Author Archives: Wade

Bryans Ltd.

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Factory that was in Willow Lane, which started trading as Bryans Aeroquipment Ltd. It changed its name to Bryans Ltd and later Bryans Southern Instruments.

There isn’t an entry in the 1938 directory, but a comment below suggests that the firm was established around 1939.

Timeline of events

1947 Fire at a rubber dump near the factory.

1955 Board Appointments

1957 Expansion

Name changed from Bryans Aeroquipment Ltd to Bryans Ltd. in 1963 according to Flight International, 29th August 1963.

1965 Luftwaffe contract

From Flight International, 13th January, 1966, page 72

Mr. J.R. Bryans is relinquishing his post as chairman and managing director of Bryans Ltd, of Mitcham, Surrey, and becomes a director of Seltronic Group Ltd. Mr Bowman Scott, managing director of Seltronic, has been appointed chairman of Bryans and Mr. David Ince managing director.

From Flight International, 4th June, 1970

Test equipment Merger

Bryans Ltd of Mitcham, Surrey, has sold its interest in aviation test equipment to Negretti and Zambra Ltd and will concentrate henceforth on the market for scientific instruments.

The Bryans product range will now be handled by Negretti & Zambra (Aviation) Ltd. which has a wide range of interests in the aviation field. The existing worldwide agency network established by Bryans will remain unchanged, but within the United Kingdom all enquiries should be addressed to the Bryans Aeroquipment Division of Negretti & Zambra (Aviation) Ltd, 73/77 Lansdowne Rood, Croydon CR9 2HP.

The 1973 Computer Users Yearbook said that the computer department had 5 staff, the D.P. manager was Miss S.M. Harrington. An NCR 500 C computer was used.

From Flight international, 5th October, 1979, page 1137

New formation team

The aerospace interests of Negretti & Zambra (73-77 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, Surrey; telephone 01-688 3426) have been brought together into a single entity. N & Z (Aviation) has absorbed the aviation activities of the Aero Engine Instrument Division and of the Bryans Aeroequipment part of associated company Visual Engineers. Design and manufacturing facilities operate at Aylesbury, Croydon and Southampton Airport.

1986
According to Advance Power Supplies (APS), Bryans Southern Instruments was bought in 1986, which was then bought by Low & Bonar Ltd in November that year.

1989 photo on Merton Memories showing a ‘TO LET’ sign.

Equipment ads

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1952 Prospects in New Zealand

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Prospects in New Zealand

Mitcham displays an interest

Mitcham Vestry Hall was crowded on Wednesday and Thursday nights last week to see a New Zealand Government talkie film on the prospects for emigrants to that country.

The film was supplemented by a more intimate and up-to-date talk by a representative of the New Zealand Government, who invited questions — and got them.

One young Irishman asked if there was any prospect of conscription out there.
“There is. If the need arises,” he was told.

The free passage scheme is now open to single men and women of British race, who are accommodated in hostels. Married folk are not encouraged to emigrate unless than are certain of accommodation and are themselves skilled workers in certain trades.

Questions elicited the information that the cost of living in New Zealand was roughly the same as in this country; and that wages on the average were a little higher. Carpenters, for example, got £9 12s. 7d. for a working week of 40 hours. Builders’ labourers received a basic rate of £8 16s. 6d. Women footwear operatives
were paid £5 10s. 5d. a week.

Source : Mitcham News & Mercury, 24th July 1952

Inflation adjusted, the weekly wages quoted, £9 12s. 7d. is around £270 in 2016, and £8 16s. 6d. is £250, while £5 10s. 5d. is about £160.