The Manufacturers
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British Pens Limited
The company was formed in 1920 when Hinks Wells & Co and William Mitchell came together at the Pedigree Works in Birmingham. Cumberland Pencils was added in 1921. After World War II staff from the London Jewel Company joined them and they began to produce ball point pens. In the 1960s British Pens acquired the pen businesses of Perry & Co, John Mitchell and Joseph Gillott. As part of the Twinlock Group its name was changed to Cumberland Graphics in 1975. Byron Head, the Managing Director of William Mitchell (sinkers) and British Pens bought the two companies from Twinlock in 1982. The company still makes pens in the West Midlands.
Baker & Finnemore
Joseph Finnemore was connected with hinks Wells in 1844. By 1850 the name Baker and Finnemore appeared in the local directories. This small pen manufacturer operated from its Bak-Fin works in Newhall Street, Birmingham and was run for some years by the Barnwell family. Bak-Fin became a registered trademark and the series of pens bearing this name was known worldwide. The firm still occupies the premises on Newhall Street but now makes push on fasteners and precision pressings.
C. Brandauer & Co Ltd
The original company Ash Petit & Co were at Navigation Street, Birmingham from 1850-1862. Joseph Petit was responsible for the workshop as a tool maker and manufacturer. Ash is believed to have been responsible for the financial side of the business. Ash disappeared and the partnership was dissolved in February 1862. The company's agent in Vienna was Carl Kuhn and he became worried in 1861 when no pens arrived from Asgh Petit. He sent his son-in-law Charles Brandauer over to Birmingham and he agreed to finance and build a new factory in New John Street West if Joseph Petit would run it for him. Brandauer's produced steel pens from their purpose built factory for over a hundred years. The Petit family have managed and owned the company to this day.
Joseph Gillott & Sons Ltd
Joseph Gillott was born in Sheffield in 1799 and moved to Birmingham in 1822. The skills he'd learned as a cutler stood him in good stead for Birmingham's small metalware trades. He met and married Maria Mitchell, the sister of John and William Mitchell who were already manufacturing steel pens, and was drawn into the trade. In about 1827 he began to experiment making pens in Bread Street ( called Cornwall Street now ). Later he moved to Church Street and then on to Newhall Street. In 1853 he moved to Graham Street, where he developed the Victoria Works, one of the largest factories in Birmingham. By 1881 the company had offices in London and New York. Joseph Gillott & Sons became a limited private company in 1926. In 1954 it became part of Alexander (Silverthrone) Ltd. Joseph Gillott died in 1872. His son, also Joseph, inherited the company and died in 1903. The founder's grandson Joseph Henry Gillott died a millionaire in 1907. Bernard Gillott was head of the company in the 1930s, and after World War II Nicholas Gillott took over. The pen making side of the business was passed to British Pens Ltd in 1969.
Hinks, Wells & Co
George Wells set up this well run company in 1836. By 1852 he had taken on John Hinks as a partner and they were producing 1.82m gross of pens per year. It was famous for its "J" pen which was finished in blue or black with an embossed "J". In 1878 the number of workers was halved because of a fall in demand. The company was one of the first to adopt the 9 hour day. In 1873 John Hinks paid for the entire workforce to visit all the places of interest in London. In 1920 the company combined with William Mitchell & Co to form British Pens.
Geo W Hughes
George W Hughes founded the firm in 1860 in St Paul's Square, Birmingham and later moved to premises in Legge Lane. It was never established as a company. He produced pens of the highest quality. Among his many skills was knowledge of metallurgy, heat treatment and all the different processes which made up a steel pen. The firm opened a London office in 1888. One of its famous reservoir pens was called "Time is Money". The firm ceased manufacturing around 1960
D Leonardt & Co Ltd
D Leonardt founded the business in 1856. D Leonardt and Catwinkel were established in 1867 at 68 George Street Parade. By 1869 D Leonardt and H Hewitt had formed a partnership. Then in 1880 Hezekiah Hewitt and Diedrich and Charles D Leonardt formed a partnership and occupied the Universal Pen Works, 100 Charlotte Street, Birmingham. They had a large export market in South America, Eastern Europe and were pen makers to the King of Italy. The manufactured pens were of high quality and included their famous patent ball pointed pens. Hewitt started his own works in Sparkbrook in 1889. A A S Charles founded the Highley Pen Company in 1946 and in 1949 he merged his company with D Leonardt & Co.
Josiah Mason
Josiah Mason was born in Kidderminster in 1795. He moved to Birmingham when he was 21 and stayed there for the rest of his life. He built up a pen-nib empire which was once described as the largest in the world. He made steel barrel pens, slip pens and was the first person to make cedar penholders. He purchased the business of A Sommerville & Co in 1870. Josiah Mason's firm came together with Messrs Wiley & Son and James Perry & Co under the title of Perry & Co Ltd in 1876.
Macniven & Cameron Ltd
<<They came as a boon and a blessing to men, The Pickwick, the Owl and the Waverley Pen»
The company has a printing works on Blair Street, Edinburgh and the Waverley pen Works, Watery Lane, Bordesley, Birmingham. Its famous pens include Pickwick, Owl, Waverley, Phaeton, Nile, Hindoo and Commercial. The Waverley pen had a turned up point rather than a convex point. This took the extreme point of the pen off the paper and made writing smoother.