Names on Weights - A to D: A list of 'named' weights, from Acme to Dutton.

ABR [b]
ABR 
Seen on a 1oz brass weight, with date 1941, and an unusual hole right through the middle.

Acme [bun weights,i]
Acme
Acme standard
The name appears on the reverse of cast-iron ‘bun’ weights, with the design registration number 196555, which dates from 1892 [AW 72]. Similar weights were made in brass. Believed to be a trade name of Hawkins of Tipton. The name also appears on normal flat-circular 20th century cast-iron weights, and cast-iron bar weights.
[See picture in new window]

ACN [i]
ACN
Believed to stand for Aire & Calder Navigation. 

Adams [b]
Adams Scale Maker
This name seen on a brass 1oz weight with Essex verification mark, c1904. Arthur E Adams, scalemaker at 93 Homerton High Street, Hackney (1900-1912).
[See picture in new window]

Allen [i]
Allen, Birmingham
T.H. and J. Allen, 83 Coleshill Street [1893 Hulley], [1899 Peck].
Seen on a 1lb weight with edge decorated in the Sheldon style, and VR33 verification mark (S. Staffordshire, 1879-1901).  
[See picture in new window]

Anderson [b]
Anderson Bros, Glasgow
Seen on a brass weight verified GR34 (Glasgow)
[See picture in new window]

Atherton [i]
A. Atherton & Co, Wolverhampton
James Atherton & Co, ironfounders at Bridge Foundry, Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton [1835 Pigot]. Believed to be in existence by 1845. A Atherton & Co registered a design for smoothing irons 1844. Possibly Aaron Atherton [1881 census]. Seen on pre- 1890 weights that are very similar to one of the types made by the Crane Foundry, also located in Horseley Fields.
[See picture in new window]

Avery [a,b,c,i,s,t]
W &T Avery
W &T A
W &T. Avery, Birmingham 
Avery
Avery [on shield]
W & T. Avery. Ltd, Birm
Avery,B’ham
Avery Ltd 
W&T.Avery Ld
W&T.Avery Ld, Sheffield
William and Thomas Avery were relatives of Joseph Balden, and inherited his scalemaking business when he died in 1813. (The firm’s claim to date back to 1730 is based on a liberal interpretation of the facts.) The firm was known as W&T Avery from about 1818 onwards. The name is seen on coin and apothecaries weights of the 1840's. By 1885 they had three factories: the Atlas Works in West Bromwich, the Mill Lane works in Birmingham, and the Moat Lane Works, Digbeth, also in Birmingham. The firm became a public limited liability company in 1894, and moved to the famous Soho Foundry in 1897. They set up branches in many towns (e.g. 29 Exchange Street, Sheffield, from 1897), and gradually took over many other firms in the scalemaking trade, in some cases retaining the original name. The business was itself taken over by GEC in 1979. In 1993 GEC also aquired the Berkel company, and the Avery-Berkel name was introduced. In 2000, the business was aquired by the US company Weigh-Tronix, who already owned Salter, and became known as Avery Weigh-Tronix, whose web site is http://www.averyweigh-tronix.com/. Avery weights referring to places other than Birmingham are scarce.
[See picture in new window]

BDH [i]
BDH
Presumably British Drug Houses, who certainly supplied weights and measures to the laboratory trade.

Baldwin [i]
Baldwin Son & Co
A firm of cast-iron hollow-ware makers, founded in Stourport c.1780. About 1860 the firm was divided, one part being the foundry at Stourport, known as Baldwin Son & Co. (The other part was a forge at Wilden, a mile away, where the future Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin worked for a while). The Stourport firm was amalgamated with Kenrick in 1886. [Church, pp125-7].
[See picture in new window]

