Names on Weights - K to P: A list of 'named' weights, from Keep to Prodevel.

Keep [i]
Keep
Probably Claude C Keep. At Criterion Buildings Princes Square, Wolverhampton in the 1880s.
[See picture in new window]

Keesey [i]
Keesey
Seen on iron weights with the edge decorated with large roundels. In the 1881 Census there were two Keeseys living the suburbs of Birmingham: Thomas Keesey ('weighing machine filer') in Kings Norton, and Walter Keesey ('weighing machine maker') in Yardley. Also noted is George Walton Keesey - 49 Dymoke Street (1863-77), 50.51 Conybere Street (1878).

Kendrick [i]
Kendrick & Co.
Kendrick & Co, at the Brickhouse Foundry, Great Bridge, Tipton, in the 1870s. 

Kenrick (Archibald) [b, i]
A.K. & Sons
K&S
Kenrick
Founded by Archibald Kenrick in 1791, in Spon Lane, West Bromwich. [See Church]. The firm still occupies the same site, now close to the M5 motorway. It is known as Kenrick Hardware Ltd.
[See picture in new window]

Kenrick (Samuel) [i]
Saml Kenrick 
Samuel Kenrick left the family firm in 1828, and established the Summit Foundry, also in Spon Lane, West Bromwich. The Summit Foundry was sold in 1853 [Church, p39].
[See picture in new window]

Knight [c]
Knight
This name is stamped on sovereign and half-sovereign weights. In addition to a round half-sovereign weight [W2272b], square weights for both sovereign and half-sovereign have been seen. It may refer to Richard and George Knight of Foster Lane, London, scalemakers, known to have been in business in the early 19th century [EQM 1486, 1821]. 

L.M. [i]
L.M.
These initials are seen on iron block weights. Both rectangular and oval shapes are known. 

Layton [i]
R Layton, Makers, 193 Blackfriars Rd, S.E.
Nothing else known.

Lewis [b,i]
Lewis
Lewis & Co
Lewis is stamped on a brass weight verified in Sheffield (VR37). Lewis & Co. is recorded on iron weights. This could refer to Samuel Lewis & Co. of Dudley - established 1750, they were advertising ironwork pressings & forgings, drop-stampings etc. in the 1950's.

Lipton [b]
Lipton
Seen on brass flat-circular and bell weights. It is tempting to assume a connection with the tea company Lipton's, but we have no proof as yet.

Lincoln [iron box weights]
Lincoln Box Weights
An unusual design, comprising a box whose top and bottom form the ½lb and ¼lb weights, with smaller weights inside. Made in the first half of the 20th century, for domestic use [EQM 2075].

Lodge [b]
A Lodge & Co, Brentford
Nothing else known.

London Dairy Supply [ceramic weights]
London Dairy Supply Company 
Museum Street, London. Suppliers of all kinds of dairy equipment, including ceramic weights.

Lowe [i]
B Lowe, Manchester
Nothing else known.
[See picture in new window]

Maclean [b]
Maclean & Co. Newcastle
A D Maclean & Co. were in business in Neville Street and Pottery lane in Newcastle in the 1870's and 1880's. The name has been seen on brass weights of the 'flanged' or 'convex' type.

Malby [b]
H Malby, King's Lynn
Nothing else known.

Malpass [i]
J Malpass, Oldham
John Malpas, scalemaker is listed at 62 West Street, Oldham in 1924. The spelling of the name on the weight is Malpass not Malpas, so it is assumed that the spelling somewhere is a simple mistake.
[See picture in new window]

Marshall [i]
Marshall, Leicester
Marshall, L'ester
Seen on iron bar weights and flat-circular weights.
[See picture in new window]

Mark [i]
M Mark, L'pool
Seen on a flat-circular cast-iron weight.
[See picture in new window]

Mattocks [b]
Mattocks & Son, Walworth
Seen on a flat-circular brass weight. Charles Mattocks at 21 Pitt Street, St Georges Road SE in 1881. By 1887 he had moved to 12 Carter Street SE. Mattocks and Sons had moved to 246 Walworth Road by 1900. They are last listed here in 1939.
Thanks are given to Southwark Local History Library for information supplied.
[See picture in new window]

Maund [b]
F E & G Maund London
Seen on a flat-circular brass weight.
[See picture in new window]

McCraight [b]
McCraight, Maker
McCraight, London
A London firm of scale and weight makers going back to the 18th century. Richard McCraight was succeeded by Charles McCraight in the 1860s, and the firm was known as Charles McCraight and Son c1875-1913. The name has been seen on brass weights, both with pre-uniform verification marks, and with Victorian uniform marks such as VR29 (Middlesex). 

