An Antiquated System that must be Swept Away Root and Branch
As much as any other cause, the excellence of the German Consular Service, modelled on the American, and the hopelessly antiquated character of our own, has served Germany's purpose and handicapped our manufacturers.
We must in future have Consuls worthy of the name business men, not lawyers men who go about and mix with men, not dignified holders of an official sinecure. Let it be a serious offence for such Consuls to leave any trade inquiry unanswered, as they habitually do nowadays.
For instance, some years ago the great silver-plate firm of Walker and Hall sent to every British Consul all over the world catalogues of their goods, with a request to put them into touch with any possible buyers. " I offered not only to defray their expenses, but to pay commission on orders," said the head of the firm, Sir John Bingham, Bart., recently; "but I never had one single reply."
This system must be swept away root and branch. If the President of the Board of Trade wants to know how to set about the work, let him take a leaf out of the American book.
Not only does the American Bureau of Manufactures collect and exhibit to traders, at all times, all specimens of the kind of articles that sell in every country, sent in by the Consuls an idea which our own sleepy Board have just woke up to but they publish daily a bulletin, sent out free of charge to business men, in thousands of thousands. This bulletin gives, as far as possible, one subject a day. If umbrellas be the subject, by the time you have read the bulletin through you know exactly how many ribs and how many tassels the inhabitants of every country under the sun expect to find in the umbrellas they buy, what weight they expect to carry, and what price they can afford to pay, together with statistics as to the rainfall and its quality.
When you have read such a bulletin, if only you are half-alive, you want to go and buy a stock and sell it. That is business.
Walker and Hall — Electro Works, Howard-street, electro-platers, &c. Henry Hall, John Edward Bingham. By effluxion of time. Debts received and paid by John Edward Bingham, who will in future carry on the business on his own account under the old style. 10th June 1878.
Source: The Birmingham and District and Sheffield and Rotherham Commercial List - 1876
The assembly of silver-plated hollow-ware and the finishing of spoons and forks will shortly be carried out in the Dominion factory of the English firm of Walker and Hall, Limited, at Auckland. A modern factory has been built and the installation of machinery is nearing completion. It is hoped to commence production within a few weeks. The factory will supply the requirements of the various branches of the firm in New Zealand in catering for silver-plated ware for public and private hospitals, hotels and restaurants. Lighting is a feature of the new building, and practically all the wall space is taken up by windows. Natural light is available to all departments, as this is essential in the manufacture of silverware.
Various metal blanks obtained direct from the firm’s English factory will be put together in Auckland. These are then silver-plated and later hand-burnished and polished by expert women burnishers. Die sinking and the striking of medallions also will be a feature of the new factory, while enamelling and metal-spinning will be another branch of the activities. It is anticipated that articles later will be made from the actual metal, as one of the latest English power-screw presses, similar to those used for striking coinage at the Royal Mint, is arriving. Expert workmen are on their way from Sheffield.
Messrs. Walker & Hall are introducing some further novelties, and appear well prepared to supply the demand which is hoped will soon arise. In their stock is included some new designs in combination cases of dessert and fruit knives, trowels for memorial stones, &c., with carved ivory handles, and some pretty card trays and fruit dishes in crown Derby ware mounted in silver.
Source: The Jeweller and Metalworker - 15th September 1885
The Secretary of the Air Ministry announces that Lieut.-Col. Sir A. E. Bingham, Bt., has presented an aeroplane to the R.A.F. Sir Albert Bingham is Senior Warden of the Cutlers' Company, Sheffield, and head of the firm of Messrs. Walker and Hall, Vice-Chairman of the Yorkshire Rifle Association, and Lieut.-Col. of the West Riding Division, R.E. (T.).
A good deal of interest centres in the announcement made in Sheffield, England, that Walker and Hall, cutlers and silversmiths, and Barker & Allen, Ltd., nickel silver, metal, and wire manufacturers, of Spring Hill, Birmingham, have acquired financial interest in the old-established firm of William Gallimore and Sons, of Arundel Works, Sheffield. It is understood that the policy of the purchasers will be to extend the output of all departments for the benefit of the present and prospective customers of William Gallimore and Sons.
Flatware to commemorate the coronation of George V. by Walker & Hall:
Rd. 370116 - W&H S
The pieces are stuck with Walker & Hall's date letter for 1911. However, the registry design number relates to the year 1901, showing that this design was original likely made for the coronation of Edward VII.