Fonds BD9 - William Warne and Co. Ltd

Identity area

Reference code

BD9

Title

William Warne and Co. Ltd

Date(s)

  • 1882-1944 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

3 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

William Warne and Co Ltd was established in 1837 as a private company to manufacture rubber products. The company became a joint stock company, the directors then being Edward Gerard Coles (Chairman), Ernest Harry Coles, George Frederick Spencer Warne, Oscar Edwin Coles, and James Burbridge; Ernest. F Spencer Warne acted as the Company Secretary in 1895. The company factory was in Tottenham, Middlesex, with registered offices at 29 Gresham Street in the City of London. In 1907 the company purchased land in Barking and built a new factory there, which became its headquarters, known as India Rubber Mills.

The onset of the Second World War, trading conditions became difficult because, despite military orders, there was a shortage of raw materials. In 1945, William Warne and Co. Ltd amalgamated with the St. Alban' s Rubber Company and The London and Provincial Rubber Co. Ltd. was set up as the holding company. Their range of products was broad, aimed mainly at defence, pharmaceutical and postal markets, and ranged from precision seals for pharmaceutical inhalers and refuelling hoses for military aircraft to rubber bands for the Post Office.

In June 2000, Icon Material Technologies (Holdings) Ltd purchased William Warne and the company name was changed to Icon Warne. At the time, there were 140 employees at Barking. The Barking premises were closed in 2002 when Icon Warne based its production in Retford, Nottinghamshire.

Archival history

BD9 1882-1944 Fonds 3 boxes William Warne and Co Ltd

William Warne and Co Ltd was established in 1837 as a private company to manufacture rubber products. The company became a joint stock company, the directors then being Edward Gerard Coles (Chairman), Ernest Harry Coles, George Frederick Spencer Warne, Oscar Edwin Coles, and James Burbridge; Ernest. F Spencer Warne acted as the Company Secretary in 1895. The company factory was in Tottenham, Middlesex, with registered offices at 29 Gresham Street in the City of London. In 1907 the company purchased land in Barking and built a new factory there, which became its headquarters, known as India Rubber Mills.

The onset of the Second World War, trading conditions became difficult because, despite military orders, there was a shortage of raw materials. In 1945, William Warne and Co. Ltd amalgamated with the St. Alban' s Rubber Company and The London and Provincial Rubber Co. Ltd. was set up as the holding company. Their range of products was broad, aimed mainly at defence, pharmaceutical and postal markets, and ranged from precision seals for pharmaceutical inhalers and refuelling hoses for military aircraft to rubber bands for the Post Office.

In June 2000, Icon Material Technologies (Holdings) Ltd purchased William Warne and the company name was changed to Icon Warne. At the time, there were 140 employees at Barking. The Barking premises were closed in 2002 when Icon Warne based its production in Retford, Nottinghamshire.

Donated to the Archive and Local Studies Centre by the creating organisation in 2002.

This collection comprises the records of William Warne and Co Ltd, manufacture of rubber products, including a technical notebook (1882-1896), detailing the chemical additives and cost per pound weight for each product manufactured at the companies factory in Barking, together with minute books of the Directors and Annual General Meetings (1895-1932), balance sheets of income and expenditure (1897-1925), a valuation of India Rubber Mills (1944) and a printed copy of 'The India Rubber Journal' (1924). Accompanied by photographs, and some photographic negatives, of workers of different demographics and ethnicity on the factory floor in Barking (circa 1960-1970), as well as further photographs showing different products produced at William Warne and Co Ltd (circa 1950-1970).

Arranged according to the format and chronology of material.

The material within this collection is open to research by appointment at the Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre. For further information about visiting the reading room please contact localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk or telephone 020 8227 2033.

Material within this collection can be reproduced at the discretion of the Borough Archivist. For further information about conditions governing reproduction please contact localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk or telephone 020 8227 2033.
English

For additional information on the content of this collection please contact localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk or telephone 020 8227 2033.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD (G), 2nd edition, 2001. National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Catalogue entry updated in 2012. Description added to Aim25 in April 2014. Business records Chemical industry William Warne and Co Ltd Manufacturing industry Documents Industry Information sources

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated to the Archive and Local Studies Centre by the creating organisation in 2002.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This collection comprises the records of William Warne and Co Ltd, manufacture of rubber products, including a technical notebook (1882-1896), detailing the chemical additives and cost per pound weight for each product manufactured at the companies factory in Barking, together with minute books of the Directors and Annual General Meetings (1895-1932), balance sheets of income and expenditure (1897-1925), a valuation of India Rubber Mills (1944) and a printed copy of 'The India Rubber Journal' (1924). Accompanied by photographs, and some photographic negatives, of workers of different demographics and ethnicity on the factory floor in Barking (circa 1960-1970), as well as further photographs showing different products produced at William Warne and Co Ltd (circa 1950-1970).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged according to the format and chronology of material.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

The material within this collection is open to research by appointment at the Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre. For further information about visiting the reading room please contact localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk or telephone 020 8227 2033.

Conditions governing reproduction

Material within this collection can be reproduced at the discretion of the Borough Archivist. For further information about conditions governing reproduction please contact localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk or telephone 020 8227 2033.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

For additional information on the content of this collection please contact localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk or telephone 020 8227 2033.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Service

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD (G), 2nd edition, 2001. 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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area