Daniel Roberts (D 1957-62) and Graham Day (C 1972-79) both nominate the School’s printing press. This, explains Graham, was ‘inherited from the Daily Telegraph that was used to churn out the School Roll, as a cover for all sorts of nefarious activities’. Dr Peter Lammer (Bn 1970-77) recalls the machine as being ‘large, complicated and dangerous, being liable to spit out molten lead if not adjusted correctly.’ Peter explains that ‘the Linotype hot-metal type-casting machine produced lines of about 60 characters of type, in one piece of solid lead. These lines could then be assembled in a frame and used in the printing press, which would ink them and make the print onto paper. The School's first Linotype was a very venerable old lead-spitter, long past its Fleet Street days. In about 1975 we successfully begged a second slightly less elderly one from the Telegraph’. This later School printing press put ink on paper using the lead type from the Linotype, was a Heidelberg platen press – ‘nicely dangerous in its own way,’ writes Peter, ‘but somehow not as charismatic a beast as the Linotypes.’ This is what it looked like in operation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQBRW0cFwyU
Junior School Open Day
The next Alleyn's Junior School Open Event is from 1.30pm to 3pm on Wednesday 22 May 2024. There will be a Head's Talk at 1.40pm after which you will be offered a tour of the school with a pupil. There is no need to book a place at this Open Event - everyone is welcome.
Last updated on 20 05 24 at 09:12
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