Post-WWII Mr John James established a chain of radio and TV shops in Bristol
1963 Mr John James bid for the Broadmead radio retail chain owned by Firth Cleveland[1]
1964 James established an investment trust, a public company, to hold his family's interests in the new Williams Supermarkets, furniture dealers, as well as James' radio and TV shops, and his family's investments; shares would also be available to employees and Bristol residents to invest in the company[2]
1965 Announced intention to buy companies for the trust's new industrial division[3]. The second acquisition by the industrial division was of H. J. Godwin, maker of pumps based in Gloucestershire and Savage Transformers of Devizes[4]
1967 Disposed of its interests in TV sets and rentals in order to invest in industrial interests[5]. Acquired majority interest in Abbot Brown and Sons of Beaminster, and its associate Smiths (Calculators) of Wareham, makers of dials, calculators and name plates, and engravers and printers[6]
Acquired shares in T. W. W., outgoing Independent Televsion contractor for the West of England and Wales; also had interests in the new Harlech Consortium which would replace it[7]
1968 Had interests in Harlech Television and radio and TV retail[8]. Williams Supermarkets name changed to Williams Furniture[9]
1970 Acquired a minority stake in Lifetime Coatings of Torquay, maker of Supaseal polyuerthane coating in return for help in marketing direct to customers[10]
1971 Sold its 77 percent holding in Sexton, Son and Everard for a nominal consideration[11]
1973 Sold its 2/3 stake in Williams Furniture to Allied Carpet Stores, becoming an investment trust[12]
1974, of Bristol. The Alfred Herbert company would buy John James' holding of 27.5 percent of its preference shares in return for support on a proposal to increase borrowing[13]
1975 The company was largely controlled by the James family; it had a broad range of investments[14]
1976 The company maintained its status as an investment trust. Subsidiaries included toy making business Tebbutt and Hall Brothers, and H. J. Godwin[15]
1977 A mixture of industrial interests and investment portfolio, growth was slowing as it got larger[16]
1978 Acquired W. H. Boddington, a private company making plastic products[17]
1979 Acquired by Wolseley Hughes
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Times Nov. 22, 1963
- ↑ The Times Apr. 7, 1964
- ↑ The Times Nov. 17, 1965
- ↑ The Times Dec. 29, 1965
- ↑ The Times Jan. 6, 1967
- ↑ The Times Sept. 9, 1967
- ↑ The Times Sept. 13, 1967
- ↑ The Times Sept. 11, 1968
- ↑ The Times Nov. 19, 1968
- ↑ The Times Feb. 4, 1970
- ↑ The Times Feb. 6, 1971
- ↑ The Times Feb. 12, 1974
- ↑ The Times May 16, 1974
- ↑ The Times Aug. 9, 1975
- ↑ The Times Feb. 13, 1976
- ↑ The Times Feb. 17, 1977
- ↑ The Times Sept. 7, 1978