The Printing Machine Managers' Trade Society was established in 1839 to cater for the men who operated the presses in London's printing works. In March 1955 it amalgamated with the London Society of Compositors to form the London Typographical Society.

The primary sources for membership information are the union's annual reports (MSS.28/PM/4/1/1-10), and all the following information is drawn from these.

Full membership lists

All members and their contributions paid are listed annually from 1882 to 1919. These lists are arranged by union number, so it is difficult to find an individual without knowing his number. This list notes whether a member is superannuated (pensioned) or deceased – deceased members continue to be listed for several years after their deaths.

Benefit payments to unemployed members are listed from 1894 to 1924. Although they do not give much information they are listed alphabetically and give the member's union number, which allows him to be located on the main membership list.

New members

New members are listed annually from 1882 to 1954, with name, age and date of joining. The employer is sometimes listed for members joining in the 19th century, and is listed for all new apprentice members from 1951 and for all new members from 1952.

Deceased members

Deaths of members and their wives are listed from 1882 to 1954, with name, union number (from 1894), date of death (from 1883), age (from 1891) and cause of death (from 1896).

Deaths in the first three months of 1955 are listed in the London Typographical Society Trade Reports (MSS.28/CO/4/1/76).

Superannuated members

Superannuated (pensioned) members are listed alphabetically from 1884 to 1954, with name, year of superannuation and age (1889-1893 and from 1897).

Emigration and removal

The union paid emigration and removal grants to its members. The names of members who received these grants (but no further information) are listed from 1907 to 1918.

War service

There is a list of all members who served in HM Forces in the First World War, along with a separate list of those who died, in the 1917 annual report (MSS.28/PM/4/1/5). A list of members killed in action in the Second World War appears in the 1945 annual report (MSS.28/PM/4/1/9).