About the Press
The hedge sparrow (prunella modularis) is a small, dull, grey/brown bird, quite common throughout Britain, that frequently goes unnoticed and has had few things named after it. It is not, in fact, a sparrow but a song bird, with a short sweet melody, and the eggs are sky blue. The press's logo was drawn by one of our finest bird artists, Robert Gillmor.
The Press was started by George Miller, bookbinder and printer, in 2002, and joined by Bob Guy, artist and printmaker, in 2003. Jessie Miller joined after finishing her degree course in English at Sussex University in July 2005. Alan May, formerly lecturer in typography and graphic design at Reading University, is an adviser; partners Sue Miller and Iris Gordijn provide help and support.
The press aims to bring authors and artists together, printing short, illustrated books of humour, satire and poetry. It seeks to encourage talent that may not otherwise find an outlet, with a local emphasis. Primarily we are interested in original and significant work rather than reprinting safe classics.
If you want to be kept up to date with publications from the Hedge Sparrow Press, please fill out the email alert form on our Contact Us page.
Our Equipment
We have two restored Arab vertical platen foolscap folio presses, built by Josiah Wade in Halifax. One is driven by an electric motor and dates from 1892, the other from 1907 is treadle operated. We also have an iron flatbed press, an Atlas, built in London around 1840. It is similar to an Albion but with a different and more powerful lever action, and was originally used for printing newspapers. This is possibly the only working example of an Atlas in the UK.
On the bookbinding side we have an iron nipping press, a 27 inch wheel press, a 33 inch laying press and plough, a French standing press, a 30 inch bench knife, a Fortuna skiving machine, a good collection of brass rolls, fillets and hand tools, letters and type, and a converted Victorian blocking press built by Mackay of Bristol.
“it is always pleasing to discover a new private press, particularly a brand new one. I had this agreeable experience recently, quite by chance, when I saw a volume from the Hedge Sparrow Press in a bookseller’s catalogue. The book [Message in a Space Bottle] turned out to be a delight...”
Paul W. Nash
The Private Library Journal
Arab vertical platen press, built by Josiah Wade
Our Production Techniques
Find out more about our more about production techniques on the ‘The Pride of Mankind’ production process page.