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    Celebrating a legacy of engineering excellence

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    Contents3 Celebrating 140 Years

    4 A & J Gummers - A Business Partnership

    5 The Gummers Story

    6 The Effingham Brass Works and Gummers

    7 G & WG Gummer Limited

    8 George Gummer

    9 The Akerman & Jeavons Story

    11 A & J Gummers - A New Era

    12 Employees then and now

    14 2011 and Beyond

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    3

    Jeremy Ling

    CEO Bristan Group

    Celebrating

    140 YearsIn 1871, William Gummer startedthe Effingham Brass Works inGlasshouse Lane, Rotherham,

    supplying fine quality bath and WCfittings for hospitals, ships andhotels including the Ritz and theStrand in London.

    140 years later and the business may haveenjoyed a couple of changes in name andbranched out into other areas includingboilers and water gauges, but the core of itstrade remains the same; supplying quality

    taps and showers for commercial projects.

    A & J Gummers (or Gummers as it is widelyknown) has been part of Bristan Group, theUKs largest supplier of taps and showers,since 2006. From July 2011, A & J Gummerswill be rebranded to Bristan.

    The name of the company may be changing,but we are determined to keep its legacy aliveby continuing to celebrate its rich history. Forthis reason, we have produced this specialedition book which documents Gummers'beginnings in 1871 until the present day.Looking forward, we will also continue to usethe experience and knowledge of longstandingemployees to help influence product designand ensure Bristan is a leading supplier ofcommercial water controls.

    I do hope that you enjoy your journey throughthe history of this fantastic company.

    Thank you

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    4

    A & J Gummers -

    A Business PartnershipIn 1985, the Birmingham companyAkerman & Jeavons and theRotherham Company Gummers

    Ltd formally merged to form a newcompany called A & J Gummers.

    The business history of the firm begins in lateVictorian England in Rotherham, SouthYorkshire, with an enterprising familycalled Gummer.

    Rotherham was a typical, late Victorianindustrial town, with many businessesmanufacturing a variety of products, including

    stove grates and nails. Rotherham, likeBirmingham, was also known as a centre forthe brass trade, particularly the manufactureof brass fittings for use in connection with thesteam and water industries. Rotherham brassfittings were exported across the globe and itsproducts had a world-wide reputation.Rotherham also benefited from being inthe midst of a district abounding inmineral wealth.

    Back cover of anAkerman & Jeavons

    brochure (circa 1970)

    View of G department (circa 1950)

    Gummers wasestablished in 1871 as a

    quality commercial water

    fittings supplier

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    The Gummers StoryThe Gummers story begins in1830 in Lyme Regis, Dorset withthe birth of William Henry

    Gummer. His father was a masonand the young William left Dorsetin 1850 at the age of 20 to findwork in the North of Englandwhere jobs were plentiful. Hisbrother Richard, who was aplasterer, had arrived inRotherham a few months before,so William joined him there.

    William worked as a joiner when he firstarrived in Rotherham, before becoming anauctioneer and valuer. In January 1909, theRotherham Advertiser described WilliamGummer: He had commenced work at sixyears of age, had picked copper on the seashore and carried it back to the town, adistance of three miles at five pence perhundredweight. He had been sailor, joiner,builder contractor By the end of his longand distinguished career in business inRotherham, William Gummer had been aCouncillor for the town for 15 years, anAlderman for ten years and was twice Mayorof the Borough.

    On September 12th, 1855, William had a son,George Gummer, who was also to becomehighly important in Rotherham. He wrote abook called Reminiscences of Rotherham,which was published in 1927, and this tells usmore about the Gummers in business andabout their family life.

    George Gummer tells us in the book that hisfather had been to the races on the day of hisbirth and for the first and last time decided tomake a bet on the result. He was so excitedwhen he arrived home and heard that he had

    a son that he wanted to name him after thehorse that had won him his bet. Fortunatelyfor me, explained George in the book, mymothers protests prevailed.

