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Records relating to the career of Fred Grayden, former deputy head printer at the Guardian, including his memoir, correspondence and photographs. Collection also contains his trade union membership cards and a hot metal dateline slug, one of the last to be used at the newspaper before changes were made to the printing process.

Administrative/Biographical history: Fred Grayden joined the Guardian in 1961 when the composing room was first set up to begin printing in London, retiring as deputy head printer after over 20 years of service.

He had previously worked for the Daily Sketch composing department. He first joined the Guardian as a time hand from 13 August 1961, working as copy desk supervisor responsible for lino and ludlow typograph setting. The first London composing room was shared with the Sunday Times.

Grayden became Guardian staff from 1 January 1962. He was appointed deputy head of the composing department from 5 July 1973, following the retirement of head printer Mr DC Borrett. Grayden himself retired in 1985. Grayden was a member of printing trade unions from July 1938.

Handwritten memoir of Guardian deputy printer Fred Grayden on his service at the newspaper and additional notes.

In his handwritten memoir Fred Grayden covers the period 1960-1985. Grayden recounts the setting up of the Guardian London composing room in 1961, and recalls a number of his colleagues. He also describes the early process of producing the newspaper, the relations between the paper and the trade unions, and the move to Farringdon Road by the Guardian in 1976.
He goes on to describe the last production of a hot metal paper, following the move towards new methods of newspaper production. In his memoir Grayden recounts the difficulties with the printing system which earned the newspaper the nickname, 'The Grauniad'.

Contains a covering letter from Grayden dated February 2005, and rough plans of the composing rooms produced by Grayden. His account was requested as part of the Guardian and Observer archive project to collect material.

In these additional notes Grayden describes the atmosphere of the London composing room, including details of noises and smells. Contains a list of staffing levels in the composing room on the first night of London production in September 1961. These additional notes were provided in response to the 'Hidden History of the Guardian' (2005) which was produced for the Hidden History Newsroom exhibition.

Correspondence relating to Fred Grayden's employment at the Guardian.

Internal Guardian correspondence received by Fred Grayden. Contains details of his employment at the Guardian from 1961, including his appointment as deputy head printer.

Correspondence received by Fred Grayden in relation to his retirement from the Guardian in 1985 after over 20 years of service in the composing room. Contains letters from senior staff at the newspaper and retirement greetings cards signed by members of staff.

Contains Fred Grayden's membership cards for printing trade unions. Grayden first entered the London Society of Compositors in July 1938. From 1955 he was a member of the London Typographical Society. From 1964 to 1987 he was a member of the London region of the National Graphical Association.

The London General Trade Society of Compositors was established in 1826 and adopted the name London Society of Compositors (L.S.C.) in 1848. In March 1955 it amalgamated with the Printing Machine Managers' Trade Society to form the London Typographical Society. Each year there was a competition amongst the London Society of Compositors membership to design the members card, with a small prize being awarded to the winner.

In 1964 the London Typographical Society merged with the Typgraphical Association to form the National Graphical Association.

Photographs relating to the career of Guardian deputy head printer Fred Grayden.

Colour photographs taken during the last production of a full hot metal Guardian newspaper on 11 May 1987, for the paper published the following day. Members of the compositors chapel are photographed wearing top hats during the final hot metal production and images include the mock coffin commemorating the last page to be produced in hot metal.

Photographs contain captions on the reverse.

Grayden's captions date these photographs 7 July 1987, which was actually the date that a metal headline slug was last used in the production of the newspaper (for the 8th July). Visual evidence in the photographs and evidence from other sources confirms that the ceremony shown was held in May.