George Houghton & Sons, Musical Instrument Makers, 1888 - 1962

[JMorriOz]

I am looking for information regarding this company who manufactured stringed instruments at 75 Heaton St, Hockley, Birmingham from 1888 - 1962.
Many of these instruments are in Australia, US and Canada and a lot of them are in very good condition, some over 100 years old now.
Online searches for information regarding these instruments and the manufacturer, seem to produce very scant information and the following enclosed paragraphs are the only information 'out there'.

"George Houghton established his Reliance Works in Heaton Street, Birmingham in 1888 and the range of banjos and zither-banjos he made were branded "Reliance." His well made inexpensive range of instruments quickly found favour with dealers and players alike and before long his factory was extended, his staff increased and the name changed to G. Houghton & Sons and production almost wholly devoted to making instruments for other firms to be branded with the vendor's name and/or trademark. Houghton's maintained a stock catalogue of instruments (usually marked with a gold-embossed lion with the initials G. H. & S. underneath) with which many retailers and most of the wholesale houses made up their own catalogues. One of the most popular selling lines of their banjos was the inexpensive instruments labelled "Melody Jo." Besides making, their own stock instruments they would also copy other firms' prototypes for them, to be branded with the latter's name as "makers".
In 1962, town-planning development in Birmingham plus staff difficulties finally decided George Houghton (son of the founder) to close down and he moved to London to become associated with John E. Dallas & Sons Ltd. The plant and materials and a few of his key workers he brought from Birmingham was established in a factory-at 12 Gravel Hill, Bexleyheath, Kent, and from that time until he retired in 1965 he made the inexpensive banjos sold under the Dallas label"

As these instruments are enjoying a renewed interest world wide, it would be nice if there was more information available. Hence this approach to the Birmingham History Forum.
Considering the good condition of the instruments and ongoing interest, it would be reasonable to think that they may still be in use in another 100 years time, in which case NOW would be a good time to assemble as much information on them as possible.

Hoping someone in Birmingham can follow this up and research the subject.
Cheers ... JMorriOz (Australia).

 

[mikejee]

George is first listed in directories at Heaton st in 1897 However he seems to have previously been elsewhere. The 1888 entry may not be him, but I certainly think theGuest St entries are the same person
1884 Nothing
1888 Houghton George. box maker, 39 Clissold st. & 157 Prescott st
1890-96 . Houghton, George, leather goods manufacturer at 55-56 Guest st
1897-99 Houghton George, musical instrument case maker, Heaton St.
1900 Houghton George & Son, musical instrument case maker, Heaton St.
1903 Houghton George & Son, manufacturers of leather cases and saddlery, Government contractors; musical instruments,banjos &c. for home & export, Heaton street
1905 Houghton G. & Sons, leather goods manufacturers, Heaton Street
1908-15 Houghton G. & Sons, leather goods manufacturers, 75 & 76 Heaton street. T A " Milody ; " T X 2,296 Central
1921-32 Houghton G. & Sons, makers of musical instrument cases-& banjos & banjo mandolines, Reliance works, 75 & 76-Heaton st. Hockley. T A "Melody ; " T N 2,296 Central
1933-56 Houghton G. & Sons, musical instrument mkrs. Reliance works, 75 & 76 Heaton st 18. T A " Melody; " Northern 1696
1962 Gone
Mike

 

[JMorriOz]

Thanks for that Mike

Here is some info I found on a Patent registration from 1933 from this workshop;


Document Number
GB Patent 397564
Publication Date
1933-08-31

Inventors - not available
Abstract
Abstract of GB397564 397,564. Banjoes &c. HOUGHTON, A. G. and HOUGHTON, J. H., (trading as HOUGHTON & SONS, G.), 75, Heaton Street, Hockley, Birmingham. March 3; 1932, No. 6410. [Class 88 (ii).] A banjo &c. having a wooden soundbox 5 with closed back, has the vellum 8 and its holding means located within the upper portion of the sound box and forming a closure therefor, with soundholes 5b in the wall of the box preferably near the neck. The vellum is held on a ring 7 by a tightening ring 9 and bolts 10 some of which engage in holes 6a in supports 6 in the box.

Drawing from GB Patent 397564 (not available in link)

https://www.wikipatents.com/GB-Pate...-banjos-banjo-mandolines-and-like-instruments


I will keep you posted on anything else I come across about this interesting bit of Birmingham history
Cheers
JMorriOz (Australia)