Graham Moss

From Kate Sharpley Library
August 2025

We’re sad to report the death of Graham Moss (1947-2025). He learnt printing at Freedom Press in the 1960s and was a member of the Industrial Workers of the World. His friend Nick Heath told us more:

‘I first met Graham on an evening course at the Technical College in Brighton, where he was currently living, in 1967. Later on, I regularly spent weekends at Libertaria, the anarchist bookshop he had set up at 95 West Green Road in Tottenham, in north London. This existed between 1971 and 1972 but unfortunately went bankrupt. Graham produced a 56 page pamphlet The Italian State Massacre on the Pinelli-Valpreda affair as well as a booklet, Love and War Poems by Kenneth Patchen, both produced at Libertaria. I remember going with Graham on the Valpreda demonstration to the Italian Embassy organised by the ORA in February 1972. I later renewed my acquaintance with him at Albert Meltzer’s funeral in 1996. Graham became very active in the IWW when he moved to Oldham.’

He spent over thirty years printing ‘for the collector who reads and the reader who collects’ at the Incline Press. Condolences to his partner, Helen Moss, and his family and friends.

- Kate Sharpley Library

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From Alice Smith (instagram)
July 17, 2025

Graham Moss, letter press printer, anarchist, get-shit-done person, and all round favourite brilliant human, died yesterday.

He just about made it to Scotland, to Robby Burns town Dumfries, with his love Helen at his side throughout.

Sudden short illness, unforeseen. We managed to say goodbye and thank him for everything. Left flowers (big red ball Dahlias, Goldenrod, Mace - a herb that i’ll always remember him by, and his favourite: Marigolds/Calendulas) on a suitably fine looking bench looking onto the river in Dumfries. Christian found a folded up Scottish £20 note at his feet nearby, we took it as a sign and duly did a pub crawl of Dumfries (take note, £20 goes a long way in Dumfries)

A massive loss to those who knew him, especially the letterpress and small press world. He connected and inspired so many people. His work, memories, stories (real and made-up), and words live on, no bounds.

All I can say, in Helen’s words ‘we’re so lucky to have known him’.

“Take it easy”

xxxxxxxx

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From Incline Press (facebook)
July 16, 2025

Graham Moss 30.11.1947 - 16.07.2025

Graham died today at 12.30pm in Dumfries hospital. Kidney cancer, out of the blue. This photo is only 6 weeks ago.

No regrets, he said.
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July 17, 2025

Thank you, for the vast number of messages of kindness and support, too many to reply to. People have asked two questions. Firstly our address is 8 St John Street, Creetown, DG8 7JF.

Secondly, Graham requested ‘no fuss.’ He wanted an unattended cremation, no memorials or funerals, and warned me that if I ever attempted a Memento Mori style book about him, he would be furious. But that might be more to do with my poor-quality typography, to be fair.

Graham has friends all over the world, and specified very strongly, no wringing of hands please (he caught me having a weep in the hospital and barked 'ah, go on now!') However, he probably underestimated how loved he was. So I have a plan to do something that will be fun and include everyone…..

Graham's great passion of course, was making beautiful books, and every design decision aimed to make the book as readable as possible. He told me that his legacy are the books on people’s shelves, so let’s have an Incline Press reading day.

I have the difficult task of sorting out the last of the Bow Street building next week, but I know there is a fair bit of stock, and selling it now seems wrong. Incline Press must end, so lets do it in style. I would suggest we pick a day, and then read his books together in an informal international reading circle and remember him well, enjoying what he has made for us.

If you do not have one of Graham's books or would like something new, please DM me your address and I will send you something from the stock. He was a very generous man, and it seems a good way to get the last of his work out into the bookshelves of the world, I think it would please him as he always was always keen to make his work accessible to all pockets. You can chuck a penny in the charity pot of your choice. It might take me a few weeks to get that sorted out, so I will keep you posted on the date of the reading day.
As a bit of a collector (ahem!) Graham also has a very hearty amount of metal type, some of which I would like to find a home for, so get in touch.

Here are some of the photos of Graham I have found scattered around the building over the last three years, which I have gathered together in a safe place, I thought you might like to see them. The yellow hard-hat is particularly weird and fabulous.

Graham had already become semi-conscious when we found out it was cancer 6 days ago, so we never really got a chance to talk or say a proper goodbye. But I think he said all he wanted when I asked him ‘is there anything I can do for you?’ (expecting a to-do list) and he replied ‘look after yourself’. I am still reeling from the loving kindness and simplicity of the reply and pass it on, though our joy was to look after each other.

Look after yourself.
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August 8, 2025

The Incline Press reading day will be on Sunday 31st of August. As no fuss is permitted, I shall leave you to organise yourselves on what that means and what you might like to do. My plan is to start at 10am for a Think and a Thank you, and read Graham's books from there.

Though very strictly an atheist, he did quote The Beatitudes to me on several occasions, which was always the beginning of an interesting conversation once I picked myself up off the floor. I suppose they are common sense to a beatnik anarchist who loved people, so I might start with reading those.

The Bow Street building was finally emptied on Tuesday after many trips in the van (thank you to those that helped) and I have been posting out books across the world since then. Hopefully they will arrive in time for the 31st.

Please enjoy these magnificent whiskers.

With love, from Scotland. Helen
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August 31, 2025

Graham didn’t want a funeral or fuss. So I invite you to read an Incline Press book today instead. If you wish, please do donate to a charity, raise a glass or share what you have read on #inclinepressprinter

Despite much baiting from me on the charism of his craft, Graham claimed only to be a printer. His books had to be beautifully made and a pleasure to read, and he printed in a workshop, not a studio.

During 32 years of publishing as Incline Press, he learned from hard experience to be uncompromising. This sounds like a simple thing to do, but to set up a traditional private press in the digital age, and reject the ‘proper job’ - well, the wolf was often at the door.

Graham’s commitment was to make a handmade life of unconditional freedom, for himself and for others. His creativity was informed by the practical activism of early adulthood and later as a history teacher in tough, inner-city schools - he knew you could change the world by following curiosity instead of fear and acting on your own power. The design stage of each book was a leaping-off point for him because the man needed to fly, and with some kind of tough innocence, he developed a practice by which he could share his heart of gold.

The result is a lively and diverse body of work, roughly 150 publications on bookshelves around the world. He told me recently he thought this was his legacy but he also had a massive impact on us. Graham was grounded in people: the caster of the type, the paper maker, the author, the artist, the book dealers, his subscribers and customers. He adored the letterpress community and meeting up with his peers at a Wayzegoose, he could get along with anyone. He always stood up for the oppressed, he defended the truth, he loved to teach and to keep the old presses working. He wrapped his work in the ‘integrated life’ of home and book fairs, and he had some fabulous larks down the various literary rabbit holes he explored.

You should know that almost every decision he made in his books was for you, the reader. In this way at least, he is always on our side and by our side. The kindest man I have ever known.

Helen

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