    In 1861, William was living at 29 Crofts inRotherham and his brother Richard was livingin Forge Lane in the town.

    William and Richard had an eye for businessand they built cottages on the undevelopedEffingham Estate in Rotherham, which wouldeventually become a new part of the town.

    In January 1909, the Rotherham Advertiserdescribed how William had: Opened up theEffingham Estate, despite the opinion of hisneighbours that he was doing a mad sort ofthing. Their opinions proved to be unfoundedas the brothers building and businessventures became extremely successful.

    Canvas painting of George Gummer, 1900(Copyright and courtesy of Rotherham Museums,Galleries and Heritage Service)

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    The Effingham Brass

    Works and GummersWilliam Gummer started theEffingham Brass Works inGlasshouse Lane, on the

    Effingham Estate, in 1871. He wasliving next to his brother Richardin Stanley Street at this time.

    He began the brass business with a partnercalled Tom Greenwood and they named theirventure Gummer and Greenwood. It was,according to the Rotherham Advertiser, a verysmall baby, industrially speaking, onlyemploying seven or eight heads at the startingand never more than 14 during the time it was

    carried out in Glasshouse Lane. But, alsoaccording to the newspaper, the business hadpush and brains and Gummers would go onto be one of the biggest industrial companiesin Rotherham.

    Tom Greenwood was originally an employee ofGuest and Chrimes, who were brass founders,and he then worked from a small shop inpremises at the back of the Effingham Works.After a few years trading, said GeorgeGummer in Reminiscences, Tom succeededin obtaining as a partner my father, the firmbeing Gummer and Greenwood. In 1875 I

    joined the firm, having served anapprenticeship in another trade.

    Also in Reminiscences, George shared thefollowing story about the Effingham BrassWorks: One thing that always amused me wasthat Greenwood always came to work in a tophat. As he had to don the apron and work onthe lathe, I never quite got accustomed tothis peculiarity

    Within six years of business, the GlasshouseLane site was too small for the growingbusiness and in 1877 the Gummers firmmoved to a new site in Rawmarsh Road,Rotherham, part of which had been occupied

    by the Myers Match Works. Tom Greenwoodwas bought out of the partnership at the sametime. In Reminiscences, George Gummer saysthis was due to a disagreement between hisfather and Greenwood, but the precisereasons for this remain unknown.

    According to the 1881 and 1891 censuses,William Gummer, his wife, their four childrenand a granddaughter were living at GladstoneVilla in Gerard Road, Rotherham.

    The original Effingham Brass Works

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    G & WG

    Gummer LimitedIn 1890, William Gummer passedthe business to his two sonsGeorge and William Guest

    Gummer, and the firm was turnedinto a private limited companyowned by the family. They called itG & WG Gummer Limited.

    By this time, the firm employed 130 peopleand by 1909 over 300 people worked at thefactory. At this point the company had aLondon agent and was exporting its productsacross the World, including to India, South

    America and South Africa.

    The firms main trade was in water fittings.Gummers supplied fine quality bath andlavatory fittings for hospitals, Turkish Baths,the Seacroft Hospital in Leeds, accessories forthe Ritz and Strand Hotels in London and thegreat ship the RMS Mauretania. This famousocean liner was built by Swan, Hunter andWigham Richardson at Wallsend, Tyne andWear, for the Cunard Line and she launched in

    September, 1906. At the time she was thelargest and fastest ship in the World. TheMauretania won the Blue Riband for thefastest Transatlantic crossing in 1907 and heldthe record for 22 years.

    The company also produced a portion of thefittings for a yacht owned by His Majesty KingEdward VII. Products included GummersPatent Safety Bath Valves (which weredesigned to prevent bathers getting scalded);

    shower fittings; fire hose couplings andautomatic sprinklers for factories.

    Gummers later work included the fittings forfive great battleships in World War Two andthe HMS Ark Royal. They also campaigned forpit head baths to be installed at all collieriesin the West Yorkshire area and provided most

    of the underground fire fighting equipment inthese pits. Valves and pressure steamequipment were supplied for Britains earlyatomic power stations and equipment wasalso provided for great oil pipelines in Persia.

