John Innes’ success in starting up the ‘St Andrews Citizen’ encouraged him, in 1879, to buy his employers’ (the Tullis Family) printing and publishing business. Its founder Robert Tullis (indentured in 1786 to a St Andrews bookseller and bookbinder) had learnt printing at the University workshop. In 1795 he set up, in Cupar, a printing and, later, a publishing business. When, in 1890, Provost Murray’s post office (which also sold Newspapers) was transferred to the adjacent Christian Institute, Innes’ firm (now J & G Innes Ltd) retained the newspaper distribution in the corner shop which, in 1927, they bought.
On this site, 107 South Street, property and business strands of Scottish printing history meet — here, the printing works of the 17c printer, Edward Raban; here, by 1744, the house of Baillie Bell, co-worker with Alexander Wilson, father of Scottish type founding.
