The
company was founded in 1902 at Bank Street, St. Columb by Mr.
JOHN EDYVEAN who later died in 1929 and it was then run by his
son, TOM EDYVEAN, later to be joined by another son, JAMES EDYVEAN.
The company was shut down during the war years and then re-started
at the end of the war in new premises at Higher East Street, St.
Columb.
In
1950 IVAN SMITH joined the firm as an apprentice for 5 years,
then did his National Service, after which he joined the firm
of John Chugg, Printers in Newquay to gain more experience, also
taking a course at Plymouth College of Art and Design. After this
period he rejoined the firm of J. EDYVEAN & SON as a partner
in 1968.
In
1978 after spending several years situated in two different premises
the firm moved 100 metres across the road into new premises that
used to be the Bible Christian Chapel in Fore Street.
In
1982 Ivan took over the business, after the retirement of Mr.
JAMES EDYVEAN.
Following
the death of Ivan in August 2002 the firm is now run by his two
sons TERRY and CRAIG, who have both been pupils at Plymouth College
of Art and Design.
The
company has gone from setting type by hand, to hot metal linotype,
then on to phototypesetting and now through to computerised Desktop
Publishing.
The
name of Edyvean is still retained, although from 1982 the firm
was renamed Edyvean Printers.