J Salmon Ltd

Reference: MS 5860Date: c.1899-2010sExtent: 239 boxes

J Salmon Ltd, founded in 1880, was a UK-based printing and publishing firm, and was the oldest established postcard and calendar publisher in Britain.

This extensive archive includes business records and samples of products. The collection is not yet catalogued, although a box list is available. Please contact us for details of access.

The University of Reading acknowledges with thanks the donation to it by Charles and Harry Salmon of the J. Salmon Archive.

A brief history of the company (provided by the Salmon family)

The business started in 1880 when Joseph Salmon ‘Senior’ purchased an existing bookshop and a jobbing print business in Sevenoaks High Street. 

Joseph Salmon took his son, Joseph Salmon ‘Junior’, into partnership in the business in 1894 (the partnership agreement is in the archive) and Joseph Salmon ‘Senior’ retired from the business in 1898. Joseph Salmon ‘Junior’ was the driving force in turning the business into a publishing company. 

The first colour post cards of Sevenoaks were produced in 1903 and the first calendars were published in 1908 for 1909. 

Joseph Salmon developed a colour post card range using paintings and this continued up to the 1940s. Both local view and ‘fancy’ (seasonal, children’s, humour, transport, etc.) subject matter. Black and white photography was also used for post cards from after WWI up to the 1950s, after which colour photography took over.  

WWI saw a boom in post card sales and in 1919 Joseph opened a new print works on Tubs Hill in London Road, Sevenoaks. Eventually this became the sole company site until 2017. 

Joseph Salmon acquired various other local print businesses and established The Caxton and Holmesdale Press (incorporated in 1948) to continue as the jobbing printer while Salmon became the national publishing company. Salmon was incorporated as J. Salmon Ltd. in 1930. The make-up of the business with J. Salmon Ltd. being the printer publisher and The Caxton and Holmesdale Press Ltd. being the jobbing local printer remained the same throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century. 

Salmon retained its own print facility at Sevenoaks until it closed the print works and offices in 2017 and voluntarily ceased publication of its products. The company sold its products to all sizes of retailers from national multiple chains to small independents via its own team of directly employed sales representatives and its offices and warehouse were located with the print works in Sevenoaks.