    In 1955, the preference and ordinary shares ofGummers Ltd of Rotherham were purchasedby a company called Wright, Bindley & GellLtd in Birmingham. Wright, Bindley & Gellmade products including umbrella frames.

    Leonard Wilkes Gummer, who was WorksManager at Gummers, was appointed aDirector of the combined company and JointManaging Director of Gummers Ltd, with thefirm retaining its name.

    The Gummers works had large offices,stores, pattern rooms, a metal mixing shop,casting shops, a machine moulding shop andfinishing shops.

    The Rotherham Advertiser describes thecompany in an article in 1909: Stronglytinctured with an energetic and enterprisingspirit, the Gummer family has forced its wayinto the forefront of the local and industrialworld, and not only in the British Islands andon the Continent, but wherever brass taps areused and steam and water f ittings called intorequisition their works are well known andtheir manufactures find a place.

    Gummers supplied Londonhotels including The Ritz

    Gummers products were installed on the HMS Ark Royal

    Gummers CatalogueNumber 26 (undated)

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    George Gummer started workingfor his father in 1874, andeventually became Chairman ofthe business. He was electedMayor of Rotherham three times(beginning in 1899), was anAlderman of the Borough for 28years commencing in 1901, wasfive times Greave of the Feoffeesof the Common Lands ofRotherham, was a West Ridingand District Justice of the Peace

    and was also a prominent figure inthe Liberal political cause.

    He was an instrumental figure in improvingthe town of Rotherham in the late 19th andearly 20th centuries, including a series ofstreet developments.

    George was educated at the Talbot LaneWesleyan School (where he took part in

    balloon flying and kite-flying as well as thetraditional educational curriculum), the LowAsh Boarding School on the edge of theYorkshire Moors, and RotherhamGrammar School.

    He married Frances Maude James on July11th, 1878 but, tragically, she died a year laterin September 1879 aged just 23.

    His second marriage was to Laura Wilkes onMarch 13th, 1882. The couple had elevenchildren, 21 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Several of Georges children wereinvolved in the Gummers business.

    In June 1920, George Gummer was honouredfor his achievements when he was presentedwith an oil painting of himself by the artistErnest Moore of London. It hung in theCouncil Chamber of Rotherham Town Halland is now in the collection of RotherhamCultural Services.

    George Gummer was also a strong supporterof cycling and football. He was founder and

    President of the Midland Counties League andwas also in charge of Rotherham Townfootball club when they were elected to theFootball League in 1893.

    He retired from public duty in 1929 due to illhealth and died in 1934 aged 78. On August4th 1934, the Rotherham Advertiser reported:Mr George Gummers name will beassociated with all that is good in Rotherham.It can be truly said of him that he lived for

    Rotherham and worked for Rotherham. Hemade his life a pattern of high civic duty. Noman rendered greater service to his nativetown than this old chieftain rendered toRotherham. Flags were flown at half mastfrom municipal and other public buildings inthe town when his death was announced. Hewas buried in the towns Moorgate Cemetery.

    After his death, Georges son George Gummerjunior became Chairman and Managing

    Director of Gummers Limited. His brother,William Billy Gummer, became a Director.George Gummer junior died in 1967.

    George Gummer

    8

    Canvas painting of George Gummer, 1920(Copyright and courtesy of Rotherham Museums,

    Galleries and Heritage Service)

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    The Akerman

    & Jeavons Story

    9

    In the 1960s, Akerman & Jeavonswas a Birmingham based companyowned by a man called Mr Weston,of whom little is known. He alsoowned Western Engineering andanother casting company inBirmingham. When Weston died,he left a large death duty bill andWright, Bindley, Gell &Messengers, as the company thenwas, paid this, thus acquiringAkerman & Jeavons and joining

    the Gummers and Akerman &Jeavons business strands together.

