Lewis and Pointon Panifications
Lewis and Pointon Panifications Ltd, of Wellington, Shropshire
1890 Charles Lewis, an employee of the Wrekin Foundry, met George Pointon, who ran a bakery and grocery business in Wellington. They developed a proposal for a machine to divide and weigh dough for bread which they presented to the owner, William Mansell, but he was not interested, not believing there was sufficient market for the device.
Lewis and the Pointons (father and son) developed a prototype themselves; Lewis took out a patent in 1894. After publicising the development and its first application, they were approached by Paul Pfleiderer of Werner, Pfleiderer and Perkins, London, who took on the sole agency for the machine.
Initial production was at Mansell's foundry but this was not a long-term solution
1898 Established a small factory in Wellington. Incorporated as a private company.
1902 Patent on machine for making balls of dough, followed by a patent on the proving machine.
Sought new premises in conjunction with Werner, Pfleiderer and Perkins; Peterborough was selected for the new Westwood Works; Werner, Pfleiderer and Perkins moved in first followed by Lewis and Pointon in 1905
1904 Acquired by Werner, Pfleiderer and Perkins
See Also
Sources of Information
- History of the Pointons [1]