Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

Post by dognose »

STEPHEN SAMUEL

Splott Road, Cardiff


Daring Entry of a Jewellers Shop in Cardiff

Early on Friday morning a robbery of a peculiarly daring character was committed on the premises of Mr. Stephen Samuel, jeweller and watchmaker, Splott-road, Cardiff. The coolness and deliberation with which the miscreant forced his way into the premises go to prove that he is well acquainted with the house. Moreover, a few years ago there was an exactly similar burglary committed at the same house, so there can be little doubt that the offender in each case is identical. The house backs on to the railway, and it was through the kitchen window on that side that an entry was obtained. The door into the kitchen was bolted from within, but a panel was taken out and the bolt drawn. This being done the burglar had only to mount the stairs and enter the shop. At case of cheap jewellery, which holds a prominent place in the shop, was cleared of the contents, and a score of silver watches went to make up the plunder. The value of the stolen property is estimated at about £60. Mrs. Samuel, on coming downstairs, at about eight a.m., saw the state of affairs, and promptly summoned a constable. An examination was made, and a glass-cutter and other instruments from a burglar's outfit were found upon a table under the broken window. These were taken by the police, but up to the present no arrest has been made.


Source: Evening Express - 18th September 1893

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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NORMAN & WILLIAMS

285, Oxford Street, Swansea


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Norman & Williams - Swansea - 1913

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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PLEASANCE & HARPER

5, College Street, Swansea


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Pleasance & Harper Ltd. - Swansea - sales box detail, c.1934

Pleasance & Harper were established in March 1879 at Wine Street, Bristol by C.R. Pleasance and J.G. Harper. C.R. Pleasance died in 1895 and J.G. Harper continued alone until he was joined by his three sons, Ernest, Gilbert and Leslie in 1919 and the business was converted into a limited liability company. . Over the years the business have had shops in Shrewsbury, Newport, Swansea, Hereford, Oxford, Gloucester and Weston Super Mare (the Bristol and Swansea shops were destroyed by air raids in 1940), but are now based at 54-56, Broad Street, Hereford.

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

Post by dognose »

PLEASANCE & HARPER

Continued (see above post)


Advertisements from Pleasance & Harper Ltd.:

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Pleasance & Harper Ltd. - Newport - 1927

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Pleasance & Harper Ltd. - Newport - 1935

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Pleasance & Harper Ltd. - Bristol - 1937

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Pleasance & Harper Ltd. - Bristol - 1937

See: http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... ce#p173133

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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W.A. COOMBES

Broad Street, Barry


BARRY TRADESMAN'S BRAVERY REWARDED

On Thursday evening last, at the Barry Brotherhood Club, Mr. Alfred Jackson, president of the Barry Chamber of Trade, presented Mr. W. A. Coombes jeweller, Broad-street, with a certificate on vellum of the Royal Humane Society for his gallantry in saving the life of a man off Cold Knap in August last. Several congratulatory speeches were delivered.


Source: Barry Dock News - 8th December 1916

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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RICHARD JONES & SON

Victoria House, Pentre, Rhondda


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Richard Jones & Son - Pentre - 1897

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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N.S. SCOTCHER

36, High Street, Wrexham


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N.S. Scotcher - Wrexham - 1876

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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D.D. PIERCE

Henblas Street, later, Hope Street, Wrexham


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D.D. Pierce - Wrexham - 1876


DARING SHOP ROBBERY AT WREXHAM

£ 2,000 WORTH OF JEWELLERY STOLEN


Some time during the night of Saturday or early Sunday morning the shop of Mr. D. D. Pierce, watchmaker and jeweller, Hope-street, Wrexham, was broken into, and jewellery to the value of quite £2,000 was stolen therefrom.


Source: The Western Mail - 20th December 1898

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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A.E. BENNET & Co. Ltd.

110, Dunraven Street, Tonypandy


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A.E. Bennet & Co. Ltd. - Tonypandy - 1910

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

Post by Essexboy Fisher »

L.Beha & Co Watchmaker & Jeweller.

28 Dunraven Place, Bridgend and 12A Station Road Port Talbot

This spoon box seen on line intrigued me. I thought "Beha" was an Interesting surname for a jeweller in Bridgend.

