The history of W.C.Penfold & Co.Ltd dates back to 1830; one of Sydney’s oldest retailers was founded by William Moffitt.

Born in Liverpool England in 1802, he served his apprenticeship as a bookbinder.

Sentenced to seven years transportation in 1823 for stealing tea, he arrived in Sydney on July 25th 1827.

When his sentence expired Moffit set up in business as a bookbinder, stationer, engraver and copperplate printer. His work producing almanacs and diaries was of remarkable quality given the shortage of supplies and rudimentary equipment then available.

The firm’s early customers included the Sydney Gazette, the retailer David Jones, the explorer and government surveyor Sir Thomas Mitchell, and outspoken army officer and sheep breeder John Macarthur.

Aside from stationery supplies and the printing of letterheads and advertisements, the company also began a close relationship with the banks, printing cheque books, bank orders, promissory notes and drafts, which Penfold would continue for many years.

The Penfold brothers (William Clarke and Frederick Edwin) gained control of the business in the 1880’s and oversaw the expansion and progress of the firm. Including the introduction of lithographic and linotype printing machines.

The company continually improved its equipment and expanded its range of goods.

In 1898 the first linotype machine was installed and printing operations included catalogues and a countryman’s newspaper, the Australian Field.

In 1902 Penfold entered book production and from 1904-23 printed many notable titles for Angus & Robertson, including C.J. Dennis’s The Sentimental Bloke (1914) and Norman Lindsay’s The Magic Pudding (1918).

In 1912 Penfold had acquired the eight storey Hosking House in Hosking Place for a new printer and in April 1914 W.C.Penfold & Co was reformed to replace the existing partnership.

In the 1920’s the company described itself as ‘printers, stationers and systematists’ and expanded into the growing packaging industry, especially for Nestle Co.

Today WC Penfold continues to grow and stocks over 12,000 lines.

Regardless of radical changes in the companies methods and processes, customer service and staff loyalty have remained a necessity to retain the Penfold standards of quality.

We are and always will be an Australian Owned Company and look forward to another 180 years of Service Culture.