IT’S TAKEN a few decades, but on Saturday, Jean (Mrs Busy Line) Wright was back in the saddle, hand setting cold metal type at the Pimpama Print Museum.
Jean and her husband Reg owned Wrightprint from the early 1960s to when they sold it in 1986.Previously Reg had been boss at the Norco print factory at a time when Norco was the largest dairy factory in the southern hemisphere.
Reg and Jean also founded The Byron News in 1971, along with their son, John (Voice of Byron) Wright.
Hand typesetting using cold metal type was used for the legendary Wrightprint range of wedding stationery. Brides-to-be and their mums would travel past dozens of print shops, from as far away as Brisbane and Sydney, just to be able to boast they had their wedding stationery “done by the Wrights”.
Cold metal type was also used for business cards, stickers and after The Byron News was born, for headlines to be used in the paper.
While at the Pimpama Print Museum, Jean also caught up with the other Wrightprint team member back when she and Reg started the News, Bob Dooley, now from Beenleigh.
Bob also worked with Reg at the Norco print office and joined Wrightprint as the business grew too big for Reg, Jean and John to handle on their own.
Photos: Bob Dooley.