A PIONEER PRINTER

Southland Times, Issue 19389, 1 November 1924, Page 6

A PIONEER PRINTER

MR EDWARD HENRY WHITMORE RETIRES AFTER FIFTY YEARS After, 50 years in the printing trade, Mr Edward Henry Whitmore, one of Invercargill’s best-known and most respected pioneer business men, retired from his position as proprietor of the Phoenix Printing Company yesterday, and handed the business, over to his son, Mr John Whitmore, and Mr James Burt, under whose management the Company will carry on from to-day. Mr Whitmore, senr., who is now 85 years of age, enjoys the very best of health, and still leads an active and energetic life. In conversation with a Times reporter yesterday, he stated his intention of taking an extended holiday tour through New Zealand as far as Auckland. “For 50 years I have run the business entirely by myself,” said Mr Whitmore, “but I am now retiring from all active participation, and am leasing the premises and plant to my successors for a period of seven years. I have seen a great deal of the growth of Invercargill during half a century’s residence in the town, and I have been most actively concerned in its welfare. It is my intention,” he added, “to write of my personal experiences from the time I landed in the country, as soon as I settle my trip.” Mr Whitmore, in his long span of years, has led a singularly varied and interesting life. At the age of 35 he left his birthplace, London,, and, with his wife and family of six, set out for the Colonies in the year 1875 on board the ship “Surat.” Reaching the New Zealand coasts the Surat was wrecked near Bluff and, Mr Whitmore, besides losing nearly £3OO in cash, landed under most arduous circumstances with no assets and a large family to provide for. His rugged character and strength of will carried him through a very trying period, and he established a small stationer’s business in Dee street, afterwards going intp partnership with Mr Erskine in the Temple Chambers, Esk street. In 1886 the partnership was dissolved, and Mr Whitmore built a printing office in Tay street next to the Supreme Court. It was there that the Phoenix, a weekly paper that finally merged into the Sentinel, was first published. Invercargill, at that time, was passing through lean years, and in common with many other business men, Mr Whitmore suffered considerably. He temporarily abandoned the printing work and, with Mr J. McDougall, became interested in a tourist boat service on Lake Te Anau. On his return he again entered into his business, taking an office in the Athenaeum Buildings and later shifting to Don street, where he commenced a factory on the site of which now stands Sargood Son. and Ewen’s warehouse. Here a new department was organised in the business. Up till this time, about 1895, a considerable portion of Invercargill’s printing trade was being captured by northern firms, who also catered for cardboard box manufacturing. Mr Whitmore realised this, and forthwith purchased a cardboard box plant of his own, commencing w'hat has since become a substantial business in boxes of that description. In 1901, another change was made, the business being transferred to the top floor of Messrs J. G. Ward and Co’s, buildings in the Crescent. In 1904 it was again removed to Esk street, a few doors from Kelvin street, where Mr Whitmore was in business as the “Phoenix Printing Office” for 18 years. The present premises in Kelvin street were then taken over, and provided a larger and more roomy factory with good lighting and facilities. One of Mr Whitmore’s best-known innovations was the three-colour process of printing photographs, and he has the distinction of being the first man in New Zealand to print coloured pictures in that method.