High Quality Exhibits from The High House Press

You can never have too many striking images of Gold Hill. This woodcut engraving was made in the early 1930s by the youthful John R. Biggs (1909-88), a recent graduate of the Derby School of Art. James Masters, the co-proprietor of The High House Press in Shaftesbury with his wife Beatrice, had advertised for an extra pair of hands (literally) to help with the hand-crafted output of the Press. Examples from this highly regarded artisanal publishing concern are now on show, for a limited time and for free, at Gold Hill Museum. Biggs contributed 9 of the 14 woodcuts in one of their most prestigious publications Shaftesbury: the Shaston of Thomas Hardy. He was a lodger at the High House, the home of the Masters, which still stands opposite the junction of the High Street with Mustons Lane. The printing press was on the first floor, together with the Masters’ dining room.

We are grateful to Claire Ryley for researching The High House Press from items kindly deposited at Gold Hill Museum archives by Beatrice Masters; for staging the temporary exhibition with fellow volunteers; and for providing the images in this blog. Claire writes:

The exhibition showcases the work of James and Beatrice Masters who set up an Albion press in their front room in High House. They hand printed limited editions of classical texts, poetry and prose on handmade paper and with woodcut illustrations. The woodcuts were made by James and John Biggs who later went on to have an eminent career in craftsmanship. The press operated between 1924 and 1936, and was recognised for its exemplary publications. Beatrice Masters generously donated many woodcuts, prints, books and letters to Gold Hill Museum. Most people will not know of this slice of history on our High Street, so we are delighted to be able to share the Masters’ archive and artefacts with visitors in this new exhibition.