    According to Greg Myatt, who is one of thelongest standing employees of A & JGummers today, Wright, Bindley, Gell andMessengers left the Manager of Akerman &Jeavons, who was called Bob Mansell, in placeafter the takeover. He was married toWestons daughter.

    Up until now and the research undertaken forthis history, little was known about the originsof the Akerman & Jeavons business itself.However, it was a brass foundry businessbased in Birmingham and it was registered asa limited company on 24th August 1918. ItsRegistered Office was in New Bond StreetHouse, New Bond Street, London.

    An entry in Kellys Trade Directory forBirmingham in 1940 lists Akerman & Jeavonsat 22 and 23, Green Street, Deritend andstates that the company manufactures steamfittings under the name Jeavake.

    One of the founders of the business, BertramScott Jeavons, was born in Bolton in 1889. Hismarriage to Alice M Field is registered in theKings Norton District of Birmingham in March1915. The couple had three children - Pauline,born in 1916, Ursula, born in 1919 and David,born in 1921.

    Bertram Scott Jeavons was educated at theQuinton Mixed School in Birmingham and

    later in life he lived at 15, Fitz Roy Avenuein Harborne.

    Bertram Jeavons father was Rechab VivianJeavons. He was born in 1852 inWolverhampton and died in 1896 in WestBromwich. He married Amy Elizabeth Scott,who was born in Middlesex, in London in 1877.

    Rechab and Amy had six children - TallisGarnet Jeavons, who was born in Swansea in

    1881, Frank Charles, who was born inWolverhampton in September 1901, CharlesGordon, who was born in March 1885 inBolton, Rechab Vivian, who was born in March1887 also in Bolton, Bertram Scott, who wasborn in Bolton in September 1888, GladysMary, who was born in September 1890 inBolton and Philis Maud Jeavons, who wasborn in Stockport in 1893. It is not known whythe family moved around so much, but theyeventually settled in Birmingham.

    Front cover of Akerman & Jeavons brochure (circa 1970)

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    Rechab Vivian Jeavons was killed in action inAugust 1917 in the First World War. He wasa 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal HorseArtillary (Territorial).

    The business dealings of Akerman & Jeavonsbetween 1918 and the 1960s remain hidden asno archive records seem to have survived,however in 1968 the company was still basedin Green Street in Birmingham.

    The 1960s association of Akerman & Jeavonswith Wright, Bindley, Gell & Messenger placedthe business in a network of engineeringcompanies, including Gummers.

    An Akerman & Jeavons catalogue dating fromaround this time says: This associationenables them to enjoy the support of a largegroup of engineering companies, employingover a thousand people. The diverseengineering techniques and expertiseconstantly under review by the enlarged groupis always available to associate companies.Akerman & Jeavons enjoys an unrivalledreputation for producing high qualitymachined components. Their capacity

    includes capstan and turret lathes, single andmulti-spindle automatics and automatic andsemi-automatic lathes. We supply originalequipment to the manufacturers of boilers,pressure vessels, pumps, compressors andpressure gauges. We also supply to theBrewery and Food Industries and the GasAppliance, Domestic and Industrial, Marineand Oil Industries. Last but not least we aresuppliers to the Ministry of Defence.

    Wright, Bindley, Gell & Messenger eventuallysold out to a company called PentosEngineering. Akerman & Jeavons movedfrom its factory in Green Street, which wassmall, compact, and had a foundry and its

    own canteen, to a new, larger base inFormans Road.

    Greg Myatt was sent to the original Gummersfactory in Rotherham to see what equipmenthe thought was needed for a move toBirmingham. When I went up to see it, Ithought it was a phenomenal factory. It wasliterally like going into its own town. It hadbricklayers, brick makers, building painters,and carpenters. I went into the reception and

    they had telephone operators sitting thereoperating a huge telephone exchange. Idnever seen anything like it. However, Pentosclosed Gummers in Rotherham and sold offthe original site. He believes that theGummers business was brought toBirmingham in June 1978, at which timeAkerman & Jeavons and Gummers wereoperating from the same site.

