Thornley & Knight Ltd Bordesley Green Rd

[Jaybee]

Hello everyone

I have the discharge papers for a relative who served in WW1 and it states that prior to joining up he was a paint mixer employed by what looks like "Thornby & Knight Lea" of Bordesley Green Road, Birmingham. I've tried looking up this company in Kellys Directories but am not getting any hits. Can anyone shed any light on this company? Do I have the name right? Were they linked to the car manufacturing industry perhaps? Any info would be very gratefully received!

Julie

 

[Alberta]

It was Thornley and Knight,my husband used to buy paint to spray his minis in the 70s.

 

[john knight]

Thornley and Knight were the original manufacturers of
Tekaloid paint, which was widely used in the commercial and motor vehicle trades.
They were taken over in the 70's by Croda paints who now are also gone.
The factory was on the left hand side going up the hill towards Muntz St. it was just after Cherrywood Road.

 

[mikejee]

From 1912 Kellys it looks like it was close to the railway station. Presumably they were associated with Arthur holdens. A 1901 map shows it as Adderley varnish works.

B.ordesley Green road,
Saltley, the Five ways, Bordesley
green to Adderley
park. MAP J 5 & 6.
EAST. SIDE.
6 & 8 Brunt & Co. chemists
.........here isDenbigh st
56 Newton Mrs. Mary Ann,
news agent
78 Willson William, baker
here is Ronald rd
84 Wingrove John, grocer
PILLAR LETTER BOX
94 Savage Mrs. Susannah,
midwife
Thornley & Knight Lim.
.wholesale varnish mnfrs
Holden Arthur & Sons
Limited,varnish makers
(Arthur Manley, manager).
See advertisement
facing​

Varnish

Manufacturers

Adderley Park RailwayStation​

(L. & N. W

​

 

[Jaybee]

Goodness, that was a quick response!! Thank you to everyone who has replied! It is very much appreciated. I can now see that it is, indeed, Thornley & Knight Ltd.

Thanks again!

Julie

 

[Icarus]

Hi Jaybee

I was associated with Thornley & Knight from 1949 to 1989 when the company who had taken them over in 1977, Croda International, moved production to Hull. Their main automotive products were under the Tekaloid brand which is now held by a USA company.

T&K was started as a varnish manufactory in 1797 at a premises at 5-6 Lionel Street by Samuel Thornley. They moved to Bordesley Green Road in 1902. David Kerr Thornley, the last director of the company, died in 2002.

I'm presently engaged in writing a history of the company.


https://birminghamuk.net/TKHISTORY/index.htm

What was your relative's name? I may have a reference to him.

 

[Icarus]

Here's a diagram of the Bordesley Green Road factory.

 

[john knight]

I stand corrected it was before Cherrywood Road, time dims the memory.

 

[Jaybee]

Icarus
His name was Arthur James Darby who lived at 64 Carlton Road, Small Heath. In 1930 he was residing at Geraldine Road, in the Yardley area. Elsewhere on the documentation his occupation is listed as Paint Mixer, Driver (learner). He became a Ford driver in the ASC during the war. I'm not quite sure whether this means he actually did any driving for Thornley & Knight or just that he was able to drive.

I've a feeling that his cousin, Charles Frederick Wright, may also have worked at Thornley & Knight. I don't know if he is listed in any of your records? I know he was also a paint mixer and lived in Victoria Street, Small Heath during the 1930's.

Julie

 

[Icarus]

Hi Jaybee

I don't have any written info on Arthur but I do remember him. He became foreman of the Water Paint department after the war. A smashing bloke and always cheerful. I think he retired early 60's. Don't think he drove for the company though.

I also remember Charlie Wright. He was quite a tall man (unlike Arthur) and I'm sure he did some driving in his later years with the company and also became caretaker after retirement.

 

[Jaybee]

Icarus

Goodness, it's a small world!! Yes, according to his discharge papers, Arthur was only 5 ft 4 1/2 ins tall whereas from photos, Charlie looks like something of a giant!

My father once told me that Charlie would mix up double strength paint at work and bring it home, dilute it and then have more than enough paint for home decorating purposes!

I don't remember meeting Arthur or Charlie as they were of my grandparents' generation but I've heard family stories of them and have some photos. I had been led to believe that Charlie, his wife Annie and daughter Peggy all died at quite a young age from cancer, but if Charlie, as you have said, lived to retirement age then perhaps the story is not quite true.

Thank you so much for all the information. It all helps to add meat to the bones of my family tree and I am very grateful.

