Albion Printing Press
Our Albion Printing Press dates to 1860 and was kindly donated by Richard Lawrence from the Bodleian Library.
The Albion was an English bench-top press invented by Richard Whittaker Cope in London. The exact date of invention is not known; the first record of the press dates to 1822 when some Albions were imported into France. “Albion” is an old poetic name for England, and Cope may have called it this in response to the Columbian Press, which had recently arrived from America.
The Albion was advertised as being lighter and less bulky than rival English iron hand presses like the Stanhope. It became the most popular hand press in Britain. Albions were manufactured in England from the 1820s until the end of the nineteenth century.
This is a working printing press and is used in lessons and for clubs.