EAD
TABLE OF CONTENTSInventory |
Guide to the Riverhead News Printing Company Records
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Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator | Riverhead News Printing Company | |
| Title | Riverhead News Printing Company Records, | |
| Dates: | 1902-1966 | |
| Abstract: | There are three series in this collection as follows: ORDER BOOKS, SAMPLES OF PRINTING JOBS, and FINANCIAL VOLUMES. No one series covers all of the years in which the firm was active. The first series most of the years in the first three decades of the 20th century; the second series most of the years in the decades of the 1950s and 1960s, while the last series is essentially for the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s. The total volume of this collection measures approximately seven cubic feet, and consists of about 2000 items. Of these items, less than 50 are bound volumes. Each series is described below. | |
| Extent: | 13 boxes, 8.5 cubic feet | |
| Identification: | R-8 | |
| Location: | The material is located in the Archives at Queens Library. | |
Historical/Biographical Note
Little background information regarding the Riverhead News Printing Company has been researched. The Company did, however, publish The Riverhead News, a newspaper which had antecedents in the late 19th century. It is not known, however, just how long the company whose records we have, were the same individuals who published the newspaper. It is known, nevertheless, that the firm began operations under the name Roanoke Press, and probably around 1902. About 1906, the name was changed to Riverhead News Printing Company. The records described in this Inventory deal exclusively with the firm's business of ordinary printing jobs, not the printing of the newspaper. The records are by no means complete.
The firm probably went out of business sometime in early 1972 when the newspaper "Riverhead News" merged with the News Review. This brought to a close a business which had been founded in 1868.
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Scope and Content Note
Order Books into these volumes were entered brief notations regarding what various patrons had ordered the firm to print for them. Only the briefest information is given simply name of purchaser, date, what was requested to be printed, and whether payment was made or charged. However, in most cases, a sample of the printing is found on the verso of the order sheet. Thus, in this series we find examples of letterheads of various individuals or firms; wedding invitations; calling cards; and similar printed items. As far as can be determined, orders were all, or virtually all, placed by Suffolk County residents.
There are thirty volumes in this series, one for each year from 1902 to 1930. There is an extra volume for 1910, apparently devoted exclusively to orders for calendars.
Samples of Printing Jobs as a Riverhead printing firm, the Company naturally printed a wide assortment of items for local and other residents. These consisted of letterheads, calling cards, menus, programs, a few booklets, and similar things. This series consists of a sample of what they printed between the years 1951 and 1966, with one exception, 1952. As far as is known, this series is complete, that is, there is a sample of everything which was printed, though we cannot be absolutely sure. On occasion, there are some duplicate items.
FINANCIAL VOLUMES the first ten volumes are essentially of the same format. Some are labeled as to the type of volume they are, others not, but can be deduced. The last mentioned volume while bearing no financial notation within is listed in the series for the purpose of convenience that is, listing all bound volumes other than order books, together. More specifically, the following are to be found.
General Journals one volume covers Sep 1936-Mar 1945 (somewhat damaged volume with water stains); another Apr 1945 to Jan 1952; a third volume for Dec 1951 to Nov 1961; and the last covering Dec 1961 to May 1967. These volumes list Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable and General Ledger.
Purchase Journals three volumes, one of which covers Sep 1945 to Jul 1949; another Aug 1949 to Jul 1953; and the third, Jul 1953 to Apr 1964. Entries cover the purchase of such items as paper, ink and mats.
Sales Journal One volume covering the brief period of Feb 1929 to Sep 1930. Occasionally the term Advertising Sales is found.
Cash Volumes two volumes listing cash receipts and cash disbursements. One volume covers period of Feb 1929 to Sep 1930, the other Sep 1930 to Jul 1931.
Cash Volume This volume and the rest which follow in this series are different in format than those previously described. This particular volume is a small bookkeeping book written almost entirely in pencil. Only months -not years, but covers almost a two year period, and probably in the 1950s.
Job Work and Mdse Sales Covers period 1946.
Order Book? unidentified volume, but lists in alphabetical order the names of individuals, firms or groups for whom printing was done. The price of each job is given, and a word or two description on such as tickets, envelopes, etc. Probably, this alphabetized listing was used In connection with the order book mentioned in the first series. Period covered is ca. 1928-1949.
Purchase Book? unidentified volume, but lists in alphabetical order the names of firms with whom the Company did business, that is, firms from which they purchased their ink, paper and other products. The book records financial notations, and probably from this volume, entries were made in various more complete financial ledgers or journals.
Notebook yellow pad notebook inserted into a much larger binder, written in pencil. Evidently used to make a quick notation of what a customer had ordered, and to list the job number. No financial transactions or notations are found, however. Covers period 1946-1947.
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Creator of item, date of item (if known), identification of item, if a photograph its control number. The Riverhead News Printing Company Records, Archives at Queens Library, Queens Borough Public Library.
Access Restrictions
Open for research without restrictions. Manuscripts are only available in the Archives at Queens Library, please call (718) 990-0770 for hours. Manuscript users will be required to complete the division's Manuscript Usage Form and deposit their photograph identification or Queens Borough Public Library card with a staff member. The identification will be returned to the user after she/he has returned the material. Manuscript users will deposit all their personal items behind the reference desk. Manuscript users must use the division's loose sheets of paper for note taking. To reiterate, no pen of any type is permitted. Paper and a pencil are available upon request. Manuscript users may be required to use special handling procedures depending on the conditions of the material.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
- Archives at Queens Library
- Queens Borough Public Library
- 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
- Jamaica, NY 11432
- Phone: (718) 990-0770.
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Access Points
Subject Organizations:
- Riverhead News Printing Company
Subject Places:
- Riverhead (N.Y.)
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Inventory
[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]
