Head office was Church Path, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 3UE

From their centenary booklet 1879 – 1979:

Downs Surgical Ltd (formerly known throughout the world as Down Brothers and Mayer and Phelps Ltd) is an amalgamation of two of the earliest and most famous companies in the field of surgical instruments production. founded in 1879, the firm of Down Brothers was a pioneer in the manufacture of high quality instruments.

Specialising in instruments for ear, nose and throat surgery, Meyer and Phelps Ltd was founded in 1863. When the two companies merged in 1946 they could already claim a combined total of 150 years’ experience in the manufacture of high quality specialist surgical instruments.

Other manufacturers of surgical instruments who have since been acquired by the Downs Group are the neurosurgical instrument firm of Lewis Brothers, who joined the group in 1960, and more recently the firm of Carsberg and Froud, who specialise in nonferrous instruments.

Throughout their long history, Downs have constantly been engaged in research and development with leading members of the surgical profession, thus maintaining their leadership in the development of products for new surgical techniques and offering one of the most complete instrument services in the world.