Tilley Letterpress Printing was established in it’s present location in 1875.  It was one part of a collection of businesses run by the Tilley family.  Luke Tilley was the archetypal entrepreneur whose business sense and hard work resulted in the Tilley family dominating many areas of trade in the thriving Herefordshire market town of Ledbury.

In 1875 Luke Tilley bought out the Ledbury Free Press, which was situated on the High Street and whose owner was a gentleman of the name of Baylis.  The Tilleys moved the press to its present location, off the High Street, down Tilley’s Alley and here it has remained until the present day. 

For the first half of the twentieth century Miss Leonie Tilley was the proprietor and she oversaw some considerable modernisation including the introduction of electric power to replace the steam generator.  In the 1930’s the collection of type was expanded to hold many avant garde type faces of the day.  During the middle of the century the Heidleberg Platens were introduced transforming the production of Letterpress printed material.

Martin Clark, the current proprietor, began his 5 year apprenticeship at the age of 15, going on to achieve his status as a Master Printer.  During his career, which has included some time working at the Oxford University Press, he has maintained the traditional skills and craftsmanship of the Letterpress Printer. 

Tilley Printing may possibly claim to be unique in the fact it remains a ‘Jobbing Letterpress Printers’ still housed in it’s original premises since 1875.