    Products from the late 1970s/early1980s

    included the Flushmaster flushing valve forBritish Railways Inter-City 125 rollingstock, and the Rothermix thermostaticmixing valves.

    10

    Rothermix Mixing Valesas featured in an undated

    Akerman & Jeavonscatalogue (circa 1980)

    The Flushmaster British Rail valve, as featured inAkerman & Jeavons catalogue (circa 1980)

    The Rothermix mixing valvein use at at Derbyshire

    School (as featured in anundated Akerman & Jeavonscatalogue - circa 1980)

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    A & J Gummers -

    A New EraThe last Akerman & Jeavonsaccounts were filed on 31stDecember 1984 and the businesswas sold in February 1985. Thismarked the birth of A & JGummers under the ownership ofKen Shaw and his partner BertChinn and they began to build upthe new business.

    In 1992, Bert Chinn was bought out of A & JGummers by Ken Shaw and in 1993, the TS500series of thermostatic mixing valves and the

    dual control TS1850 shower valve waslaunched. The TS500 was later redesigned asa smaller mini valve and renamed theMT503 and is one of the companys bestselling products.

    In 1996, A & J Gummers moved to RedfernPark Road in Tyseley, Birmingham - itscurrent home.

    In 1998, the Sirrus by Gummers brand was

    launched for the showroom market. Accordingto Greg Myatt: Sirrus was a brand name for aparticular shower range developed by KeithKetley. He also developed the TS1000 (thiswas the first valve he developed and a patentwas based on it), then the TS1500 thenthe TS2000.

    In 1999, A & J Gummers was bought byMASCO Corp, a US based business and aglobal leader in the supply of kitchen andbathroom products. When Ken Shaw wantedto sell this factory he had a lot of offers,

    explained Greg and Paul Monaghan, who hasworked for the company since 1976. He usedto be here at 7.30am every morning and wouldwalk round the factory every day and kneweverything that went on, but for healthreasons he decided to sell the company.

    Finally, in 2006, A & J Gummers wasincorporated into the Bristan Group as asatellite company as part of MASCOsconsolidation of its UK businesses. In addition

    to supplying products under the Sirrus brand,A & J Gummers became a Centre ofShowering Excellence for the Bristan Group,supplying several products to both the Bristanand Heritage brands. One of its mostsuccessful products is the Bristan mini valveshower range which was launched in 2008.

    Keith H Ketley of Akerman& Jeavons featured on the

    cover of a catalogue (circa1970). He also developed theoriginal Sirrus shower range

    A & J Gummers has become a centre of showeringexcellence for the Bristan Group

    The original TS500 waslater redesigned as the

    best selling mini MT503

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    In 1900, the employees at G andWG Gummers Ltd in Rotherhampresented George Gummer with awatercolour portrait of himselfpainted by the artist J. Crosby. It isnow in the collection of RotherhamCultural Services. On the back, ithas a written list of thecontributors to the costs of thepainting, and the length of timethey had worked for Gummers.Two had worked for the company

    for 34 years, three for 33 years, fivefor 31, 11 for 30, 19 for 25, 20 for 21years and 40 for over 15 years.

    Some of the employees at A & J Gummerstoday have a similar record. To give just a fewexamples, Greg Myatt has worked forAkerman & Jeavons and A & J Gummerssince he was 17 years old. Paul Monaghanstarted in 1976. Simon Antrobus has 24 years

    service, Dave Andrews 20 years, Terry Wootten19 years, Andrew Ferlance 15 years andMaureen Grant eight.

    Could there be any similarities between whatit is like to work for A & J Gummers today andthe original Gummers firm?

    The consistent theme when talking to staff attodays factory is that working at Gummers islike being part of a family.

    Pam Harris,

    Assembly Logistics

    Supervisor, says:

    This is a fantasticplace to work.

    Everyone knowseach other. Theresno place like it onearth. Its onebig family.

