Blatz says...

Ah! Yes, the infamous 'Capn Bob' whose Pergamon Press was based at Headington in England's 'largest council house' in the days before Brookes took it over. Yes, Bob Maxwell - former Labour MP, con-man, crook and apparently employer to quite a few people connected with the local Labour Party. Wonder how many 'skeletons' still rattle around corridors of power at Town and County Hall for those who worked for, or were associated with that "scumbag" as one national newspaper of the day called him?
Ah! Yes, the infamous 'Capn Bob' whose Pergamon Press was based at Headington in England's 'largest council house' in the days before Brookes took it over. Yes, Bob Maxwell - former Labour MP, con-man, crook and apparently employer to quite a few people connected with the local Labour Party. Wonder how many 'skeletons' still rattle around corridors of power at Town and County Hall for those who worked for, or were associated with that "scumbag" as one national newspaper of the day called him? Myron Blatz

12:11am Mon 1 Oct 12

iklhik says...

Plenty, Myron, and unfortunately they do more than "rattle around". The reason why we've lost so much manufacturing in Oxford is because large sections of both councils are run by people who do there best to make private enterprise in Oxford as difficult as possible.
Plenty, Myron, and unfortunately they do more than "rattle around". The reason why we've lost so much manufacturing in Oxford is because large sections of both councils are run by people who do there best to make private enterprise in Oxford as difficult as possible. iklhik

6:51am Mon 1 Oct 12

Myron Blatz says...

Tend to agree with you, ikihik. Not sure about the County Council (is anyone?) but may well be that too-many Oxford City Councillors have public sector or academic-related backgrounds, rather than manufacturing, small businesses or the private sector - and this goes for all political Parties, not just our local Socialist and Cooperative Party stalwarts. Historically, Labour (whether at national or local levels) has always been eager gain votes by spending public money, but not very adept or successful at creating and sustaining the wealth to pay for it - though as we now see from the eco-political mess in the EU, neither has most of Europe!
Tend to agree with you, ikihik. Not sure about the County Council (is anyone?) but may well be that too-many Oxford City Councillors have public sector or academic-related backgrounds, rather than manufacturing, small businesses or the private sector - and this goes for all political Parties, not just our local Socialist and Cooperative Party stalwarts. Historically, Labour (whether at national or local levels) has always been eager gain votes by spending public money, but not very adept or successful at creating and sustaining the wealth to pay for it - though as we now see from the eco-political mess in the EU, neither has most of Europe! Myron Blatz

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