The Journal of Trade Composition Co – document, (Cooper & Beatty), 1921

Page one of the first ledger from Trade Composition Co. records the formation of a partnership that, six years later, would evolve into Cooper & Beatty, Limited. At the time, few trade typesetting companies existed in Toronto, leaving many printers with little choice but to operate in-house typesetting departments. These were costly to staff and equip, and many printers were happy to outsource that work to experienced professionals.

For Noble Scott Printers, this arrangement allowed them to offload the burden of running a major typesetting operation while ensuring access to high-quality composition – possibly even better than they had been producing internally. It also freed them to focus entirely on printing. For the newly formed Trade Composition Co., it meant launching with at least one significant client already secured.

Judging by the financial structure, Ed (Edgar) Cooper and Lew (Lewis) Beatty were the senior partners; J. L. Pepper, who received half their pay, was likely a salesman brought in to develop new business. The monthly equipment and rental fee of $132.00 would be just over $2,500 in 2025 dollars.

There is a quietly ironic coda to the story. In the early 1990s – after the rise of the personal computer had led to the decline of traditional typesetting – Howarth & Smith Monotype, one of Cooper & Beatty’s major competitors for nearly 70 years, was absorbed by Noble Scott Printers to become their in-house typesetting department. – Rod McDonald

Artifact Text

(Partial)

June 20 – 1921

A partnership consisting of L. W. Beatty, E. T. Cooper and J. L. Pepper, to be known as Trade Composition Co. was formed this day for the purposes of Casting Composition for the trade. Rented the Monotype Equipment of Noble Scott Ltd. at the rental of $132.00 per Calendar month, for one year, for use of Equipment and portion of building occupied at 102 Adelaide Street west, Toronto.

All purchases for Capital Acct. to be shared equally, but all net profits to be divided two-fifths (2/5) each to L. W. Beatty and E. T. Cooper, and one-fifth (1/5) to J. L. Pepper.