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I soon found the a "L.Beha & Co" name referenced in one of Dognoses posts listed on this particular "Wales" section of our forum but a "E.M.Needham" had taken over "L.Beha & Co" in 1914.
Post reference

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=38520#p105352

I thought there should little more to be found out about "Behas" though a little geography first. Bridgend is very near to the south east coast of Wales and Port Talbot is unsuprisingly on the coast, less than 15 miles away to the north west.
The "Needham" post did give 2 useful pieces of information. The "L" represents "Leander" and "Leander Beha" died in 1899. I have futher confirmation of "Leander" from the 1881 Glamorgn census

Name: Leander Beha, Age 41, Born In 1840, Profession: Watchmaker & Jeweller

Looking elsewhere on line I found a "www.bridgendppf.com" (Bridgend Past Present Future), referencing the history of the 28 Dunraven Place, Jewellery Shop and a large clock that hung over the shop. Another information fragment said that a "B.Beha" was in the Company, but died in 1914, the year that "Needham" took the Company on. "E.M.Needham", at that time, had already been a partner in the business for 34 years. The partnership seems to have been complex as indicated by an entry in the London Gazette

London Gazette 14th May 1914

NOTICE is hereby given, that the Partnership
heretofore subsisting between us, the undersigned, Albert Dold, Edward Dold, and Edmund
Miles Needham, carrying on business as Watchmakers,
Jewellers, and Silversmiths, at Bridgend and Porb
Talbot, in the county of Glamorgan, under the style
or firm of " L. BEHA AND CO.," has been dissolved
bj mutual consent as from the first day of May, 1914,
so far as concerns the said Albert Dold, who retires
from the said firm. All debts due and owing to or by
the said late firm will be received or paid by the said
Edward Dold and Edmund Miles Needham, and such
business will be carried on in .the future by the said
Edward Dold and Edmund Miles Needham, under the
style or firm of " L. Beha and Co.," as heretofore.—
As witness our hands this llth day of May, 1914.
E. DOLD.
E. M. NEEDHAM.
156 ALBERT DOLD.

There were 2 "Dolds" in the partnership but no "Behas"?

We know that "L.Beha & Co" ended in 1914 but "E.M.Needham" was happy to use "late L. Beha and Co" on his subsequent advertisments in the local newspaper, the "Glamorgan Gazette". This paper's on line archives has many adverts and an image of possibly informative ones featuring "L.Beha & Co" is below.

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The ad from June 1907 has "Established over half a Century" on, indicating " Behas" business started a bit before 1860. Watchmaking was then obviously the important part of the business as there are quite a few online references featuring gold and silver pocket watchs by "L.Beha & Co". A silver example is shown below and its London made case has hallmarks for 1884.
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Another piece of on line information I found for the 19th century was a birth record.

27/02/1878 Beha, Dunraven Place, Bridgend, Wife of Mr. M.L. Beha, Jeweller, a son.

Was this the "son" the "B.Beha" whose death lead to the development of the "E.M.Needham" business?
"Mr M.L.Beha" looks like a "error" and it seems "B.Beha" is an abbreviated name. A "Hubert Leander Beha" was born in 1878 in Glamorgan.
The "Leander Beha" name was used on the 1891 invoice referenced at http://www.facebook.com › rememberingbridgend.

https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=5EA71EC1

The invoice indicates he is now is additionally an optician, but has supplied and inscribed a silver shield to the "Bridgend Angling Association". I originally thought the shield to have been a fob style item for a pocket watch, but the price of 15 shillings (£0.75) may well in 1891 have bought a larger shield. I used an on line conversion site that suggested that 15 shillings has a today equivalent value of more than £90.00.
Moving on into the 20th century "L.Beha & Co" where still making watch movements, an example of one being in a 1907 Chester hallmarked case and below we have 2 more Glamorgan Gazette ads.

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We can see the business futher changing. Still it is an opticians and supplies home "audio" equipment together with cutlery and pens. However in the ad for January 1914, "L.Beha & Co" are no longer watch and clock makers but call themselves as "Jewellers and Opticians". The image below shows also retailing of pocket watches, this one Swiss.

