Typetour of Typefounders London

The Typevents walk around the City of London reveals numerous monuments to the capital’s typefounding past. Next to the Guardian office, in Ray Street, remains The Works, a substantial monument to the 19th century typefounders V & J Figgins. The firm’s name across the façade has now disappeared, but the building’s cast iron railings continue to bear the firm’s VJF monogram and it looks exactly as it does, blocked in gold, in the scarlet cloth covers of the 1890s Figgins specimens. See also the site of the last active London typefoundries, Stevens, Shanks & Sons Ltd, at 89 Southwark Street, who were making type there until the 1970s. Still south of the River, further down Blackfriars Road, is ‘The Foundry’, a refurbished building which commemorates the Blackfriars Type Foundry. Visit these and other gems of London’s typefounding past.

Your guide
John Voller is a one time resident of London and ex-compositor. For many years a a certified City of London Guide, John has recently qualified as an official St Paul’s Cathedral guide where he will be specialising in tours of typographic St Paul’s.

Booking and Schedule coming soon