In 20 historic pictures: the Echo leaves its printing palace

But times and technology change, whereas the bricks and mortar have stood still.

Now the Echo has moved to pastures new - temporarily, at least - it is time for the building to move on. It has been purchased by Darlington council with Towns Fund money and the hope is that it will be converted into an adult skills centre, with Darlington College, on the ground floor and commercial offices above.

Here's the full story of those 153 years, which is also captured in these fabulous historic images...

The Echo was first printed from the Priestgate corner on January 1, 1870

Laying the corner stone of the Edward Pease Free Library on June 4, 1884. In the background is the Echo's first office in an old boot and shoe factory on the corner of Priestgate and Crown Street

The front of a 1917 souvenir booklet commemorating the opening of the newly-built Priestgate palace. It is a fabulous image showing enlightenment spreading from the building - unless, of course, the press inside is on fire

Signatures of the dignitories at the opening of the Echo office in 1917. Fifth down is "Gainford" - Lord Gainford who five years later became the first chairman of the BBC. You should also be able to see Arnold Rowntree's signature. He was the MP for York and chairman of the Echo's board of directors as the Echo was part of the "cocoa press" - newspapers run by Liberal Quakers, many of whom were in the chocolate industry, like Cadbury and Fry, to promote their messages. There are the signatures of other MPs, mayors and the Bishop of Durham on the piece of paper

Crown Street from St Cuthbert's Church tower in the early 1930s. The Echo building is on the left of the picture, and it has yet to be extended up Priestgate. The extension was made in 1933 in a bid by the managing director, Sir Charles Starmer who was also Darlington's mayor, to reflate the local economy during the Great Depression. Peases Mill is the massive building on the right hand side

An early Echo press, here printing a bill to go outside a newsagent's shop. The main story of the day was a terrific snowstorm

Some of the Echo's early delivery vans in Priestgate. We reckon the 1930s

Delivery vans dressed up outside the Echo office in Crown Street probably for a railwaymen's carnival in the 1930s. Nig and Nog were the stars of the Echo's children's club which was phenomenally popular before the war

Delivery vans on a rainy day outside The Northern Echo in the 1950s

The giant press in Priestgate. We'd guess the late 1950s

Preparing pages to go on the press

Compositors making up a page. So many skilled manual jobs from the hot metal days have gone: as well as compositors, there were linotype operators, stereotypers, engravers, wiremen, stonehands and the press crew

Despatchmen prepare the papers for despatch: he's got a fag behind his ear for Ron - later on

A typical Echo reader in 1967, propped up in bed with her falsies on and a comforting cup of tea by her side

Priestgate's huge press - it was formally decommissioned in 1990

Princess Anne's convoy arrives in May 1973 as she celebrates the centenary of the Echo

The Echo building on the corner of Priestgate and Crown Street in 1983, just after Peases Mill had been cleared. The mill's octagonal chimney, behind the library, is just about to come down

The Echo building dressed up to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the paper in 2020

Sold: the Echo building has been bought by Darlington council using Towns Fund money. It is to be redeveloped with an adult skills centre on the ground floor and commercial offices above and, after 153 years on the spot, the Echo has moved out to enable the redevelopment. Perhaps, one day, we will back to pick up the history...