In 1922, George William Askew established his own printing business in the Doncaster Market Place. George had earlier served his apprenticeship with Alfred King & Sons Scholastic Printers of Oundle, where he had begun work in 1901.

George was joined in his printing business by his son Gordon in 1927. On the outbreak of war in 1939, Gordon joined the 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry seeing active service in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany. It was however business as usual back in Doncaster: whilst Gordon was away fighting for King and country, his wife Constance kept the presses turning in his absence. Gordon finally took over the business from his father in 1953 and immediately began looking for new premises.

Eventually, a site at High Fishergate became available in 1966. The fine new building was entered in the Civic Trust competition for ‘Constructions of Architectural merit’ it had been designed so that its lines were made to mould into the background, and to complement the grand St. George’s Church nearby.

It was in the early 1960’s that Gordon had introduced the now well-known, Helvetica typeface, he was the first printer in the country to do so.

It wasn’t long before an extension was needed as business developed and grew. Another extension was added to the High Fishergate building in the late 1980’s. In 1993 however, a compulsory purchase order meant that Askew Printers were on the move yet again. By this time Gordon’s son Maurice Askew was at the helm, although Gordon would remain active in the business until 1995.

Maurice would witness enormous changes in printing over his working life as printing methods changed radically in the later decades of the 20th century with the introduction of computers and automated machinery, which remarkably have simultaneously both improved quality and cut prices.

A new building in Heaven’s Walk, was able to accommodate the firm’s 18 staff and also provided plenty of car parking space and offered easy access to the motorway network.

In 2000, the pre-press studio was extended and a further extension was completed in 2002 at the rear of the building.

Today the company, now trading as Askew Design & Print is run by James Askew, the great grandson of the firm’s founder. Even now, more investment in hi-tech equipment is constantly being reviewed: as Gordon Askew was fond of saying “The race is never won!"