Statue of Boadicea commissioned by
Thomas Thornycroft and presented to London by his son and placed near the
British Houses of Parliament in 1902 by the London County Council
Butler and Tanner the printers of
many books had an equally humble beginning. William Langford, a chemist
(pharmacist), on Bath Street required labels for his medicines and so set up of
a small printing press for this purpose. From this small beginning the printing
firm Butler and Tanner, developed into one of the most important employers in
the town. Although the company is now based in a factory near the railway
station it was for many years was housed in the imposing multi-storied factory
in Trinity. Although the building has been lowered in height by removing one
floor and other parts demolished when it was converted into flats at the end of
the 20th century, the end wall still bares the Selwood Printing Works motif.
Another interesting engineering business to emerge within Frome, at the turn of
the 20 century, was motor car manufacturing.
Two businesses, Eastmead & Biggs
as well as B Thompson were at the forefront of motor car development and
introduction as a mode of private transportation. The first to produce a car
were Eastmead and Biggs but it is unsure whether they actually ever sold a
completed vehicle. B Thopmsom later Selwood Motor Works were relatively more
successful producing a car called the Achilles one of which still survives
today over 100 later.
