William Clowes

Who was William Clowes?

William Clowes was a printer who developed the use of steam powered printing presses in the industry. He founded the printing firm which became William Clowes Ltd. in London in 1803.

Clowes was born in Chichester, Sussex, the eldest son of school teachers William Clowes and Elizabeth née Harraden. His father died when William was an infant, and he became printers apprentice at the age of 10. In 1803 he moved to London and founded his own business in October 1803 in 22 Villiers Street, with just one employee. Through links with a cousin of his wife's, William Winchester, Clowes was able to gain access to government printing work which enabled the firm to develop rapidly, moving to Northumberland Court in 1807.

In 1823 Clowes installed a steam powered printing press designed by Applegarth and Edward Cowper. In 1827 the firm took over Applegarth's premises in Duke Street, Blackfriars, a site which became the largest printing works in the world, printing a wide variety of works and employing over 500 workers directly.