Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1893-1989 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
3.06 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Lyons was founded in 1886 as a catering business, earning a reputation as caterers for exhibitions at Newcastle, Glasgow, Paris and London's Olympia. In 1894 it was incorporated as a public company and established its head office and food factories at Cadby Hall in Hammersmith. The company rapidly established a chain of Teashops, Cornerhouses and Restaurants with the opening of the first Lyons Teashop in 1894 in Piccadilly, the Trocadero Restaurant in 1896 and the First Lyons Corner House in 1909 in Coventry Street. To keep pace with this expansion, the factories were moved to Greenford in Middlesex in 1920 and the largest tea packing plant in the world opened. Further progress was made during the Second World War with the development of the FROOD - a revolutionary frozen cooked food process. The company is also famous for its work in less obvious fields - from 1941 to 1945 it operated a munitions factory at Elstow near Bedford on the reputed site of the slough of despond. In 1954 it developed LEO (Lyons Electronic Office), the first computer in the world capable of use for commercial work.
Further growth came in the 1970s with the acquisition of a number of businesses both in the UK and overseas. In 1978, Lyons became the food division of Allied Breweries which was renamed Allied-Lyons in 1981. In 1990 the head office was moved from Cadby Hall to Greenford. In 1994 Allied-Lyons decided to dispose of its food manufacturing operations and to change its name to Allied Domecq. The individual companies were sold off and Lyons head office closed in 1995.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 ACC/3811 1893-1989 Collection 3.06 linear metres J Lyons and Company Limited , food manufacturers and caterers
Lyons was founded in 1886 as a catering business, earning a reputation as caterers for exhibitions at Newcastle, Glasgow, Paris and London's Olympia. In 1894 it was incorporated as a public company and established its head office and food factories at Cadby Hall in Hammersmith. The company rapidly established a chain of Teashops, Cornerhouses and Restaurants with the opening of the first Lyons Teashop in 1894 in Piccadilly, the Trocadero Restaurant in 1896 and the First Lyons Corner House in 1909 in Coventry Street. To keep pace with this expansion, the factories were moved to Greenford in Middlesex in 1920 and the largest tea packing plant in the world opened. Further progress was made during the Second World War with the development of the FROOD - a revolutionary frozen cooked food process. The company is also famous for its work in less obvious fields - from 1941 to 1945 it operated a munitions factory at Elstow near Bedford on the reputed site of the slough of despond. In 1954 it developed LEO (Lyons Electronic Office), the first computer in the world capable of use for commercial work.
Further growth came in the 1970s with the acquisition of a number of businesses both in the UK and overseas. In 1978, Lyons became the food division of Allied Breweries which was renamed Allied-Lyons in 1981. In 1990 the head office was moved from Cadby Hall to Greenford. In 1994 Allied-Lyons decided to dispose of its food manufacturing operations and to change its name to Allied Domecq. The individual companies were sold off and Lyons head office closed in 1995.
This additional collection of records of J Lyons and Company Limited was given to London Metropolitan Archives on 27 November 1996.
Records of J Lyons and Company Ltd, 1893-1989. The records relate to various aspects of the company's history. In particular, there is a substantial collection of legal papers relating mainly to catering contracts entered into by the company, 1893-1978, and a series of private ledgers, 1894-1921. Also of interest is a group of files relating to the administration of Elstow Ordnance Factory near Bedford, 1941-1947.
ACC/3811/001-005: Share Records; ACC/3811/006-028: Legal Records: Contracts/Licences; ACC/3811/029-034: Legal Records: Court Cases; ACC/3811/035-046: Financial Records; ACC/3811/047-065: Operation; ACC/3811/066-068: Staff; ACC/3811/069-072: Miscellaneous; ACC/3811/073-074: Printed; ACC/3811/075-076: Press Cuttings; ACC/3811/077: Photographs; ACC/3811/078: Films; ACC/3811/079: Artefacts
Available for general access.
Copyright rests with the City of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
For related records, see ACC/3527, LMA/4306, LMA/4004, LMA/4018, LMA/4183, LMA/4258, LMA/4271
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.
July to October 2009 Catering personnel Occupations Catering Business records Financial records Industry Manufacturing industry Food industry Caterers Service industries Legal case records Commercial premises Tea rooms Information sources Documents Quarter Sessions records Licences J Lyons and Company Limited , food manufacturers and caterers Contracts Company archives Contract law Restaurants Law Legal systems People People by occupation Personnel Food industry personnel Civil law
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
This additional collection of records of J Lyons and Company Limited was given to London Metropolitan Archives on 27 November 1996.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of J Lyons and Company Ltd, 1893-1989. The records relate to various aspects of the company's history. In particular, there is a substantial collection of legal papers relating mainly to catering contracts entered into by the company, 1893-1978, and a series of private ledgers, 1894-1921. Also of interest is a group of files relating to the administration of Elstow Ordnance Factory near Bedford, 1941-1947.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
ACC/3811/001-005: Share Records; ACC/3811/006-028: Legal Records: Contracts/Licences; ACC/3811/029-034: Legal Records: Court Cases; ACC/3811/035-046: Financial Records; ACC/3811/047-065: Operation; ACC/3811/066-068: Staff; ACC/3811/069-072: Miscellaneous; ACC/3811/073-074: Printed; ACC/3811/075-076: Press Cuttings; ACC/3811/077: Photographs; ACC/3811/078: Films; ACC/3811/079: Artefacts
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
For related records, see ACC/3527, LMA/4306, LMA/4004, LMA/4018, LMA/4183, LMA/4258, LMA/4271
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
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.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English