DeLittle, 1888-1988

de Claire Bolton

"1988 marks the centenary of the wood type manufacturing firm R.D. DeLittle of York. The business today is run by R. James DeLittle, grandson of the founder, and continues cutting wood poster type, being the last firm in Britain to so do. Jim DeLittle generously gave me access to the firm's records which are complete from 1888, and with this material it has been possible to look at the firm's early history and follow its growth. Also from this background it has been possible to study the nature of the wood letter trade in Britain at the end of the nineteenth century. I hope this book will help to fill out the picture of wood letter manufacture in this country, supplementing my initial essay about the DeLittle firm published in 1981"--Page 7.