South Western Industrial and Water Corporation
1934 Public company incorporated as South Western Gas Corporation. Acquired 19 local gas companies in the South West.
1935 Name changed to South-Western Gas and and Water Corporation Ltd[1]
1936 The corporation owned 26 works or undertakings[2]. Had established a laboratory at Dorchester to provide a central service for analysing supplies to the companies[3].
1949 The gas undertakings were nationalised; with the proceeds, the company had intended to convert into an investment trust but a majority of the shares in the company were acquired by Close Brothers who would introduce industrial undertakings to the company. Acquired Keele Street Pottery Co[4] [5]
1950 Name changed to South Western Industrial and Water Corporation[6]
1950 In addition to its investments in water companies, the company had acquired:
- Keele Street Pottery Co
- Paramount Pottery Co
- Piccadilly Pottery Co
- Thomas Cone Ltd
- Winterton Pottery (Longton)
- Conway Pottery Co
- Glow Worm Boilers Ltd
- National Pressure Cooker Co
1950 Acquired Midland Metal Spinning Co Ltd[7]
1951 Acquired Crittall Kitchen Equipment Co (1950) Ltd[8]
1953 Continued progress in developing closer links with London Aluminium Co including ownership of shares.
1955 The Corporation recognised it was not a horizontal or vertical combine, nor an investment trust. It was thought better than it was split into 2 groups - Midland Aluminium Ltd and Staffordshire Potteries (Holdings) Ltd including the acquisition of Collingwood China Ltd. The Corporation was then wound up[9]