This work investigates the historical development, working conditions, and social organization of the London printing trade during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Ellic Howe, a noted historian of the printing industry, utilizes archival records and trade union documents to reconstruct the professional lives of the London compositor. The text provides a detailed examination of the shift from traditional craft practices to the industrialization of the press, focusing on the economic pressures and labor disputes that defined the era.

Historians and bibliographers frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the labor dynamics of the British printing industry. The prose is noted for its technical precision and reliance on extensive archival research, making it a standard reference for scholars of industrial history.