Tilley High-Pressure Gas Syndicate
of 53 Kingsland Road, E.2., Gas Apparatus Manufacturers.
of Brent Works, Hendon, London
1909 Private company incorporated as Tilley High-Pressure Gas Syndicate Ltd. as high pressure gas lighting equipment manufacturers operated by Frederick Charles Tilley, William Henry Tilley and others [1] to exploit the use of coal gas at high pressure developed by Frederick.
The company supplied large high pressure gas lamps for the outside of shop fronts and held contracts for the maintenance of street lighting.
1915 The company employed 40 men.[2]
The company moved to Brent Street in Hendon in 1915
1919 Began to develop the "Tilley" Pressure Paraffin Vapour Lamp and Radiator
1920 The company started making the lamp that made its name famous[3]. It became so popular that Tilley became used as a generic name for kerosene lamp in many parts of the world, in much the same way as Hoover is for vacuum cleaners.
1923 Discontinued manufacture of gas lamps.
During the 1920s the company diversified into domestic lamps, and expanded rapidly after orders from a number of railway companies.
Name changed - by 1924 the Tilley Lamp Co was selling the lamps.
1937 The Tilley Lamp Co: Portable lamps, floodlights and searchlight projectors. "Tilley" Lamps. [4]
1939 Sales of Tilley pressure lamps and radiators were 50,000/year.
WWII Production of lamps doubled.
Post-WWII Acquired additional factory in Cricklewood Lane. Fears about the poisonous effect of paraffin fumes, and freely available electricity reduced demand for domestic use.
1947 Name changed.
1948 Production reached 182,000 units/year
1949 Converted into a public company, Tilley Lamp Co; Basil Tilley, son of the founder, F C Tilley, was chairman.