Image

It is a "Beha & Co" watch and definitely from Bridgend and Port Talbot but there is nothing definitive to say if it was sold before or after the 1914 change of company.

Miscellany

As I first thought "Beha" is not a typical Welsh name. It comes from Germany, "Lower Saxony". Wikipedia has an entry for a very well known German cuckoo clock maker, Johann Baptist Beha.

On the reference sites for watch and clock makers of Britain& Ireland there are 4 other "Behas".
Beha, Bridget of Liverpool.
Beha, Larenz of Norwich.
Beha, Richard of Sutton.
Beha, Thadeus of Nottingham

Also from on line is a mini family tree.
Leander Beha & Catherine Jones Beha Cragoe were married on ...1876 in ...Glamorgan.

Father of the family is Leander Beha.
Leander was born on ...1840 in ...Neukirch Behahof
Leander died on ...1899 in ...Wales

Mother of the family is Catherine Jones Beha Cragoe.
Catherine was born on ...1848 in ...S Wales
Catherine died on ...1879 in ...Wales

Sons:
Hubert Leander Beha, was born on ...1878 in ...S Wales
Hubert has 0 brothers and 0 sisters.

Finally the "L.Beha & Co" jewellery shop (shop under the clock) did not even end with "Needhams" as in 1957 "Mason Williams & Co. Limited" came to 28 Dunraven Place. In 2015 the clock was apparently still in place and working. By 2018 the shop had become an Italian Restaurant.
Please do bring more information about "Behas if you have some and correct any errors I may have made.

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P.s. (I would never have won the shield)
dognose
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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

Post by dognose »

AMMONITE ART Ltd.

Llandow, near Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan


Examples of the work and mark of Ammonite Art Ltd.:

'THE SHOT'

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ALtd - Birmingham - 1978


'THE POACHER'

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ALtd - Birmingham - 1978


'THE GUN'

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ALtd - Birmingham - 1978


'THE SQUIRE'

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ALtd - Birmingham - 1978

Ammonite Art Ltd. was established in 1966 and were acquired by Boehm of Malvern Ltd. in 1982. Ammonite Art Ltd. were restyled to Boehm of Llandow Ltd. in 1983.

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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AMMONITE ART Ltd.

Llandow, near Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan


Two more examples of the work and mark of Ammonite Art Ltd.:

'THE FALCONER'

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Image

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ALtd - Birmingham - 1978


'SALMON FISHERMAN'

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ALtd - Birmingham - 1977

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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DAVID JONES

Lampeter


LAMPETER.—PETTY SESSIONS were held on the 17th instant, before the Very Rev. Dr. Lewellyn, W. Jones, Esq.. and T. J. Hughes, Esq.—James Marshed, a jeweller, appeared on remand, charged with having stolen a watch, value £4, the property of David Jones, watchmaker, Lampeter, on the 3rd instant. Committed for trial at the ensuing assizes.

Source: The Aberystwith Observer and Cardiganshire General Advertiser - 20th February 1864

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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OWEN PARRY

Birmingham House, Barmouth


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Owen Parry - Barmouth - 1896

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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HENRY GRANT

Cardiff


Death of Henry Grant

Toronto, Can., Feb. 15.—Henry Grant, a prominent jeweler of Montreal, died in that city, on Thursday, at the age of 89 years, after a long illness. Mr. Grant was an Englishman by birth, but had been a resident of Montreal for 47 years.

In early life Mr. Grant was manager for the Emanuels, of Portsmouth, Eng., court jewelers and makers to the Admiralty, and was brought into contact a great deal with members of the court and the royal family. He afterwards conducted an extensive mathematical optical and nautical instrument establishment at Cardiff, where he controlled the nautical business of the port, constructing for that purpose a complete time observatory, using a transit instrument specially made for the late Admiral Fitzroy. This instrument he brought with him to Canada, and it is now in use at McGill University.

