Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

Registered UK Charity (No. 1154342)

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 167,861 pages of information and 247,161 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Francis Sumner and Co

From Graces Guide

of Wren Nest Mills, Glossop, Derbyshire.

1891 Directory (Glossop): Listed as Cotton spinner and manufacturers. More details

1920 Incorporated as Francis Sumner and Co (1920).[1]

1956 Francis Sumner (Holdings), spinners and manufacturers, was acquired[2] by Douglas Ward and William Alexander McMillan[3]

1957 Acquired Marshall Weatherproof of Manchester[4]. Capital raising to fund acquistion of companies to "restore the fortunes of the company"[5]. Acquired the share capital of M. Adler, and M. and H. Raphael, manufacturers of rainwear.[6]

1958 Acquired J. Bender and Co and D. and I. Gordon, makers of ladies dresses[7]. Merger proposed with Ewart Holdings[8] but this did not proceed[9]. Acquired a majority interest in Brough, Nicholson and Hall[10]. Masteradio was part of the group[11]

1959 Acquired A. W. Hewetson, of Macclesfield, maker of F.A. Cup finalists' badges[12]

1960 Took control of Buttons Ltd[13]

1966 Sold the 2 rainwear businesses[14]

1967 Telefusion acquired the Fleet group of companies - Fleet Electrics (retail), View Rentals (City), Reliance T.V. Service and Wiggs Ltd[15] - so the Francis Sumner group was entirely a textiles business[16]

1969 Acquired Cotton and Rayon Spinners.[17]

1977 Sold Lloyds British Testing Co[18]

1981 Francis Sumner planned to demerge its textiles business, which was quoted, and a new company, Hartons Group, an industrial holding company, which would be unquoted[19]

See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 20 May 1920
  2. The Times, Jul 30, 1956
  3. The Times, Sep 22, 1956
  4. The Times, May 28, 1957
  5. The Times, Nov 18, 1957
  6. The Times, Dec 09, 1957
  7. The Times, Jan 21, 1958
  8. The Times, Jan 28, 1958
  9. The Times, Feb 21, 1958
  10. The Times, Aug 20, 1958
  11. The Times, Oct 21, 1958
  12. The Times, Dec 08, 1959
  13. The Times, Mar 30, 1960
  14. The Times, Jan 07, 1966
  15. The Times, Mar 01, 1967
  16. The Times, Jun 27, 1967
  17. The Times, June 18, 1969
  18. The Times, Oct 19, 1977
  19. The Times May 8, 1981