A firm synonymous with Watford’s printing and publishing history opened 100 years ago today.
Watford Museum has marked the launch of Odhams by publishing a selection of pictures of the famous printing works on its Facebook page and it has kindly agreed to let the Watford Observer also share them.
Originally founded in 1890, the publishing company took the name Odhams Press Ltd in 1920 when it merged with John Bull magazine.
The company’s relationship with Watford really began in 1935 when building started on the land that is now occupied by Asda near to the Dome roundabout.
By the mid-1950s the Odhams (Watford) Ltd site was to cover more than 17 acres and the firm employed almost 2,500 people.
Despite being taken over, the business continued to expand and modernise in the 1960s, but by the middle of the next decade it was making losses despite printing three of the most popular weekly magazines and some major monthlies.
There was delight in 1981 when Odhams (Watford) won a major contract to print the new Sunday Express colour magazine. By September 1983 though, the company was no more after it had been bought, and quickly closed, by Robert Maxwell.
Although it was the end of Odhams, printing continues on the North Watford site to this day.
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