When Geo R. Reeve Ltd closed their printing works, the last in the town, in 2010, it signalled the end of an era.

Back in 1928, George Raymond Reeve set up a printing business behind what was then Walter Lane's Gentlemen's Outfitters (now Middleton's) in Middleton Street. Soon after that, the print works moved to Church Street and became known as The Model Press with a separate book and stationery shop, the Old Beams Bookshop, opening in Market Street in 1949 in premises which once housed the Dog and Duck pub.

It was then that the firm first gained a reputation for printing and publishing books, mainly local ones of historic and nostalgic interest. They were a great read. Examples of the books Geo R. Reeve published are shown in the illustrations, one distinguished author being the legendary Robert Bagshaw, a dentist who was once described as "Chronicler of all our yesterdays". His first book, published in 1986, was Poppies to Paston about his boyhood in Cromer, North Walsham and Norwich.

Others followed, all featuring memories of old Norfolk, except for ‘Toothy Goes To War’, Bagshaw’s 1987 memoirs of being a Dental Officer in the Royal Navy in World War Two. Apart from his writing, Bob also took an active part in the life of the town. He was the founder, secretary, and producer of the Wymondham Players, chairman of the Central Hall building committee, and Chairman of the town's Chamber of Trade. He died in December 2008.

In 1971, both the print works and the bookshop moved to the corner of Market Street and Damgate in the shop previously occupied by Clarke and Co, grocers, drapers and milliners, then in 1994 the printing operation moved to Town Green in premises formerly occupied by H. G. Stone & Co, printers and stationers. Henry Girling Stone had founded his printing works in the late 19th century, around the same time as another printer, E.H. Forster, was operating in Market Street.

Wymondham printers produced all manner of material. For example, at one time Reeve's were printing the monthly Wymondham Abbey Review while Stone's were printing the monthly Regal Cinema programme.

Now there is no longer a printing works in Wymondham. Thankfully, however, Reeve's flagship stationery shop is still going strong on the corner of Damgate and Market Street.