GB 1432 Atcraft - E Atkins / Atcraft Ltd, furniture manufacturers

79 volumes and 2 box files (2 linear metres)

GB 1432 Atcraft 1881-1983 Collection (fonds) 79 volumes and 2 box files (2 linear metres) E Atkins / Atcraft Ltd, of London , furniture manufacturers

The firm was established as E Atkins in 1879 by Edwin Atkins. The firm originally had factories at Church Row, Bethnal Green, London and in Birmingham. It was incorporated in 1922, with Edwin Atkins, his son Claude Cyril Atkins and George Clifton Sunley as shareholders and directors. It later changed its name to Atcraft Ltd, and moved to a factory at the Atcraft Works, Alperton, Wembley in the 1920s. The product range consited mainly of indoor and garden chairs, occasional and garden tables, hall furniture, bureaux, hammocks and camp beds, cots and playpens, prams and invalid chairs. In later years the firm concentrated almost entirely on producing nursery and garden furniture. The firm ceased trading in the 1980s.

The collection was acquired via Ed Blackburn, a lecturer at the London College of Furniture, when Atrcraft ceased trading.

Records of E Atkins and Atcraft furniture manufacturers of Wembley, London, comprising trade catalogues, 1913-1983; ledgers, private ledgers, day books and salary books, 1915-1960s (the run of each series is incomplete); sales summaries, 1933-1973; balance sheets, 1908, 1911, 1913-1915; articles of association, 1922; changes to articles of association, 1946; minutes of Directors' meetings, 1922-1946; designs of cartoons for nursery furniture; address book of staff and travellers; stocktaking book, 1881-1882; exhibitions accounts book, 1921-1963; address book of staff and travellers; tables of descendants of Edwin Atkins and George Clifton Sunley; papers relating to centenary celebrations of the firm, 1979; photographs of company vehicles, 1950s; press cutting of photograph of retired staff [1940s-1950s]. Many of the earlier trade catalogues bear the name of Claude Cyril Atkins, one of the Directors of the firm, and a son of Edwin Atkins the founder of the firm.

The surviving archives of all precursor institutions of London Metropolitan University are currently being appraised in detail following their relocation to a central facility at 25 Old Castle Street, London, E1 7NT

The trade catalogues are arranged in rough chronological order.

Enquiries should be made by email to specialcollections@londonmet.ac.uk

Details available upon request

English.

The collection is unlisted.

Initially compiled by Robert Baxter as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Subsequent amendments made by the Archives Project Team at London Metropolitan University in 2016.

Initially compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Aug 2002 E Atkins, of Bethnal Green, London , furniture manufacturers Atcraft Ltd, of Wembley, London , furniture manufacturers Sunley , George Clifton , fl late 19th century-mid 20th century , furniture manufacturer Atkins , Edwin , fl mid 19th century-early 20th century , furniture manufacturer Trade Atkins , Claude Cyril , fl late 19th century-mid 20th century , furniture manufacturer Decorative arts Furniture Wood technology Woodworking Bethnal Green London England UK Western Europe Europe Brent Tower Hamlets Alperton Wembley Middlesex

The collection was acquired via Ed Blackburn, a lecturer at the London College of Furniture, when Atrcraft ceased trading.

Records of E Atkins and Atcraft furniture manufacturers of Wembley, London, comprising trade catalogues, 1913-1983; ledgers, private ledgers, day books and salary books, 1915-1960s (the run of each series is incomplete); sales summaries, 1933-1973; balance sheets, 1908, 1911, 1913-1915; articles of association, 1922; changes to articles of association, 1946; minutes of Directors' meetings, 1922-1946; designs of cartoons for nursery furniture; address book of staff and travellers; stocktaking book, 1881-1882; exhibitions accounts book, 1921-1963; address book of staff and travellers; tables of descendants of Edwin Atkins and George Clifton Sunley; papers relating to centenary celebrations of the firm, 1979; photographs of company vehicles, 1950s; press cutting of photograph of retired staff [1940s-1950s]. Many of the earlier trade catalogues bear the name of Claude Cyril Atkins, one of the Directors of the firm, and a son of Edwin Atkins the founder of the firm.

The surviving archives of all precursor institutions of London Metropolitan University are currently being appraised in detail following their relocation to a central facility at 25 Old Castle Street, London, E1 7NT

The trade catalogues are arranged in rough chronological order.

Enquiries should be made by email to specialcollections@londonmet.ac.uk

Details available upon request

• Engels

• Latijn

English.

The collection is unlisted.

Initially compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

• Engels