Julie

 

[Icarus]

Jaybee

I certainly remember Charlie being there until the mid-50's. Maybe he semi-retired early through ill health and did the caretaking job, being a less strenuous job?

I remember that Charlie caused some humour one day when he secreted a quart of paint under his coat (we all did it at some time). A bunch of people were standing by the clock at 5:45 pm waiting to clock out when the tin fell onto the floor - just as one of the bosses came out of the offices. Nobody flinched, just casually clocking-out, stepping round the pool of black paint and out through the wicket gate!

 

[Jaybee]

Icarus

Do you happen, by any chance, to have any photos of the workforce at T&K which feature Charlie Wright and Arthur Darby?

Julie

 

[Icarus]

Sorry, Jaybee, I don't have any photos of Charlie or Arthur. I will ask a couple of people I'm still in contact with if they have any. Photos were often taken at retirement celebrations but I don't think this was done prior to late 60's.

 

[Jaybee]

Thank you Icarus. That's very kind of you.

Julie

 

[valbern1]

Hi Icarus, been reading the history of thornby & knight , any information of my "Hero" Billy Timbrell,he was a distant relative .Bernie D.

 

[mikejee]

I have recently acquired a small book commemorating the 150 anniversary of the firm. It includes a number of pictures which might be of interest. the girst three are very early and will be in the first post.

 

[mikejee]

Here are the later ones

 

[Phil]

Hi Mike,


Here a later photo of Thornley & Knight taken in 1956 and you can see where it was located on Bordesley Green Rd.

 

[Radiorails]

 

[Radiorails]

This photograph, taken from the BHF Snow Hill thread shows a store belonging to Samuel Thornley Ltd.
From the earlier posts above we know that Thornley joined forces with Knight, however, I wonder what connection, if any, there was with T&K.
As Snow Hill and Lionel Street, the location of the original Thornley and T&K premises, were close I am guessing that this was a retail outlet retaining the original company name or did not feature as part of the merger.

 

[Morturn]

I am sure that Thornley & Knight Ltd made a paint called Double Life Lactol?

 

[Icarus]

Hi Mortun. They produced a number of Industrial coatings, Lactoil and Lactoloid being two of them. Their main line was the Tekaloid and Tekalac auto finishing range.

Hi Radiorails. One of the first things I asked David Thornley, a T&K director) was about the connection. He said there was no immediate family connection but there was an extended family link that soured before the end of the 18th century. Both Samuels were druggists with premises in Bull Street and surrounds.

T&K celebrated their 150 year history in 1947 with an, albeit, concise book called 'Proud Occasion'. Each employee was given a copy and I still have mine.

 

[Dave M]

Hand painted my sprite with a can of Tekaloid

 

[Icarus]

The Royal coaches and cars were too, for at least 100 years, Dave M.

 

[backtothewind]

My Ford Anglia after my own respray with Tekaloid aubergine and orange chrome. Not a bad finish even if I say so myself.

 

[Radiorails]

They were nice vehicles. I had two vans, a 1961 model and then a 1963 one. That was soon after I left the RAF and was a representative calling on many villages and towns in South Devon. The 1963 was unusual in so far as it had an A suffix as it was registered in Plymouth. Devon never issued A's, they commenced with B as far as I know. I was frequently asked what the A represented! Once I gave up that work I bought a beautiful white Hillman Minx 1600.

 

[Overs]

Icarus
Re.The Royal coaches and cars were too, for at least 100 years, Dave M.

I worked in the invoice department 1965 to 1967, the manager was Mrs Mason. Started at the age of 15 years as a Junior, the office was situated at the front of the building next to the entrance steps leading to reception. I remember having to go to the canteen on the first floor to fetch tea and toast for break time. Opposite T&K was Bordesley Green Tech School and Hughes Biscuit Factory and next door was Arthur Holder paint factory. Your comment brought back memory of my first venture into Export shipping, as the Queen was on a visit to Australia and we had an urgent request to ship a Quart tin of the unique coloured paint that was used on the Royal cars out to Australia urgently as somebody had scratched the Royal car. I worked closely with the Sales office but I can not remember their names now.
Do you recall anybody from the Invoice/Sales offices around 1965?

 

[jackie playdon]

Hi Icarus, I worked at Croda Paints from 1979 to 1982. Loved every minute. I started as office junior in the order office, Len Hill was my boss. Then I worked on the switchboard in reception, then ended up as typist in the advertising dept with Muriel Green. One year i assisted on the Croda stand at the Motor Show at the NEC. I have good memories of my time there.

 

[mw0njm.]

Tekaloid i still use it.