Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The firm was founded in 1793 by Philip Wilkinson and traded as Philip Wilkinson and Sons. Their premises for nearly 180 years were at 14-19 Tottenham Mews, Westminster. According to the family there was a connection with the brand Wilkinson Sword and the two companies traded together.
On 8 July 1926 an agreement (see LMA/4757/A/01/001) was made between Stanley Edward Washbourn, John Henry Hawes and Albert George Cross and Hilmor Limited of 71 Southwark Street, London where P Wilkinson and Sons sold the company Hilmor Tube Bending Machine under the name of P Wilkinson and Sons. After expansion Hilmor eventually moved to Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
On 1 May 1936 the firm was registered as P. Wilkinson and Sons Limited. The firm invented the Wilkalisol aluminium solder for which a Trade Mark was granted on 30 October, 1946 (see LMA/4757/A/01//003). Around this time advertisements boasted of its 'Castings in all non-ferrous metals from your own patterns or designs' with ‘various selections’ of stocks ranging from aluminum to copper rods, sheets and tubes being in stock. The author of an article in 1968 was impressed by how the workers finished pouring the brass at 8:30am 'which mean[t] starting at 4:30am' (see LMA/4757/D/01/001).
In 1972 the premises at Tottenham Street were sold and the company moved to Stanmore. In the same year the company became associated with R. H. Roseblade and Sons Ltd of 18 Minerva Road, Park Royal, Brent. The firm was run by Ron Roseblade and his two sons John and Martin. Wilkinsons also had close connections with G W. Lunts of Birmingham. During this time, several well-known memorials and castings were created in conjuction with Roseblade as well as Lunts. Four bronze servicemen on the War memorial outside Euston Station, the Wreath on the Cenotaph in Whitehall as well as the external lantern work at Victoria and Albert Museum all involved Wilkinsons’ metalworks.
Nigel Washbourn became an apprentice to the firm on 2nd September, 1955. In 1978, Stanley William Washbourn died and the firm continued to be run by Nigel until his retirement in 1999. In 1983 the company moved to Northwood, London. When Roseblades closed their business, Nigel Washbourn continued to work with Lunts Castings Limited, Unit 7 Hawthorns Estate, Middlemore Road, Birmingham. In 1998 P. Wilkinson and Sons Limited closed down but Nigel Washbourn remained a consultant to Lunts of Birmingham until 2016.