Banfield [b]
Banfield, Brighton
Banfield, Hastings
Banfield
A firm of scalemakers, probably not makers of weights. George Banfield, scalemaker, recorded at the following addresses:
 41 Ship Street [1855 PO]
  3 Ship Street [1867 Kelly]
Samuel Banfield recorded at:
 53 Ship Street [1881 census]
 56 Ship Street [1915]
Banfield branches also recorded [Kelly 1915] at the following addresses:
 196 Queens Road, Hastings
    10 Commercial Road, Eastbourne
    27 West Buildings, Worthing
     3 Park Street, Horsham
Believed taken over by Avery, around 1975. 
[See picture in new window]

Bartlett [b,i]
Bartlett, Bristol
John Bartlett was an apprentice of the London scale maker Robert Wood. J. Bartlett was listed at 3 Welsh Back, Bristol in 1831 (main office at 3 Welsh Back (1835-1910) [Mathews directory], and by 1881 the firm was employing 70 men and 4 boys. Charles H. Bartlett (probably son of John) spent some time in Newcastle (the firm is recorded as Bartlett & Sons, 49 Pilgrim St. in 1871, and as C.H.Bartlett & Co., 6 Lisle St in 1875) but in 1881 he was managing the weighbridge works in Bristol.In 1890 the address was still listed as J. Bartlett and Sons, Welsh Back, Bristol. The firm was taken over as a going concern by Pooleys in 1910, who were in turn taken over by Avery in 1914.

Barwood [b]
A. Barwood, 23 St James’ Road, Southsea
Albert Barwood (b.1868) in Winchester, scalemaker [1901 census] at 23 St James Road [1912 Hbk]. Barwood & Son at the same address [Kelly 1926, Kelly 1949].
[See picture in new window]

Bastick [b]
Bastick & Son, London
Thomas Bastick and his son Richard were active as scalemakers in London in the nineteenth century. The firm was known as Richard Bastick and Son 1864-1914. Bastick & Driver at 2 Holywell Row, Worship Street, Shoreditch (1822-1846). Bastick & Co., same address [1840 PO]. Thomas Bastick & Son at same address [1852 PO]. Richard Bastick 2 & 23 Holywell Row (1865-1886). Richard Bastick & Son, 241 Hoe Street, Walthamstow [1908 Kelly].
[See picture in new window]

Bate [standard weights]
Bate, London
R.B. Bate of Poultry, London, was a maker of scientific instruments. In 1824 he was commissioned to produce the new Imperial standard weights and measures. He also made numerous copies for local authorities. In 1834 his son John Bate reported that the firm did not make 'common weights and measures'. See [A. McConnell, R.B. Bate of the Poultry 1782-1847, London 1993]. 

Bentall [i]
Bentall
Before 1872 E.H. Bentall moved from Ironbridge in Shropshire to Heybridge near Maldon in Essex, where the family established a large foundry. They were specialists in agricultural machinery, and developed an early motor car. In the 1930s they bought up the business of W. H. West in Norwich, which was later sold to Averys. In the 1956 Kelly's directory of Norwich, E H Bentall & Co. are listed at 41 Exchange Street, as Weighing Machine Manufacturers.
[See picture in new window]

Berkel [b]
Berkel
The Berkel Auto-Scale Co Ltd
The Berkel business was founded in 1898 in Holland by Wilhelm Van Berkel, who invented the first mechanical bacon slicer. The firm rapidly grew into an international operation, starting in London in 1908 and the USA in 1909. In 1993 it was acquired by GEC and combined with the Avery organisation. The name has been seen on brass and nickel-plated bell weights.
[See picture in new window]

Berry & Warmington [b,i]
Berry & Warmington
Berry & Warmington Ltd
Berry and Warmington, Weighwell Works, Liverpool was registered as a limited company in 1921 at Weighwell Works. The original directors were Charles Berry and J.W.S. Warmington (1880-1979 - apprenticed with Avery 1896). With a head office at 59 Byrom Street, the company opened branches in several parts of Lancashire and North Wales, and in 1927 they took over the businesses of Edwards in Liverpool and Reuben Sutcliffe in Manchester. The company continued to grow rapidly, and in 1938 Averys purchased the business as a going concern (but this remained secret until 1966). Many branches were opened, including one in Birmingham, ostensibly competing on Avery's home ground.
[See picture in new window]

