Lawton ltd

[Martin1972]

Hello to everyone
I am new on here & hoping someone can help me with history regarding a company by the name of Lawton ltd.
They used to be present on Doris road, bordesley green area.
Long gone now I believe but the reason I ask is that I recently came across an item that according to the markings on it would have been from that company.
I will post a few pics of said item in the hope that someone can help me out with regards to the item itself & the approx dates if possible when the company was in business, what they did & if anyone has any pics of the old place that would be amazing.

kind regards

Martin

 

[Radiorails]

Welcome to BHF. Lots on facts to read on the Forum.
This thread should give you some help.

Doris road

Hello Folks, having just received a birth cert today from 1912 I was wondering if anyone by chance had a photo of the address given.... 3 DORIS ROAD ( which would be in Small Heath) Thanks in anticipation..... Margaret.

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[Big Gee]

The Home Secretary gives notice that in pursuance of Section 2 (1) of the Employmentof Women, Young Persons and Children Act,1920, he has made an Order authorising the employment on two day-shifts, of womenof 18 years of age and over in cellulose spray-ing in the Enamelling Department at the Sentinel Works of Lawton (Successors) Limited, Doris Road, Bordesley Green, Birmingham 9, subject to the conditions that a workershall not be employed in the afternoon shift inconsecutive weeks and that suitable cloakroom accommodation, adequate arrangements for taking meals at the works, including means of warming food and boiling water, and washing facilities shall be provided. Whitehall,25th October, 1934.

The above is from The London Gazette of 26 October 1934. Not very much info as to their actual business, but it seems they were manufacturers of metal assemblies. 'Smoke Containers' could possibly suggest part of a device for laying smoke screens, on the battle field or at sea? Interesting. I also found a reference to a metal 'home safe' made by this company for Barclays Bank. I was employed in the metals industry for years, but have never heard of them.

G

 

[Martin1972]

Good evening

thank you all for the help so far, it is very much appreciated.
please endeavour to keep the information coming as I really want to find out as much as possible.
if I’m to be honest, there would appear to be very little available regarding the said company, possibly as it is long gone now.
a picture would be great, a date maybe of when the company closed so I can try to ascpertain a rough age for my item.

kind regards

martin

 

[Martin1972]

Good evening

none too sure if I made a slight mistake regarding the location of Lawton ltd, I was given information originally to suggest they were based on Doris road, but I have since found this on a company history website called graces guide, please see attached image & could it be the same company?

 

[Big Gee]

Martin, they could have moved to or from Doris Road at some point in their history. Harford Street is off Great Hampton Street in the Jewellery Quarter, and at one time within (my) living memory there were dozens of small metal-working factories, mostly presswork, in the area. I tried to see if at some point they changed their name, but drew a blank on that. As they seemed to be engaged in the wartime manufacture of small parts for the armaments industry, it's possible that they went out of business at the end of WW2.

Funnily enough, the entry No 7745 in Grace's Guide is for W S Laycock Ltd, Sheffield, a company I knew quite well when I worked within the metals industry.

Best of luck with your research.

G

 

[sospiri]

Martin,

Is this of any interest?
https://discoveriesandramblings.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/the-barclays-bank-home-safe/

Maurice

 

[Radiorails]

Grace's Guide in 1937 lists them at Sentinel Works, Doris Road. They would have had a lot of work during WW2.
The Grace's entry in post 6 looks like an early date as some phone numbers are double or triple figures for some companies.An entry on this Forum (J.E & layer thread, Bingley Works, see post 5) mention Players at Sentinel Works possibly until until 1932. That might be when Lawton's moved?

J, E & H Player, Bingley Works, Birmingham?

Hello all. I've just acquired a lovely brass ship's foghorn which I'm cleaning up. And as I cleaned it I noticed a maker's stamp: J, E & H Player, Bingley Works, Birmingham. So I googled them. Nothing! Not for J, E & H Player, nor for Bingley Works. I think this is the first time I've googled...

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[mikejee]

From Kellys (and other) Directories (Note year is publication date and probably refers to year before) Exact description of products varies somewhat in the ranges given.

1858
Lawton, John, brassfounder and shopkeeper, 1 Cox St

1862
Lawton, John, Manufacturer of brass mounts, curtain bands, cornice poles, ends, desk railings, window nfittings etc. 52 Lionel St

1868-1872
Lawton, John, Brass founder. 31 Harford St

1876-1879
Lawton John & Sons, brass founders, stampers & piercers & manufacturers of bedstead vases & mounts) 31 Harford st

1884-1890
Lawton John. & Sons, brass founders, stampers & piercers, die sinkers,, tool makers &c. munufrs. of all kinds of
bedstead vases, mounts & rosettes, china, ashpan .knobs, curtain bands,chains & pins, labels,latnp stands, specialities in stamping &c. &c. 30 & 31 Harford street

1892-1915
Lawton John & Sons, brass founders, stampers & piercers, die sinkers, tool makers, &c. manufrs. of all kinds
of bedstead vases, mounts & rosettes, china ashpan knobs,curtain bands,chains & pins.labels, lamp stands, specialities in stamping &c. &c. 30 to 33 Harford street

1921-1924
Lawton John & Sons Ltd. brass founders, stampers & piercers, die sinkers, tool makers &c. manufrs. of all kinds
of bedstead vases, mounts &c. stampings for the electrical trades, specialities in stamping in aluminium & steel, 30
to 33 Harford st. T A " Specialities; " T N 2,210 Central

1932-1933
Lawton Jn. & Sons Ltd. brass founders, Sentenel works, Doris rd. Bordesley green. T A " Specialities;" T N's
Victoria 1902 & 1903

1935- 1944
Lawton (Successors) Ltd. metal pressings, Sentinel works, Doris rd. Bordesley green 9. TA " Specialities ; " T N's
Victoria 1902 & 1903

1946-1973 (Last Kellys)
Lawton (Successors) Ltd. metal pressings, Sentinel works, Doris rd. Bordesley Green .9 (T A " Specialities; "
Victoria 1902 & 1903) & (works) Garrison lane

 

[Radiorails]

Good complete dating history Mike. It does confirm a couple of my suggestions. Good when a plan comes together.

