Printing press lead to creation of newspaper
RICHARD Cocker was a printer and publisher in Ormskirk in the early 1800s. Ambitious and prolific, Richard was publishing large quantities of books for the London market in particular the Book of Common Prayer which was published in 1802 by Cocker and Fowler.
Richard had his printing press close to Ormskirk Market Cross at 7 Church Street.
Cocker was publishing all types of books including prayer books, he also published ‘The abuses and advantages of Sunday schools.’
A sermon preached at Ormskirk on Sunday, November 3 1799, for the benefit of the institution, by Johnson Grant.
The Ormskirk Vicar at the time was Randall Andrews and Grant was his curate, having only just obtained his BA from Oxford.
Richard died in August 1821 and the printing and publishing business was taken over by his daughter Ann who continued to print works for the London publishers.
His son Richard did not enter the publishing world, he became a teacher.
He married the daughter of one of his father’s apprentices and in fact one of the witnesses at his wedding was William Rutter Dawes, the Minister of the Ormskirk Congregational Chapel.
Dawes is famous for his intensive research into the Moon’s surface using a telescope positioned on the roof of Chapel House on Chapel Street and the crater he identified in the 1820s still goes by the name Dawes Crater.
At the same time as the Cocker works, another publisher.
William Leak of Lancaster moved to Ormskirk and went into partnership in 1812 with Thomas Johnson at a small print shop behind number 3 Aughton Street.
From this small outlet Leak and Johnson became a familiar established business in the town, adding another partner, the local publisher Thomas Fowler to the business.
Fowler had printed a Bible in folio size in 1806 with amazing illuminated illustrations and for many years one of the front plates of this bible was on display in Ormskirk Parish Church and it had a handwritten inscription on the reverse lamenting the loss of one of the Sumner family from the Aughton Brewery family.
Works published included The History of the French Revolution; six thick volumes called ‘The History of England’, also works by Goldsmith; Bunyan and Milton.
Over the years many millions of elementary school books were printed for publishers in London, Birmingham and Manchester.
By 1817, William Leak had bought the Cocker business from Ann too, moving his print shop to number 7 Church Street.
Business was so good that several apprentices were needed and it became a large employer in the town. Leak’s nephew, Thomas Hutton, moved to Ormskirk as an apprentice to the business and within a few years Hutton knew that he wanted to start a newspaper in the town.
The large area behind the print works in Church Street saw a decline in use as a stable for the coaching horses from the George and Dragon and Talbot Inns.
With the arrival of the railway in the late 1840s Thomas recognised that the space he needed for a newspaper office and print works was right behind number 7 Church Street.
In a short number of years the Ormskirk Advertiser became an important part of local life.
Hutton worked hard to make that happen and he became deeply involved in many aspects of the town, the church, schools and charities.
The publishing and bookbinding business continued to thrive and using his newspaper to promote the publications and printed material available there seemed to be no end to the possibilities.
The works had a steam printing press and used letterpress, lithographic and copperplate techniques.
It was William Leak Hutton, son of Thomas, who carried the bookbinding and publishing business to another level.
A purpose built bookbinding works was built in Park Road when the Coronation Park was being built and Park Road was made accessible.
From the bookbinding works, many more titles were published and distributed.
The number of people working there at one point reached 66, making it one of the biggest employers in the town.
The works had a Scholastic Toy Department which published educational titles for very young readers as well as card and board games.
The Bookbinding works is now the home of O’Briens’ Tea Rooms and a meeting place for local groups.