Blews [knobbed stacking weights]
W. Blews and Sons, Warranted
One of the oldest Birmingham brassfounders, said to have been founded in 1782. Seen on an unusual design for stacking brass weights with knurled knobs, registered March 27 1855. [AW 55]. William Blews, brassfounder and weightmaker at 3 Bartholomew Street [1835 Pigot], then weightmakers etc. in New Bartholomew Street [1875 White]. Firm purchased by Henry Bisseker in 1886. [Hiley pp.60-61], [1912 Hbk]  

Boulter [b]
Boulter, Old Kent Rd
In the Census of 1881 Census Richard Boulter, scale maker, was living at 3 West Street, Southwark. His father Samuel, described as 'Assistant of Weight and M (Weighg Appar Mkr)', was at the same address. At 666/673 Old Kent Road (1895-1910).
[See picture in new window]

Bourne [i]
Bourne
T. Bourne of Birmingham. Active in the 1830s and 1840s. 

Bowring [b]
Bowring & Sons, Maker, Greenwich & Peckham
Bowring & Son, Greenwich 
J. Bowring & Son, Greenwich
M. A. Bowring
At the time of the Census in 1881 Manuel Alfred Bowring (or Bouring) was living at 47 Church Street, Greenwich. He was described as scale maker, as were his two sons, Manuel (19) and John (17). Recorded at 44 Church Street [1882 Kelly]. The Greenwich and Peckham inscription occurs on weights with Victorian verification marks. The later versions occur on weights up to the 1940s, at least.
[See picture in new window]

Bullock [i]
W. Bullock & Co
W.B. & Co. 
William Bullock established an ironfoundry in Spon Lane, West Bromwich in 1805. William Bullock & Co., iron founders and mnfs [1835 Pigot]. Iron weights were produced from about 1826 until 1885, when the firm was sold to the neighbouring firm of Salter & Co.
[See picture in new window]

Burton [i]
William S. Burton, 39 Oxford Street
Seen on a 4lb cast-iron bar weight, with a pre-1890 copper plug. William Samuel Burton of 39 Oxford Street, London, was a member of the Founders Company, granted freedom and livery in 1848, master in 1859. General furnishing ironmonger at 39 Oxford Street [1876 PO].

Bushell [i]
Bushell, York
A firm of ironmongers. Recorded on a weight verified in 1933. 
[See picture in new window]

C.S.C [b]
C.S.C
Seen on a brass weight with 1940’s dates. 

Cannon [i]
Cannon
The factory at Deepfields, Coseley, was founded by Edward Sheldon in 1826, although it was not known as the Cannon Foundry until later. 
[See picture in new window]

Carron [i]
Carron
The Carron Ironworks near Falkirk was extablished in 1759 by two Birmingham industrialists, Roebuck and Garbett (and Caddell) [T.S. Ashton, Iron and steel in the Industrial Revolution, Manchester, 1951, pp 48-52]. The name appears on iron bar weights and flat-circular weights of the 19th century. 
[See picture in new window]

Casdon [zinc alloy toy weights]
Casdon, Made in England
Casdon is the trade mark of Cassidy Brothers of Blackpool, founded in 1950. The firm makes toys of various kinds, including ‘toy weights’ of 10g, 25g and 50g. The weights are made of Zamac, an alloy of zinc and aluminium, which is also used in making die-cast models. Their website is www.casdon.co.uk. 

