Written by Lorraine Johnson, The Butler & Tanner Story documents the 169-year history of the Frome printer, prior to its closure last year.
Johnson said: “I researched a book about the company behind Ladybird books for my PhD. When I finished that I was looking for my next project and I realised Butler & Tanner was right on my doorstep.
“It had just gone into administration and when a company fails it can leave a bitter taste. The whole point of the book is to celebrate the achievements of the company and the people who worked there. I’ve met lots of lovely people and surviving members of the Tanner family in the process.”
The 130pp colour book includes around 100 pictures and illustrations. It was litho printed by Short Run Press in Exeter and has sewn binding and a limp cover.
The project was print managed by Butler & Tanner's former digital manager, Andy Price, now director of Think Digital Books, who worked for Butler & Tanner and another company it acquired, Lawrence Allen, for more than 20 years.
"It was something straight away that I was very keen to be involved in," he said. "It's not just a normal print job, it's a passion. I lived and breathed Butler and Tanner; all the history and all the stories are part of my life. I was very keen when I spoke with Lorraine to do this, it's just a perfect fit."
Price said he was also keen for Johnson to see all aspects of the printing process and introduced her to Short Run Press.
She said: “I went to see it [the book] printed which was amazing. It has come out beautifully, I’m really pleased with it."
She added that one of the lasting impressions of her research was of the Tanner family themselves, and of Joe Tanner the firm’s former managing director and chairman, who died in 2006. “Everyone remembers Joe being such a wonderful man,” she added.
The book is published by Frome Society for Local Study and costs £12. It is available via the society’s website www.fsls.org.uk, Frome Heritage Museum, and Hunting Raven Bookshop in Frome.
An accompanying exhibition at the Heritage Museum about the importance of printing in Frome runs until 14 November.
