Waterlow and Sons
of 26 Great Winchester Street, London.
Manufacturing and Export Stationers, of London Wall and Parliament Street, London (1868)
1811 James Waterlow (1790-1876) set up a small stationer's business in Birchin Lane, London
1836 His eldest son, Alfred James Waterlow, joined the business
Between 1840 and 1844 other sons joined the business.
1844 The brothers Sydney, Alfred, Walter and Albert added a printing branch to the stationery business in Birchin Lane. They began by printing the Bankers' Magazine.
The firm went on to acquire a large share of the railway printing and stationery.
1846 Additional premises were taken at 49 Parliament Street
1849 James Waterlow left the Partnership with Alfred James Waterlow, Walter Blandford Waterlow , Sydney Hedley Waterlow, and Albert Crakell Waterlow, carrying, on business as Law Stationers, Wholesale Stationers, Lithographers and Printers, at Birchin-lane, Cornhill, and at London-wall, in the city of London, and at No.49, Parliament-street, in the city of Westminster, under the style or firm of Waterlow and Sons; debts handled by the remaining partners.[1]
1851 Further premises in London Wall
1851 The firm exhibited working printing machines at the Great Exhibition
1854 Further premises at Carpenters' Hall
1866 Further premises at Great Winchester Street
1867 3 of the brothers patented an improvement in the printing process
1872 Further premises at Castle Street, Finsbury
1875 Acquired Little Chart Mills, Ashford, Kent
1876 James Waterlow died
1876 The firm took limited liability as Waterlow & Sons Ltd,
1876 The company was registered on 16 February, to acquire the business of the firm of the same name as manufacturing stationers. Sir Sydney H. Waterlow is the managing director; Mr. Philip H. Waterlow is the chairman; Mr. George S. Waterlow, Mr. C. H. Waterlow, and Mr. D. S. Waterlow are also directors. [2]
1877 Waterlow's business was divided in two:
- The sons of the senior member of the firm, i.e. Alfred, together with Mr. A. T. Layton, established the firm of Waterlow Brothers and Layton in the Birchin Lane premises.
- Sydney and his brother Walter and some of their most experienced colleagues, continued as Waterlow and Sons which specialised in railway work, the town and export printing.
1883 Opened premises in Paris
c.1884 George S. Waterlow started the photographic department.
1888 Read a description of their works at:
- No. I : The Engineer 1888/10/05.
- No. II: The Engineer 1888/10/19.
1897 The company has twice been re-registered under the same title with an increased capital, the last time on 7 October. [3]
See: Waterlow and Sons Souvenir Booklet: The British Navy From 1837 to 1897
1906 On the death of Sir Sydney Waterlow, managing director, he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Philip, who had already been in the business for over forty years.
1920 Waterlow Brothers and Layton merged into Waterlow and Sons
1934 See Waterlow and Sons: 1934 Review
See Also
Sources of Information
- Biography of Sir Sydney Hedley Waterlow, ODNB
- [1] London Science Museum Collections