McDowall [i]
McDow'l & Co.
Seen on an iron ring weight with the date 1835. The firm was based in Falkirk and later became McDowall Steven & Co. It became part of Light Castings Ltd in 1922 and Allied Ironfounders in 1929. 

Mersey Docks and Harbour Board [i]
MDHB
The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board was formed in 1858 to control Liverpool and Birkenhead docks. It became the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company in 1972.

Melford [i]
Melford Foundry
Seen on a bar weight. Long Melford, Norfolk. 

Mellard [i]
Mellard
Seen on iron bar weights. Possibly Mellard's Trent Foundry Ltd, Rugeley, Staffordshire.

Micawber [b]
Micawber & son London
Seen on cast brass weights - not verified (the weights look unsuitable for trade).

Middleton [i]
J. Middleton
Jas. Middleton
T & J. Middleton
Thomas and James Middleton
T & J. M.
At the Smethwick Foundry, Rolfe Street, Smethwick from c1845 or earlier. Other addresses and variants of the name are known. More work is needed to sort out the relationships.
[See picture in new window]

Midland Railway [i]
M.R.
Midland Railway
Former 10th May 1844, this large company ran from St. Pancras to Derby, Leeds, Carlisle, Bristol etc. - over 5,000 route miles. The company had its name or initials cast on the iron weights used for weighing parcels.

Millward [i]
Millward Birmm
The firm was founded by John Millward and merged with W.C. Day & Co. 18520.

Mordan [c]
S. Mordan & Co.
Samuel Mordan started his business c1820 at 22 Castle Street, London EC. Later they had a factory in City Road. They made and sold many small items, including postal scales and coin scales. The weights that accompany their postal scales are distinctive, having a small raised section inside the rim, but they are not named. As far as we know, the only weights bearing the name Mordan are very rare weights for a sovereign and half-sovereign [W2274a,b], dating from about 1842. The firm closed down in 1940 [EQM 943-945].

Morvan [i]
Morvan
Morvan Birmingham
Richard & George Morvan, scalemakers, at 36 Banbury Street [1875 White].
[See picture in new window]

MSC [i]
MSC
The Manchester Ship Canal Company was incorporated on August 6th 1885, and opened on January 1st 1894.

N.A.C.B [b]
N.A.C.B.
Seen on brass weights with the Staffordshire verification mark GR33 and date(19)18.

Newman [b]
J Newman Dublin
Seen on a brass 1lb weight with no other markings.

Nicholl [b] 
Nicholl, London
An old London firm, known as Nicholl & Co. 1848-53. From 1854 it was Nicholl and Fowler, until taken over by taken over by Doyle & Son c1885. A chrondrometer signed Nicholl gives the address as 16 Aldersgate St., London (Holbrook, p144). This name is seen stamped on a brass weight with the full set of 'Founders' marks for Victoria. 

Omal [bankers weights] 
Omal
This firm made bankers scales, c1970. Usually the weights that go with their scales are cylindrical, with a plated finish, and they are unnamed. However the name Omal does appear on some scarce weights with a screw-in hook. 

Pairman [b]
G & W Pairman Newcastle
Seen on a 1lb brass weight. The firm was listed as scale makers at 113/115 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle in 1887 and 1890. They were listed as shopfitters until 1938 at least.

