Barrett, Exall & Co, manufacturer of agricultural machinery and portable/fixed engines, of Katesgrove Iron Works, Reading
1818 Thomas and Joseph Perry established an iron foundry in Reading.
1820 Thomas went bankrupt, leaving Joseph on his own until 1825, when he took George Barrett as his partner (Perry and Barrett). This new firm began to manufacture ploughs to meet a growing demand from the farmers of Berkshire for better, more scientifically designed ploughs.
1830 Joseph Perry died; Barrett brought in his nephew, George Allam Barrett and William Exall as partners in Barrett, Exall and Co.
1838 Provided ironwork for Brunel's new London-Bristol Railway.
1841 the Reading firm won its first award from the Royal Agricultural Society of England for one of its ploughs.
1842 Charles Andrewes was brought into the partnership and the firm became Barrett, Exall and Andrewes.