Mr. Grant was a prominent Free Mason and has held many important offices in the order. He was a talented musician and of a jovial and congenial nature.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 19th February 1908

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=31885&p=80192&hilit=grant#p80192

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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THOMAS HENRY ROTHWELL

Lulworth, Woodside Road, Sutton, Surrey, later, Llanfairfechan, Caernarvonshire, North Wales


An example of the work and mark of Thomas Henry Rothwell:

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THR

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THR - London - 1900

Noted as an exhibitor at the Welsh Industries Exhibition of 1908.

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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DAVIES & SONS

5, Guildhall Square, Carmarthen


Davies & Sons, jewellers, silversmiths, &c., 5, Guildhall-square, have a fine shop with a very attractive window display in the best position of the town for high-class trade. This fine square presents quite a contrast to the narrow streets I have referred to. It is, as its name suggests, an open space, and has the noble Guildhall on one side, the three other sides being devoted to business premises. The firm are high-class jewellers and silversmiths, and are clockmakers by appointment to H.M. Office of Works. Davies & Sons are also agents for the Worcester Royal Porcelain Company, and they show a choice selection of "Worcester" porcelain in their front window. It was that window display which induced me to call on them, and which accounts for their inclusion in this visit to china shops in Wales. They have a good assortment of Worcester china on show, including tea and breakfast ware, afternoon tea sets, vases, bowls, &c., and some fine Worcester pieces mounted in silver. They show no other pottery, and the high-class Worcester porcelain will be appreciated by their customers for high-class silver ware. I have been in the habit of objecting to tradesmen in other industries stocking china and glass, to the prejudice of our regular dealers. My objections, however, are not applicable to this case. I think it would be safe to say, and it may be said without any disparagement of them, that there are no dealers in china in Carmarthen whose regular customers are so likely to pay the prices for Worcester china as the regular customers of a silversmith are. It is a very usual thing in the United States for jewellers to keep stocks of artistic pottery and glass ware. I should not like to see the practice become general here, where there are dealers in high-class porcelain and glass in the neighbourhood. There can, however, be no objection to it where there no such china dealers.

Source: The Pottery Gazette - 1st September 1910

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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B. RUNGE

16, Cardiff Street, Aberdare


Mr. B. Runge, 16, Cardiff-st., Aberdare, is a jeweller and practical watchmaker. He has an excellent window display of goods in those trades, but he has another window, and it was this second one that caused me to cross the street. I was not disappointed, although it was not, as I at first expected, a china shop proper. Mr. Runge specialises in old pottery, especially in china and "Spode" ware. Here, again, the proprietor was not in. and I could only gather information from what I could see. He has some really good "Spode" ware in his window, where is also shown a collection of Old Staffordshire figures. I am sorry I could not hear Mr. Runge’s account of a quaint handled jug with a printed pattern, and inscribed : "In Memory of King George IV." He has quite a number of interesting curiosities, besides his old china.

Source: The Pottery Gazette - 1st September 1910


OBITUARY

Mr. B. Runge, of Cardiff Street, Aberdare, at the age of 90. He had been in business in Aberdare for nearly 60 years and was a founder member Aberdare Chamber of Trade.


Source: Watchmaker, Jeweller & Silversmith - April 1961

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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W.W. JONES

22, Bangor Street, Carnarvon


A NEW PATENT.—Mr. W. W. Jones, watchmaker and silversmith, 22, Bangor-street, Carnarvon, has secured a patent No. 9430, dated July 20th, 1886, for "Improvements in the articles called studs and solitaires, employed for fastening collars, shirts, cuffs, and other articles of dress, and for other analogous purposes." An inspection of the contrivance will show that the apparatus for fastening and un-fastening a shirt collar is both simple and effective, the time taken for doing so only occupying a few seconds. The article ought to command a large sale.

Source: The Llangollen Advertiser - 27th August 1886

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=38520&p=112571&hilit=jones#p112571

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Re: Firms Working in Wales in the 19th and 20th Centuries

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H. ASH

Tonypandy


On the night of the 11th ult., the premises of Mr. H. Ash, jeweler and watchmaker, Tonypandy, were broken into by burglars and a considerable robbery effected. A hole about a foot square was made, and every valuable within reach was extracted from the window, the thieves safely decamping with their booty.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st April 1893

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