Organs Printers

One of Wrington's hidden Gems

Tucked away down the drive which branches off Church Walk, past Tanners and Piltdown, in the direction of Mulberry Cottage, the premises of Organs Printers didn’t exactly stand out. Indeed, as John Organ says in this conversation, probably most people in Wrington didn’t even know there was a printers in the village. All the more surprising, then, that Organs were known by, and produced posters, programmes, handbills for virtually every theatre from Land’s End to John O’Groats. At the time of this recording, the firm had survived a downturn brought about by his aunt’s reluctance to invest in the new machinery – off-set litho – which had revolutionised the industry – notoriously the newspaper industry (Wapping and all that) top to bottom. So, an upturn because they’d eventually picked up that investment challenge, but, again as John says, they were already on the cusp of laser printing coming in as the next ‘big thing’. The fact is, the firm packed it in only a few years later, which makes this demonstration of how they did the job so well – specialised packaging for the likes of Yeo Valley yoghourt, for example – all the more important a record.

The business was created by John’s Grandfather, Walter George Organ was a notable figure in Wrington, North Somerset, England. Born on June 21, 1858, he founded the business in Church Walk within the village of Wrington. This family business continued for two further generations. John’s son is still involved in printing, with Maxwell House printers, who now print the village journal.

Walter George Organ’s legacy lives on through his entrepreneurial spirit and the impact of his printing endeavors.

Here are some key details about him:

His contributions to the local community and the continuity of the printing business demonstrate his lasting influence. Wrington’s history owes a debt to individuals like Walter George Organ, who leave behind a tangible legacy for future generations.

Tucked away down the drive which branches off Church Walk, past Tanners and Piltdown, in the direction of Mulberry Cottage, the
premises of Organs Printers didn’t exactly stand out. Indeed, as John Organ says in this conversation, probably most people in Wrington
didn’t even know there was a printers in the village. All the more surprising, then, that Organs were known by, and produced posters,
programmes, handbills for virtually every theatre from Land’s End to John O’Groats. At the time of this recording, the firm had survived a
downturn brought about by his aunt’s reluctance to invest in the new machinery – off-set litho – which had revolutionised the industry –
notoriously the newspaper industry (Wapping and all that) top to bottom. So, an upturn because they’d eventually picked up that
investment challenge, but, again as John says, they were already on the cusp of laser printing coming in as the next ‘big thing’. The fact
is, the firm packed it in only a few years later, which makes this demonstration of how they did the job so well –  specialised packaging for
the likes of Yeo Valley yoghourt, for example – all the more important a record.