A History of the Old English Letter Foundries / with Notes, Historical and Bibliographical, on the Rise and Progress of English Typography.

In 1828, being now of an advanced age, and after 46 years’ incessant labour, Dr. Fry decided to dispose of his foundry; and a circular was issued announcing the fact to the public. This document, throwing as it does considerable light on the history of the Type Street Foundry, is interesting enough to quote at length. After enumerating generally the contents of the foundry and stating the conditions of sale, Dr. Fry remarks:

“The Substructure of this Establishment was laid about the year 1764; commencing with improved imitations of Baskerville’s founts, of which every size was completed, from the largest down to the Diamond: but they did not meet the encouraging approbation of the Printers, whose offices generally, throughout the kingdom, were stored from the London and Glasgow Founderies with Types of the form introduced by the celebrated William Caslon, early in the last century; chiefly from the admired Dutch models, which gained so much credit to the Elzevirs of Amsterdam, Leyden, &c.

“By the recommendation, therefore, of several of the most respectable Printers of the Metropolis, Doctor Fry, the proprietor, commenced his imitation of the Chiswell Street Foundery, which he successfully finished throughout all it’s various sizes, at a vast expense, and with very satisfactory encouragement, during the completion of it. At which period a rude, pernicious, and most unclassical innovating System was commenced, which, in a short time was followed by the most injurious and desolating ravages on the property of every Letter Founder and Printer in the kingdom, by the introduction of fancy letters of various anomalous forms, with names as appropriate—disgraceful in a Profession, once held so Sacred, as to have it’s operations confined to consecrated Buildings, and those of the highest class.

“The Baskerville and Caslon imitations, all completed with Accents, Fractions, &c., were, in consequence of this revolution, laid by for ever; and many thousand pounds weight of new letter in Founts, estimated on the average at selling prices, at 2s. 6d. per pound, were taken from the shelves, and carried to the melting-pot to be recast into Types, no doubt, in many instances, more beautiful; but no instance has occurred to the attentive observation of the Proprietor of this Foundery, where any Founts of book letter on the present system, have been found equal in service, or {311} really so agreeable to the reader, as the true Caslon-shaped Elzevir Types; and this is the undisguised sentiment of many judicious Printers.

“When that eminent Printer, the late William Bowyer, gave instructions to Joseph Jackson to cut his beautiful Pica Greek, he used to say “Those in common use were no more Greek than they were English.” Were he now living, it is likely he would not have any reason to alter that opinion.

“The Greeks of this Foundery were many of them made in Type Street, copied from those of the celebrated Foulis of Glasgow; and there are two, a Pica, and a Long Primer, on the Porsonian plan. The Codex Alexandrinus was purchased at James’ Sale in 1782.638

“The Hebrews were also chiefly cut by Dr. Fry, subject to the direction and approbation of the most learned Hebraists.

“The two Arabics,639 Great Primer and English, were cut from the original drawings of, and under the personal direction of Dr. Wilkins, Oriental Librarian to the East India Company; and have no rival either in beauty or correctness.

“The Syriac640 has been made within the last two years, with all it’s vowel points, reduced to an English body, from the Double Pica of the eminent Assemann’s edition of Ludolph’s Testament.

“The English, No. 1, and Pica Ethiopics—the Pica and Long Primer Samaritans, were purchased at James’s sale. The other Orientals, viz. two Malabarics—the Amharic—Ethiopic, No. 3, and Guzerattee, were all cut at this Foundery. As was the fine collection of Blacks, or pointed Gothics, except the English, No. 1,—Pica, No. 2,—Long Primer, No. 1,—and Brevier, which were collected by the late John James. There is good authority for believing that this Pica Black, No. 2, was once the property of {312} William Caxton641; Doctor Fry having recut for a reprint of a work published by the celebrated man, all the contractions and accented letters exhibited in the Specimen Book.

“The Occidentals, as termed by Moxon, Mores, and others, viz. the Saxons, Hibernians,642 German, and Russian, were also produced at this Foundery. As were the two Plein Chants, and the Psalm Music.

“The Great Primer Script, which, it must be acknowledged, is the Ne plus ultra of every effort of the Letter Founder in imitation of writing, was made for the Proprietor by the celebrated Firmin Didot, at Paris; the Matrices are of Steel, and the impressions from the Punches sunk in inlaid Silver !643

“In taking leave of a Profession, which has for many years engaged his whole attention, the Proprietor begs to convey, through this channel, the high sense of obligation he hopes to retain during his life, for the great encouragement with which he has been favoured for so long a period; as well as for the generous assistance and advice of many of his learned Friends, in the getting up, and accurate completion of various undertakings. It is also with much gratification, that he can look back and recall to recollection, that he has carefully followed their advices, in not admitting into {313} his Foundery any article degrading or disgraceful, or unbecoming the dignity of that Art, which deserves to be looked up to and revered as the ‘Head of the republic of letters:’—claiming Permission to recommend to his Successor and Contemporaries, the steady pursuit of that plan which will secure the reputation of the once Sacred Profession, and restore to it the honourable Character it obtained several Centuries ago, of

“ARS ARTIUM OMNIUM CONSERVATRIX.”

“Polyglot Letter Foundery, 2nd month 14th, 1828.”

The foundry met with a purchaser in Mr. William Thorowgood, of Fann Street, to whose premises the entire stock was removed in 1829, where it now forms part of the Fann Street Foundry.

Dr. Fry retired to his residence at Stratford Green, and subsequently removed to Dalby Terrace, City Road, where he died Dec. 22, 1835.644

He was an old Member of the Stationers’ Company. In private life he was a man of genial disposition. A portrait of him, painted by Frederique Boileau, was exhibited in the Caxton Exhibition of 1877 by his son, the late Arthur Fry, and an excellent silhouette is also in possession of the family of the late Mr. Francis Fry, F.S.A., of Bristol, to whom we are indebted for our copy.