Chayney [b]
Chayney, Maker, Ramsgate
Chayney, Maidstone
Chayney & Co, Ramsgate Dover & Canterbury
Thomas Sinclair Chayney, scalemaker at 7 Mkt Bldgs, Maidstone [1882 Kelly]. Chayney & Co [1913 Kelly] at:
 145 High Street, Ramsgate
 50 Burgate Street, Canterbury
 37 High Street, Dover
 33a Hawley Street, Margate
Bought by Vandome & Hart in the 1950's.
[See picture in new window]

Cheshire [i]
Cheshire
Thomas Cheshire & Co of Liverpool. Recorded as working 1844-1894. 

Clark [i]
E&T. Clark
T&C Clark & Co.
Clark’s Patented Standard
Clark’s
Holloware manugacturers, founded in 1795, by Thomas and Charles Clark. T & C Clark, the Shakespeare Foundry, Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton [1865 Jones]. Weights with the name E&T Clark seem to belong to this firm, c.1826-1850. Later weights have the name of T&C Clark. Registered design 1869. Taken over by A.O. Smith of Milwaukee in 1962.
[See picture in new window]

Coalbrookdale [i]
Coalbrookdale Co.
C’Dale Co.
C.B.D.
Abraham Darby I (1676-1717) went to Coalbrookdale in 1707 and made iron with coke. By the middle of the 19th century the Coalbrook Co. was primarily engaged in making useful and decorative cast iron objects. Became part of Allied Ironfounders in 1929.
[See picture in new window]

Collings and Wallis [i]
Collings and Wallis, Birmingham
Collings and Wallis
C & W
A firm of merchants and nailmakers, at 223 King Edwards Road, Birmingham [1875 White]. The name appears on weights with a copper plug (pre-1890), having a shaped edge similar to that used by Holcroft. 

Congreve [i]
Congreve - Stockport
Seen on a 2lb flat-circular iron weight, last verified in 1953. 

Cook [b]
C Cook, Lawrencehill
A Bristol scale-maker.
[See picture in new window]

Cottom [i]
W. Cottom
William Cottom, Great Bridge, West Bromwich. The name appears on weights with the ‘usual’ design 1850-1890. William Cottom, ironfounder [1865 Jones].

Courtney
Courtney Tiverton
Samuel Courtney, scale and weight maker [1906 Kelly], weighing machine manufacturer [1914 Kelly] at 81 Bampton St (1914-1919). Firm of A.W. Courtney acquired by Avery 1945.
[See picture in new window]

Crane (E.) [b]
E. Crane, Lewisham
Edward Crane (b.1851), scalemaker in Shoreditch [1881 census], in Lewisham [1901 census], at 20 Loampit Vale [1910 Hbk, 1961 Kelly, 1974 Kelly].
No connection with the Crane Foundry. 

Crane (Foundry) [b,i]
Crane Foundry Co, Wolverhampton
Crane, Wolverhampton
Crane, W’hampton
Crane F Co, Wolverhampton 
Crane
C.H. Crane, Wolverhampton
The Crane Foundry Company were ironfounders, based at Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton. Crane Foundry Co. [1851 White], weight makers [1852 advert, Slater South Wales]. They registered the design for iron weights with the edge decorated with roundels in 1872. The name C.H. Crane seems to have been used in the 20th century, but the reason for it is not known. Brass weights with the name CRANE were mainly produced after the regulations of 1890, requiring trade weights of 2oz and below to be made of brass. Additionally, some larger brass weights with this name are known. Making weights in 1928 [Catalogue]. Their current logo says Founded 1860.

Crooks [b]
Crooks, Balls Pond
Charles Alfred Crooks (b.1861), apprenticed to James Gardner [1881 census]. At 74 Balls Pond Road, Islington (1901-1947).
[See picture in new window]

Cross [i]
W. Cross 
William Cross
W. Cross & Son
William Cross, mfr of box irons etc. [1865 Jones] at Lyng Foundry, Bond Street, West Bromwich (1865-1912). William Cross & Son Ltd, weight makers [1912 Hbk]. Established 1835. Their main line was the cast-iron butt hinge. In 1895 Kenricks tried to buy the firm, but failed [Church, p.127].
[See picture in new window]

Crossley [b]
T Crossley, Blackburn (with an anvil) 
Thomas Crossley, whitesmith, was recorded in Blackburn, c1878.
[See picture in new window]

CWS [i]
CWS
Probably Co-operative Wholesale Society. 