    Simon Antrobus,

    Production

    Manager, says:

    Ive worked here for24 years. When I

    first came I startedin the machine shopas a machineoperator and I havemoved my way

    through the business. Ive worked in qualityand inventory and have been in most of thedepartments. My favourite part of my job is

    just performing really, making sure we hit ourtargets and get everything out for thecustomer. This is a great place to work.

    Theres a good family atmosphere here andpeople dont really leave.

    Paul Monaghan,

    Machine Shop

    Manager, says:

    Its the people thatwork here thatmake it great andthe camaraderie.You get on

    with people.

    Employees

    then and now

    12

    A & J Gummers shop floor in Redfern Road, Birmingham

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    Greg Myatt,

    Development

    Engineer, says:

    I started as aTrainee

    DevelopmentEngineer atAkerman & Jeavonsand now Im aDevelopment

    Engineer at A & J Gummers. Ive enjoyed it.Its the people, the camaraderie.

    So what is the secret, what is it perhaps thatlinks the original Gummers with theGummers of today? A clue can perhaps be

    found in a feature in the Rotherham Advertiserin March 1900 entitled The Mayor asEmployer, which reports on the presentationof a portrait of George Gummer by hisemployees at the Drill Hall in Rotherham. Itsays: It is undoubtedly true that there are fewlarge works where the relations of employerand employed are of such a harmoniouscharacter as prevail at the establishment ofMessrs Gummer. The fact that there are manyemployees who number from ten to 25 years

    service speaks for itself. A firm which treatsits employees equitably will always retain goodworkmen. The proceedings on Thursdayevening partook more of the nature of a largefamily party than anything else.

    In April 1932, the same newspaper publisheda report on the Golden Wedding celebration ofMr and Mrs George Gummer in the BoardRoom of the Effingham Brass Works. MrGummer reminded those present that the

    past history of the firm proclaimed its future.It was mainly owing to the ability and goodcraftsmanship of the employees that thefirms reputation stood so high.

    Judging by the quality of the service providedto modern day customers from the staff today,Mr Gummers words are still true - almost 80years on.

    The team at Redfern Road, Tyseley

    Greg Myatt is A & J Gummers longest standing employeeand even appeared on the front cover of the Akerman &Jeavons 1968 catalogue

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    14

    2011 and BeyondIn July 2011, A & J Gummersofficially became part of Bristan,the UKs leading supplier of tapsand showers. All products fromthe range have been rebranded toBristan as part of a strategicmove by the Bristan Group toincrease its share within thecommercial market.

    The legacy of A & J Gummers lives onhowever, with some products, like theThermostatic Mixing Valves, retaining the

    Gummers name. By keeping the Gummersname in the product, the company intends tokeep its legacy alive.

    So, whats next for the business? BristanGroups CEO, Jeremy Ling, explains:

    Bristan is a trusted name in the UK fordomestic taps and showers. Bringing ourGummers commercial business into theBristan brand allows us to offer our

    customers a complete solution for domesticand commercial product, all with the backingof next day delivery, exceptional customerservice and technical support.

    We are also able to increase our investmentin marketing and new product development,helping us to deliver new commercialproducts in to the market that truly reflect theneeds of our customers.

    By bringing Gummers together with Bristan,we can achieve even greater success in thefuture. Our comprehensive range is theperfect marriage of two brands: the distinctivedesign and style associated with Bristan andthe Gummers legacy of safety, durability andrigorous quality standards in commercialwater controls.

    Theres an exciting future ahead and we

    aim to make William Gummer proud of whatwe achieve.

    Bristan Head Office, Tamworth, Staffordshire

    Historicalresearchcom

    pletedbySallyHoban,writer,

    journalistandlecturer

    (www.sallyhoban.com

    )

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    Bristan Head Office

    Birch Coppice Business Park, Dordon, Tamworth, B78 1SGTel: 0844 701 6273

    Email: [email protected]

    www.bristan.com