Ismay Industries
of Roden St. Works, Ilford and Sterling Works, Dagenham, holding company
1935 Ismay Industries was formed to take advantage of various opportunities in the electrical industry; it acquired John Ismay and Sons, manufacturer of electric lamps and gas mantles, whose shareholders gained rights to subscribe for the new company[1]
1935 Halcyon radio, of Sterling Works, Dagenham was part of Ismay Industries[2]
1935 Coldair refrigerators were part of Ismay Industries[3]
1935 Other interests included:
- Connor Electric Washing Machines
- Electrix electric vacuum cleaners
- Lumolite signs
1936 Rights issue to fund expansion, particularly in facilities to manufacture paper cable; also introducing a new refrigerator and an electric clock; also would offer a low tension neon lamp which provided a light close to daylight[4]
1938 Acquired A. C. Cossor[5] which would be funded by public flotation of that company[6]
1938 John Ismay retired due to ill-health; the auditors identified investment losses[7]
1938 Sold the electric lamp business of John Ismay and Sons and the holding in Britannia Electric Lamp Works, which was its principal customer, and its interests in Briton Lamps Ltd. Also sold its interests in Sterling Battery Ltd and Ismay Cables Ltd[8]
1938 The members of the Electric Lamp Manufacturers Association jointly bought the lamp businesses of Ismay Industries Ltd.
1939 The company consisted of about 70-80 interlocking companies but these were mostly "junk"; the company was to be renamed Sterling Industries; an ongoing subsidiary would be Sterling Engineering Co[9]. Announced that would sell the half of Cossor's shares that it owned[10]
1939 Briton Lamps of Ilford and Ismay Industries of London petitioned for the winding up of Ismay Refrigerating Co[11]