Day [b,c,i]
W Chambers Day & Co, Patentees
W.C.Day & Co.
Day & Co.
Day & Millward, Birmingham
William Chambers Day is recorded at 118 Suffolk Street, Birmingham from about 1829. The firm was known as Day & Co. from about 1850 onwards. The name William Chambers Day is seen on coin weights circa 1842. Amalgamated with the firm of John Millward 1852. The address of Day & Millward is recorded as the Suffolk Works, Birmingham. 
[See picture in new window]

DC [i]
DC
Seen on iron ring weights. 

Deeley and Wignall [i]
D & W
DW & W
DW & Co.
‘Merchants’ of 24-25 Russell St, Birmingham. Also recorded are the names Deeley Wignall and Wilson, and Wignall & Deeley. 

De Grave [i, s, standard weights] 
De Grave & Co., London
An old London firm, which claimed to have been founded in the 17th century. From 1817 to 1844 the business was known as De Grave and Son, at 59 St Martin’s-le- Grand, London. From 1845 to 1871 it was De Grave Short and Co, and from 1871 onwards De Grave, Short, Fanner & Co. In 1890 the address was 13 Farringdon Road. The name is most frequently seen on standard weights used by local authorities, and on sovereign weights used by banks. The firm became part of the Avery organisation in the early 1900s, and the name Avery De Grave appears on some local standard weights.
[See picture in new window]

Denison [i]
S. Denison & Son, Leeds
Established by Samuel Denison in 1820. At the Old Grammar School Foundry, North Street, Leeds (1864-94). By 1914 the address is given as the Hunslet Foundry, Leeds [EQM 1531]. Makers of large weighing devices such as crane weighers and weighbridges. Eventually became part of the Avery organisation.

Dixon & Vardy [b,i]
Dixon & Vardy
Makers of brass weights with the name cast as part of the design, rather than stamped. The same design was also used for iron weights. Recorded as brassfounders, Bilston St, Wolverhampton (Pigot 1828/9, 1939 Robson). See also [EQM 2037].

Doyle [b,s]
Doyle & Son, London
John Doyle, scalemaker at Steelyard, St. Thomas', Borough [1825/7 Pigot]. At 24/26 King Street, Southwark (1840-1865). Later Doyle & Son at 23/24 Newcomen Street (1886). John Doyle was a London scalemaker, his firm being known as Doyle & Son from about 1865 onwards. This form of name appears on weights with pre-uniform verification marks. The firm made standard weights in 1826 and bronze cup weights marked with a crowned D&S GIV. In 1886, the firm took over the business of Nicholl and Fowler, and was still in business in 1961. Probably taken over by Avery's.
[See picture in new window]

Driver [b]
Driver
Driver and Sons 137 Bishopsgate St
The long version of the name has been seen on 8oz brass flat weight with pre-1880 Middlesex 1W marks. John Samuel Driver was an apprentice of Richard Vandome in London, c1815. From 1823 to 1846 the firm was known as Bastick and Driver at 2 Holywell Row, Worship Street, Shoreditch. Known as Driver and Sons at 39 Minories (1852-65) and 137 Bishopgate St Without (1865-86). Later it became George Driver and Sons, and Driver Southall. Became part of Walker Driver & Warmsham in 1922, before being taken over by Averys.
[See picture in new window]

Duffus [i]
J Duffus & Co, Abd
Probably John Duffus, Founders, of Aberdeen
[See picture in new window]

Dutton [i]
Dutton, M’Chester
James Dutton II at 45 Great Ancoats Street [1870 Kelly]. Ann Dutton, widow, scale and weighing machine maker, was at 45 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester in the 1881 Census.

Back to top of page