Henry Mitchell began his apprenticeship at the Dorset County Chronicle in 1922, and his son Philip launched Jamaica Press, a printing company in North Devon, in 1961. Over the years, print technology has advanced significantly, and now Paul, Philip’s son, manages the business.
Despite these changes, the commitment to customer relationships remains the same: we always strive to offer the best solution at the best price.
Decades of Progress
In 1922, Henry Mitchell began his lifelong career in print as an apprentice compositor at the Dorset County Chronicle. This journey took him to Bideford and then to Hartland, where he took over an existing printing business that had produced the historic Hartland Chronicle. As the sub-postmaster of Hartland, he managed a busy general store with country deliveries, often working 15-hour days. For relaxation, he would retreat to the attic, where he kept a small hand press.
The store’s development led to acquiring the recently-closed Jamaica Café, owned by an officer on HMS Jamaica. Soon after, a business associate offered Henry a treadle platen, an upgrade from his table-top hand press. Since it didn’t fit in the attic, they moved the press to the ‘Jamaica’ premises, and Jamaica Press began production on 15th November 1961.
Early Days of a printing company in North Devon
Hartland, a busy and self-sufficient community, frequently ordered stationery for local businesses and tickets and posters for various village organisations. Soon, the manual treadle-powered machine needed replacement with a fully automatic printing machine. With most tasks set by hand using individual letterpress type, larger jobs used mechanically-set type. This hobby eventually turned into a printing company in North Devon.
Sound Training
During this period, Henry’s son Phil developed an interest in print. After exploring other career paths, he chose this as his lifelong career. Phil and his sister Mary became partners in the new business with their parents from the start. Phil received an offer to join a two-year course at the Printing School linked to Exeter College of Art. There, he learned all aspects of printing, including estimating, costing, manual and mechanical typesetting, letterpress, silk screen printing, and binding processes like making hand-bound ledgers. A standout project allowed him to apply his skills – creating a booklet about the Guide Dogs for the Blind training kennels in the city. Phil, along with two other students, researched, took photos, wrote, designed, printed, and bound the booklet themselves.
Nationwide and beyond
Over the next decade, Jamaica Press grew, attracting business locally and from as far as London and the home counties. A publisher hired Jamaica Press to print book covers for several annual publications. Phil often drove hundreds of miles to meet deadlines and ensure the covers arrived in perfect condition with the binders. Henry and Phil always had an interest in Christian work, so their customer list included The Bible Society and missionary organisations. They produced a unique publication, the Gospel of Mark, for sub-Saharan Tuaregs. The lack of a typeface for Shifinagh Script posed a challenge, but Jamaica Press used their usual resourcefulness. To endure heavy use by these nomadic people in harsh conditions, they printed and bound the edition in durable synthetic materials.
Life and ‘Times’
Many people have found jobs at Jamaica Press, but Tony Manley’s 33 years stand out! Tony moved to Hartland with valuable printing experience, seeking a peaceful village life. He navigated the shift from letterpress to lithographic printing, embracing advances in typesetting and artwork. His interest in local life and history led him to edit a local journal, a passion that continued into his retirement. With Jamaica Press’s sponsorship and printing expertise, Tony published the impressive Hartland Times every two months, often featuring colour content, for over 30 years. His commitment to the paper and community earned him an MBE in 2005. Jamaica Press has also printed other local publications, including The Hartland Post, a successor to the Hartland Times.
Bursting at the seams
For years, redeveloping the original Hartland premises allowed steady growth as technology evolved and the workforce expanded. An additional village store and efficient use of floor space – where nearly everything except the printing machines was on wheels – also contributed.
Eventually, growth and efficiency hit a limit, prompting the discovery of a new site a few miles inland and, in November 2009, Jamaica Press relocated from one misty Devon spot to another. Mambury Moor Estate, situated off the Bideford-Bradworthy road between Powlers Piece and Stibb Cross, is closer to the centre of their daily van delivery area. This move also gives Paul easier access to visit customers, and visitors are always welcome for a cuppa!
Space to grow
This site offers nearly four times the floorspace of the original location, featuring free parking and accessible offloading facilities for palleted paper and other deliveries. On the ground floor, materials move on wheels from store to guillotine and presses, minimising manual handling. Colour-correct lighting helps press operators maintain high print quality standards. The entire operation, from design to packaging, occurs on one level, including a large, colour-balanced studio. We now have the capacity for environmentally friendly computer-to-plate technology, which improves quality and speeds up the process.
Office staff finally have plenty of space, but their main exercise is using the stairs to the first-floor office area. Here, their knowledge and experience are supported by custom IT systems to quickly and reliably meet customers’ needs.
Phil’s daughter Lynne has managed Jamaica Press accounts for over twenty years. In those early days, she also took on the responsibility of supplying office products to local customers, now managed by Janet, with many print customers finding it easier to order these from the same source as their printing. Despite strong competition from international companies, the care and attention provided by this printing company in North Devon keeps the delivery van busy throughout the South West. We offer help with planning office layouts and provide and assemble furniture for customers setting up new office formats.
New applications
Printing ink seems to run in the Mitchell family’s veins, as Phil’s son Paul always aspired to work in print. He studied at Exeter School of Printing for two years and gained litho printing experience at a city printers before returning to Hartland in 1987 to learn origination skills. Over thirty years later, Paul possesses a solid understanding of all aspects the business, eagerly embracing new technology. He introduced short-run digital and large-format inkjet printing to Jamaica Press and enjoys exploring the diverse applications these allow. With full-colour litho printing in one pass, the quality output rivals the best!
A great team
Staying updated with technology is crucial, but the passionate dedication of every team member drives excellent service at Jamaica Press. We’re here to help your business or practice thrive!
From January, 2025, our reliance on the National Grid has been reduced by the installation of a solar and battery backup facility partially funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities an place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit UK Share Prosperity Fund: prospectus – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)