Matthew Wengert & Louise Martin-Chew
There were strong personalities associated with the Queensland Government Printing Office, the government printers who were, in the early days, newspaper men (and they were all men). They stood up to the government of the day, had public stoushes with politicians and bureaucrats which were reported in the newspapers, and shaped the institution under their watch.
Pictured above: Brisbane – Government Printing Office – Harris Terrace, c. 1840-1985, ITM2681368 IM01 and IM02
The first Government Printer was WC Belbridge, who served in the role 1862 to 1866, and had been involved in the Queensland Guardian (an early Brisbane-based newspaper). He oversaw the occupancy of the first purpose-designed government printing office in Queensland. This two-storey timber building was designed by Queensland’s first Colonial Architect, Charles Tiffin. It faced William Street and sat between William Street and George Street.
Belbridge lived in Toowong, where his suburban neighbours included other prominent Queenslanders like Robert Towns, who was known for his role in bringing indentured South Sea Islander labourers to Queensland to work in developing agricultural industries, and after whom Townsville is named. Belbridge co-founded the Queensland Express with Robert Traver Atkin in August 1868.
Pictured above: Photographs taken from ‘Government Printing Office Annual Excursion 1st Marach 1921 to Southport’ booklet, found in Queensland State Archives ITM1692074
The second Government Printer JC Beal, serving from 1867 to 1893, also had craft experience. In 1875 he won a cup at the Queensland Exhibition for ‘printing and book binding’. An account of his retirement function (after 32 years) reported: He felt regret when he looked around and saw so many men with whom he had been associated, in some cases since they were boys, and who were now fit to occupy a position in any printing office in Australia. The pleasurable part of the affair came in when he looked at the testimonial he had received, and in the consciousness he felt that during his 32 years of service he had always been faithful to the Government.
Edmund Gregory was appointed from within the Printing Office. He served under Beal until 1893 and remained Government Printer until 1902. Gregory’s background included the founding of The IpswichHerald in 1859. He was printer and publisher of the Moreton Bay Courier for TB Stephens before becoming overseer of the Government Printing Office in 1866 and the Government Printer in 1893. In 1896 Gregory published the story of the ‘Wild Whiteman James Murrill’, whom he interviewed, relating 17 years of exile among Aboriginal peoples in north Queensland, shipwreck, rescue and Murrill’s return to colonial society
George Arthur Vaughan was Government Printer from 1902 to 1908, having been Sub Overseer 1887 to 1893, and Overseer from 1893 to the 1900s. Documentation from 1889, relating to his time as Sub Overseer, offers granular details of his tasks, which included: having charge of whole staffs; instructing the Apprentices as to the mode of executing the work entrusted to them; addressing and forwarding for various Public Departments. During the sitting of Parliament I commence duties at 5.45 pm not leaving very often till 4, 5 and sometimes 6 am… Have charge at night of the whole of the office during the absence of the Government Printer.
Amongst the most influential Printing Office leaders was Anthony J Cumming, who was Government Printer from 1908 to 1930. He is credited with significantly modernising printing, securing contracts from the southern states, securing paper supply prior to World War I, but also instigating the adoption of the printers ‘devil’s’ on the building. An article in The Bulletin (1915), reported: When he came to Brisbane in 1908, the old Government Printing Office was the scoff and alms-house of the public service. Cumming took one look at the thing, then collared his axe and chopped the ruin to pieces. After that he carefully selected the finest available site – which happened to be alongside the Lands Office and nearly opposite the Lands Office and nearly opposite the Public Library – and began to build, equip, organise and teach to his big limit. Incidentally, the office is now the home of James Edmond’s celebrated Seven Devils. There are two on top of the front parapet: three more at the back; a very big fellow over the arch of the main entrance – and the Seventh Devil lives on top of the big safe in AJ Cumming’s own office.
There was a shift into the early and mid-1900s, with the Government Printer often appointed from within, with hands-on experience useful to manage unionised staff, also requiring knowledge of complex printing technologies and tasks. Digital printing emerged in the late 20th century. After 1990 and through the Go Print era, appointees tended to be public servants with management credentials.
