Fonds JLD - Jarrold and Sons Ltd, Printers, publishers and retailers of Norwich

Jarrold and Sons Ltd grew out of a grocer's and draper's business established in Woodbridge, Suffolk, by John Jarrold I in around 1770. Some years after his death his son, John Jarrold II, took over his father's premises, moving to London Street in Norwich in 1823, to set up as a printer, bookseller and stationer.
John Jarrold II's children John III, Samuel, William Pightling and Thomas took over the business after their father's death and the business was expanded, particularly the printing and publishing arms. The firm became known for publishing religious and temperance works, as well as novels such as 'Black Beauty'. A London office was opened in 1847.
In 1875, the company moved to St James' Mill, originally built in 1839 for the manufacture of yarn. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, branches were opened in Great Yarmouth, Cromer, Sheringham, Lowestoft and Cambridge. A furniture branch in Wymondham followed in the late twentieth century on the acquisition of Jacksons.
A public limited company was formed in 1902 and the printing works moved to Cowgate. The printing and publishing divisions began to operate from the St James Mill site in the early twentieth century. In 1921, the London publishing business was sold by the then chairman, Samuel Jarrold's son William, although the company continued to publish from Norwich throughout the twentieth century, concentrating on calendars and works on tourism and travel. The directorship of William's nephew Herbert John Jarrold saw a period of innovation in the printing side of the firm, which included the introduction of the first large four-colour printing machine in Europe in 1948.
The printing and publishing divisions were finally sold in 2007 and the company began to concentrate on Retail, Property, Training and Facilities Management.