[UK] Figgins

1. Overview

1792 -

Vincent Figgins (1766? - 1844) apprenticed to Joseph Jackson in 1782 at age 16 (1782 - 16 = 1766). He was unable to purchase Jackson's foundry at Jackson's death (it went to William Caslon III), and so started his own. (Reed).

[picking up the story in the 20th century...]

Millington (167) notes that the firm of P. M. Shanks & Sons Ltd[Patent Type Foundry] discussed a merger with Stephenson, Blake for four years from 1928, but did not merge. They (Shanks) then R. H. Stevens Limited. The new firm was Stevens, Shanks and Company (q.v.).

Moseley, Howes & Roche (p. 30) identify the date of the merger of R. H. Stevens and P. M. Shanks as 1933. They also note that R. H. Stevens (the person) was the grandson of Vincent Figgins I, thus identifying R. H. Stevens Ltd. with the Figgins foundry.

Millington, Roy. Stephenson Blake: The Last of the Old English Typefounders. New Castle, DE and London: Oak Knoll Books and The British Library, 2002.

Moseley, James, Justin Howes, and Nigel Roche. Founder's London A-Z. London: The [European] Friends of the St. Bride's Printing Library, 1998.) , pp. 7, 8, 14, 19, 21, 22, 26, 28, 30

Reed, Talbot Baines. A History of the Old English Letter Foundries. London: Elliot Stock, 1887.

Wolf, Lucien. Exhibition and Market of Machinery, Implements and Material Used by Printers, Stationers, Papermakers and Kindred Trades[:] Official Catalogue of Exhibits . London: Robert Dale, 1880.