Cupiss Press: The End of an Era

Tucked away, down a side turning of a bustling country market town, you’d be forgiven for never knowing of the existence of Cupiss Press.

This small, family-owned business was founded in the town of Diss in East Anglia in 1830 by Francis Cupiss, a vet and prolific inventor. He came up with formulations for salad cream, hair restorer and was best known for, ‘Cupiss Constitution & Cough Balls’ - a remedy that the firm continued making well into the 21st century.

To support his various enterprises, Cupiss needed to print various labels, flyers and posters so invested in his own printing press. He quickly took on printing jobs from other local firms and this side of the business took over.

In 2020, the present owner John Harding was nearing retirement and looking to hand the business on to a new generation. Sadly he was unable to find a buyer and in the summer of 2022, the press closed its door for the final time, bringing to an end 192 years of trading in the local community.

Seeing the press in action was a visceral experience. The smell, sound and vibration of vintage Heidelberg presses was mesmerising. Also, taking time to look closely at the building itself revealed something of its history. On the walls were the original pre-electric, gas-light fittings. Before housing the press, during the 18th century, the building had been a private grammar school and one couldn’t help but try to imagine what life must have been like for the children then.

Cupiss Press encapsulated a significant piece of the area’s social history and one can’t help but feel nostalgia for a bygone era and what is lost to the inevitable march of progress. Amidst the sorrow of closure, we must hear a call to action. As photographers, we are in a unique position to document and record the stories which surround us and create a legacy for future generations.