 

[Martin1972]

From Kellys (and other) Directories (Note year is publication date and probably refers to year before) Exact description of products varies somewhat in the ranges given.

1858
Lawton, John, brassfounder and shopkeeper, 1 Cox St

1862
Lawton, John, Manufacturer of brass mounts, curtain bands, cornice poles, ends, desk railings, window nfittings etc. 52 Lionel St

1868-1872
Lawton, John, Brass founder. 31 Harford St

1876-1879
Lawton John & Sons, brass founders, stampers & piercers & manufacturers of bedstead vases & mounts) 31 Harford st

1884-1890
Lawton John. & Sons, brass founders, stampers & piercers, die sinkers,, tool makers &c. munufrs. of all kinds of
bedstead vases, mounts & rosettes, china, ashpan .knobs, curtain bands,chains & pins, labels,latnp stands, specialities in stamping &c. &c. 30 & 31 Harford street

1892-1915
Lawton John & Sons, brass founders, stampers & piercers, die sinkers, tool makers, &c. manufrs. of all kinds
of bedstead vases, mounts & rosettes, china ashpan knobs,curtain bands,chains & pins.labels, lamp stands, specialities in stamping &c. &c. 30 to 33 Harford street

1921-1924
Lawton John & Sons Ltd. brass founders, stampers & piercers, die sinkers, tool makers &c. manufrs. of all kinds
of bedstead vases, mounts &c. stampings for the electrical trades, specialities in stamping in aluminium & steel, 30
to 33 Harford st. T A " Specialities; " T N 2,210 Central

1932-1933
Lawton Jn. & Sons Ltd. brass founders, Sentenel works, Doris rd. Bordesley green. T A " Specialities;" T N's
Victoria 1902 & 1903

1935- 1944
Lawton (Successors) Ltd. metal pressings, Sentinel works, Doris rd. Bordesley green 9. TA " Specialities ; " T N's
Victoria 1902 & 1903

1946-1973 (Last Kellys)
Lawton (Successors) Ltd. metal pressings, Sentinel works, Doris rd. Bordesley Green .9 (T A " Specialities; "
Victoria 1902 & 1903) & (works) Garrison lane

Good morning
Thank you so much for this, the 1935-1944 entry is of particular interest as I’m guessing here but, It would appear my item (considering it’s purpose) was probably manufactured around this time period?
smoke containers/motor rockets, what could they possibly be though?

kind regards

martin

 

[Martin1972]

Good morning

Thank you all for your continued help with this.
Should you have any information at all regarding Lawton ltd or information regarding the smoke containers/motor rockets & the purpose of these please let me know.

kind regards

martin

 

[bombed out brummie]

Hello to everyone
I am new on here & hoping someone can help me with history regarding a company by the name of Lawton ltd.
They used to be present on Doris road, bordesley green area.
Long gone now I believe but the reason I ask is that I recently came across an item that according to the markings on it would have been from that company.
I will post a few pics of said item in the hope that someone can help me out with regards to the item itself & the approx dates if possible when the company was in business, what they did & if anyone has any pics of the old place that would be amazing.

kind regards

Martin

Hi Martin I too am new to this site. With regard to Lawtons, they were in Doris Road at least until the late 1950s because 4 friends of mine worked there when they left school in 1955/6. I believe they evenually moved to Warstoke Lane near the Maypole, but not 100% sure. My friends are still around so I could ask them what they remember about working there. We all lived around The Bordesley Green Area.

 

[bombed out brummie]

Good morning
Thank you so much for this, the 1935-1944 entry is of particular interest as I’m guessing here but, It would appear my item (considering it’s purpose) was probably manufactured around this time period?
smoke containers/motor rockets, what could they possibly be though?

kind regards

martin

Martin, several friends of mine worked at Lawton's in Doris Road when we left school in 1955/6. I am still in touch with them today. They all lived on The Bordesley Green. I think Lawton's were still in Doris Road in the early 1960's. I am not certain but Lawton's may have moved to Warstock Lane by the Maypole later. I could ask them for more info if you like.

 

[JudiM]

My dad worked there too. From his teens possibly until he was made redundant when they closed in early 80's.

He became the maintenance engineer so would often work when the factory was in shutdown in the summer to overhaul & service the plant. He'd often go in on a Saturday too & I'd go with him (in the lax health & safety days when it was quite acceptable to have small children running around a factory floor!).

I remember them making wheel bearings the late 70's that went in wheels for roller skates & later on skateboards. Myself & other neighbourhood children benefited from the free samples he bought bome! Just a couple of weeks ago one of my friends was talking about the roller skates & skateboard he gave her.

I went of a couple of the world coach trips to Blackpool too. Great fun. I think my gran had been working there as a cleaner too, so gran & granddad came as well.

I'll ask him about the locations when I speak to him later. I know for certain he was at Doris Road though.