`Reed Corrugated Industries `

[MartinR]

"Linotype" is a tradename, but one that is commonly used like "hover".  A linotype operator sits at a keyboard and as he types brass (bronze?) matrices are assembled spelling out the line of type.  The line can be padded as required to produce the wanted width.  Typemetal is then run down inside the machine and a complete row of type is cast and delivered to the output galley.  The matrices are the automatically returned to the internal store ready for the next use.  It takes much longer to describe than to do.  As a young lad I saw one in operation and it must have been about 10' high and 3' or 4' wide.  For many years I had a cast line with my name on it, a souvenir of the visit.

[AlanTH]

I worked for a short while (actually most of my jobs were short term.. ) but in the main mill where the newsprint paper was made. I didn't know anything about the printing side of newspapers but did have a couple of mates who were linotype (or something like that) people and they were very well paid. Spent time in Fleet Street and the Greys Inn Road as well where the Sunday Times was printed.
Worked for MDG (Miehle Goss Dexter) in lots of papers in Fleet Street but never knew much about how or what the people who worked there earned their money.
I also worked for Kimberley Clarke at Aylesford, but I'm not sure if they did print paper or not now.... made lots of tissues etc. from memory, or what's left of it.
AlanTH.

[castle261]

Very interesting MartinR ----- We live and learn. I thought the flong rotated around the outside,
Were you in the `Print `in London !

[MartinR]

Interesting about the flongs being manufactured there, but if I may I'll expand on their use.  Compositors set type into flat galleys from which the first proofs ("galley proofs") are taken.  When the galley has been corrected the flong takes a negative impression of the type.  The flong is then attached to the inside of a cylinder and a single curved typemetal plate cast against it.  This plate is then fixed to the rollers of a rotary press and is used to print the paper.  Without the use of a flong the type can be assembled in a forme, but then can only be used for platten printing which is much slower.

[castle261]

This factory was situated at the Paper Mill site at Aylesford. It made pink`FLONG` boards for the
Daily Mirror, also suitcase boarding. The flong boards were use to wrap around the printed metal
drums, the impression transferred on to the newspaper. The suitcase board were ten foot long x
six foot wide. Shifts were 6 to 2 pm / 1 to 10 pm / 10 to 6 am. I pm, so as men can get to football.

` Correction ` --- it should be ` Brookgate Industries `on the `Reed Corrugated site `.

The Daily Mirror often rejected the flong samples, sent to London.
The Daily Mirror `OWNED `Brookgate Industries `so why dilute the samples.