Gang (Contd.) 760
century) the compositors employed in the Colony were almost entirely Portuguese, remind us that it was these nationals who were among the earliest printers here. The various religious Missions, we know, had their printing presses, and trained many of the Portuguese in the art, but those presses were entirely for missionary purposes. If we take the truly commercial publishing concerns, then apart from the British newspapers which ran jobbing departments as a side-line, the printers were without exception Portuguese. We might take a brief survey of these.
One of the first to operate, a firm that remains to-day and has published the Government Gazette for a great many years, is Noronha and Company, of Duddell Street. It is hoped some time to be able to give more detailed history of this old firm. In 1845 we find that Missions and newspapers doing practically all the printing that there was, but by 1847 Mr. Delfino Noronha had a flourishing printing office in Wellington Street.
This was situated in what was known as Oswald's Terrace (premises which presumably belonged to Mr. Richard Oswald, a pioneer merchant of the Colony, founder of R. Oswald and Co., whose house, on the rising land near where the Victoria Gaol now stands, was known as Oswald's Bungalow, and the elevated area itself as Oswald's Hill). On founding his firm, Mr. Noronha had as sole assistant a compositor named Lçdo Rozario.
I understand that it is claimed the firm's beginning go as far back as 1844.
The concern flourished throughout the Fifties, and during that period obtained the contract for printing the Government Gazette, which it retains to-day. By 1860, Mr. Noronhas had six compositors.
Meanwhile, other printers on a small scale had set up business I. M. Cruz in Wellington Street, Querino Gutierrez in Wyndham Street, and J. M. Da Silva in Queen's Road.
A few years later, in 1863-64, we find the Commercial Printing Office established in Graham Street, with Mr. J. Da Luz as proprietor. An establishment known as the Mercantile Printing Office had also appeared in Staunton Street, run by Mr. E. Ferreira. The Cruz office in Wellington Street was still in existence, but by now the name of the proprietor appeared as C. de Cruz. By 1864, Noronha's had promoted their chief compositor J. J. da Silva e Souza (see reference earlier to the Echo do Povo) to be their manager.
If we take a survey once every decade, we find the gradual extinction of some older printing shops and the emergence of new ones, but throughout the years Noronha's continued to flourish.
In 1870 the Mercantile Printing Office had moved to Peel Street, but the firm of De Cruz had gone. However, Mr. J.J. da Silva e Souza had started a rival establishment to Noronha's in Hollywood Road, having now blossomed out with and Company, his firm being printers, stationers and bookbinders. R. F. Gutierrez was carrying on (apparently the parental business) modestly enough, at 13, Wyndham Street.
Noronha's had now become Noronha and Sons, at the "corner of Hollywood Road and Pottinger Street", with H.L. and D.L. Noronhas (apparently sons of the founder) as principals.
By 1880 the Commercial Printing Office had moved to Wyndham Street, Souza's were at the "corner of Wellington and D'Aguilar Streets," and Gutierrez was 12 Wyndham Street, Kelly and Walsh had commenced as booksellers, stationers, newsagents, and tobacconists in Queen's Road, with W. Brewer as manager.
The
NEWSPAPERS
Gang
(Contd.)
760
century) the compositors employed in the Colony were almost entirely Portuguese, remind us that it was these nationals who were among the earliest printers here. The various religious Missions, we know, had their printing presses, and trained many of the Portuguese in the art, but those presses were entirely for missionary purposes. If we take the truly commercial publishing concerns, then apart from the British newspapers which ran jobbing departments as a side-line, the printers were without exception Portuguese. We might take a brief survey of these.
!
One of the first to operate, a firm that remains to-day and has published the Government Gazette for a great many years, is Noronha and Company, of Duddell Street. It is hoped some time to be able to give more detailed history of this old firm. In 1845 we find that Missions and newspapers doing practically all the printing that there was, but by 1847 Mr. Delfino Noronha had a flourishing printing office in Wellington Street.
This was situated in what was known as Oswald's Terrace (premises which presumably belonged to Mr. Richard Oswald, a pioneer merchant of the Colony, founder of R. Oswald and Co., whose house, on the rising land near where the Victoria Gaol now stands, was known as Oswald's Bungalow, and the elevated area itself as Oswald's Hill). On founding his firm, Mr. Noronha had as sole assistant a compositor named L ̧do Rozario.
I understnad that it is claimed the firm's beginning go as far back as 1844.
The concern flourished throughout the Fifties, and during that period obtained the contract for printing the Government Gazette, which it retains to-day. By 1860, Mr. Noronhas had six compositors.
Meanwhile, other printers on a small scale had set up business I. M. Cruz in Wellington Street, Querino Gutierrez in Wyndham Street, and J. M. Da Silva in Queen's Road.
A few years later, in 1863-64, we find the Commercial Printing Office established in Graham Street, with Mr. J. Da Luz as proprietor. An establishment known as the Mercantile Printing Office had also appeared in Staunton Street, run by Mr. E. Ferreira. The Cruz office in Wellington Street was still in existance, but by now the name of the proprietor appeared as C. de Cruz. By 1864, Noronha's had promoted their chief compositor J. J. da Silva e Souza (see reference earlier to the Echo do Povo)to be their
manager.
If we take a survey once every decade, we find the gradual extinction of some older printing shops and the emergence of new ones, but throughout the years Noronha's continued to flourish.
#
In 1870 the Mercantile Printing Office had moved to Peel Street, but the firm of De Cruz had gone. However, Mr. J.J. da Silva e Souza had started a rival establishment to NormonHa's in Holloywood Road, having now blossomed out with and Company, his firm being printers, stationers and bookbinders. R. F. Gutierrez was carrying on (apparently the parental business) modestly enough, at 13, Wyndham Street.
Noronha's had now become Noronha and Sons, at the "corner of Hollywood Road and Pottinger Street", with H.L. and D.L. Noronhas (apparently sons of the founder) as principals.
By 1880 the Commercial Printing Office had moved to Wyndham Street, Souza's were at the "corner of Wellington and D'Aguilar Streets," and Guiterrez was 12 Wyndham Street, Kelly and Walsh had commenced as booksellers, stationers, newsagents, and tabacconists in Queen's Road, with W. Brewer as manager.
The
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