Patent Butted Tube Co
of Birmingham.
1841 John Reynolds set up a company to manufacture nails - see John Reynolds. As the company grew, it sought other products to make.
1875 John Reynolds retired, passing leadership of the company to his sons Edwin Reynolds and Alfred John Reynolds
1881 Edwin died.
1890 Alfred John's sons, John Henry Reynolds and Alfred Milward Reynolds, joined John Reynolds and Sons, Ltd
1897 Alfred M. Reynolds and J. T. Hewitt patented the process for making butted tubes, which are thicker at the ends than in the middle. This allowed frame builders to create frames that were both strong and light weight.
1898 The Patent Butted Tube Co was spun off from the parent company
1902 The Patent Butted Tube Co published its first bicycle tubing catalogue, boasting a 4½-pound tube set.
1916 During World War I, The Patent Butted Tube Co started manufacturing tubing for military bicycles and motorcycles.
1917 With wartime production, The Patent Butted Tube Co relocated to a large Tudor house known as Hay Hall in Tyseley.
1923 Company changed its name to Reynolds Tube Co
See Also
Sources of Information
- Birmingham’s Industrial Heritage by Ray Shill. Published by Sutton Publishing 2002. ISBN 0-7509-2593-0