E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Fly-boy.
The boy in a printing-office who lifts the printed sheets off the press. He is called the fly-boy because he catches the sheets as they fly from the tympan (q.v.) immediately the frisket (q.v.) is opened. This is now generally performed by the pressmen.