Parnall [b,i]
Parnall & Sons, Bristol
Parnall & Sons Ltd, Narrow Wine St, Bristol
Parnall & Sons Ltd, Bristol & London
Parnall & Sons Ltd, 10 Rood Lane, Eastcheap, E.C.
Parnall & Sons Ltd, Alexandra Road, Swansea
Parnall & Sons Ltd, Swansea
Wm Parnall & Co., 43 Dutton St., Manchester
Wm Parnall & Co. Ltd., 108 Victoria Street, Bristol
Henry Parnall founded his scalemaking business in 1820, in a cellar in Narrow Wine Street, Bristol. The firm became a limited company in 1889, by which time it was involved in shopfitting, as well as scalemaking. Around this time the firm began to make brass 'churn' weights (1886, Reg No: 46081) and 'bottle' weights (1890, Reg. No: 160990, [AW 74]). The business was acquired by Avery c1900, and the scalemaking side was gradually run down, disappearing by about 1913.

Parry [b,i]
Walter Parry, 273 Old St, E.C.
Walter Parry, London
The name and address has been seen on a 1lb brass weight with ER522 LCC verification mark (pre-1907), and on cast-iron weights with the same marks. The firm is recorded as making bread scales, c1910-30.
[See picture in new window]

Parsons [i]
Parsons, Bradford
This relates to S Parsons & Co., Scalemakers, of Bradford. The scales are often seen, the weights less so.
[See picture in new window]

Patston [b]
Patston
Samuel Patston (b.1802) set up as scale maker in London in 1828, and was at 1 Gibraltar Walk in 1839 [Pigot]. The business was carried on by his son, Samuel Patston II (b.1827), who was still at Gibraltar Walk in 1881 [Census]. Also in 1881, his sons John and Alfred were working as scale makers. John was at 16 Green Street, Bethnal Green, in 1885 [Kelly], and Alfred was at 38 Cudworth Street in 1910. The firm of E. Patston and Sons, scale makers, was still operating in the 1970s.

Payne [b]
Payne
Seen on a 2oz brass weight. Nothing else known - yet.
[See picture in new window]

Payton [i]
J Payton & Co.
Church [p100] mentions an agent for Kenrick's by the name of Payton - there may be a connection.
[See picture in new window]

Penn - see Fenn

Perry [b]
Perry Ilford
Perry & Sons, Ilford
Walter George Perry & Sons were at 391 High Road, Ilford in 1908 [Kelly]. The firm also had a branch in Southend.

Peterson [b, i]
E Peterson, Grimsby
Seen on a brass flat-circular weight. In the trade section of the Grimsby street directory of 1935/36, E Peterson is listed as 'Scale and weightmaker', at 1c Stanley Street, Grimsby. Ernest Peterson (scale maker) is shown residing at 'Aldaer', 212 Legsby Avenue, Grimsby in the residential section, presumably the same person.
[See picture of iron weight in new window]  [See picture of brass weight in new window]

Pike & Elliman [b]
Pike & Elliman, 32 Gt. Charlottle St., 14 New Cut
The address is now known as 'the Cut', and is in Lambeth near Waterloo station. There is a reference to 'Pike & Ellerman' (sic) as shopfitters [EQM 1726].In the 1881 census, Henry Elliman was described as a scale maker.
[See picture in new window]

Piper [i]
J.H. Piper & Co. Wolverhampton
Seen on a 4lb weight, last verified in (19)29.
[See picture in new window]

Pollard [b]
C. Pollard, Wood Green
Seen on an 8oz brass weight with GR29 (Middlesex) and (19)32 marks.

Pooley [b,i, t]
H.Pooley & Son Ld.
H.P. & S
Pooley, Birm
Pooleys were a firm of mechanical engineers, founded in Liverpool in the 18th century. Shown as Pooley of Liverpool in Heath Mill Lane, Birmingham [1875 White]. They started to make platform scales c1835. Their main office was at the Albion Foundry, Liverpool until c1890 (before 1907), when it moved to John Bright Street, Birmingham. In 1913 the firm became part of the Avery organisation, but continued as a separate firm. The firm was responsible for supplying and maintaining the weights and scales of many railway companies.

Poupard [i]
T.J. Poupard
There was a long line of scalemakers named Poupard. In c1850, E. Poupard was at 44 High Street, Bloomsbury, London. The firm was acquired by Vandome & Hart in 1930, who were themselves taken over by Herbert & Sons in 1995.

Prodevel [b]
Prodevel
The Prodevel Company of Birmingham produced domestic scales, around 1950. Their scales were sold with roughly-made brass weights. The name appears on the 1lb and ½ lb weights only.

Back to top of page