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JONES & CO.
1859-1968
Jones was established in 1859.
In 1860, Mr. William Jones formed a partnership with Thomas Chadwick. They agreed to leave Oldham and establish themselves at Ashton-under-Lyne, in the name of Chadwick and Jones. In Ashton-under-Lyne, they were residing at 157 Margaret Street, living together with other people as lodgers. The two entrepreneurs Masters Machinist were employing 4 men and 5 boys.
This partnership was short lived and was dissolved in March 14, 1863. Thomas Chadwick later joined Mr. Bradbury in January, 1864.
In 1867 (April) the firm William Jones & Co., was re-named as Jones & Co. .
In 1869 William Jones, Sewing Machines Manufacturer, opened a factory in Guide Bridge, near Manchester.
In 1876, the firm was incorporated as Jones & Co. Ltd.
(Guide Bridge is an area of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, Guide Bridge formed as a village built around an eponymous bridge over the Ashton Canal and lies west of the town of Ashton-under-Lyne.)
(The firm became incorporated (Limited) on 5th July 1879) ???
1860
THOMAS CHADWICK & WILLIAM JONES
1863
THOMAS CHADWICK & WILLIAM JONES
1866
WILLIAM JONES & CO.
1867
WILLIAM JONES & CO.
1867
JONES & CO.
1868
JONES & CO.
1869
August 19, 1869 - GB Patent 2.483
Improvements in or applicable to sewing machines, W & W System
1870
1876
Improvements in sewing machines, Howe Principle
The Jones "B" was built under licence from the Howe Machine Co. and was designed primarily for the use of tailors.
1878
1880
1881
1883
1884
1884 Patent GB 6.845 Jones & Co.
The Jones lock-stitch patent, (the popular Serpent Neck model) was possibly first manufactured in 1874.
From 1890, Jones Hand machines were marked " AS SUPPLIED TO HRH THE PRINCESS OF WALES ".
These machines were probably manufactured until 1901.
1886
1886 Patent GB 15.065
W. Jones, for improvements in sewing machines
1889
Jones' First Dividend
JONES' SEWING MACHINE COMPANY have declared a dividend for the past six months at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum. The sale of the business to a company does not appear to have made much difference at the factory. On a recent visit we paid to Guide Bridge we found that Mr. John Jones had made no alteration In his habits of being early to business and working till the close of the day. The remarkable success of his firm in the past, he assures us, has been due to close attention to their own affairs and intelligent hard work. Their factory stands on the same plot of ground to-day as it did nearly thirty years ago, only its size has been much increased with the development of their business. Messrs. William and John Jones, when commencing to make sewing machines, only possessed, we believe, a couple of hundred pounds and to be able, within some thirty years, to sell their business for £ 108.500 in cash and £ 50.000 in shares, bespeaks commercial and mechanical skill of no mean order. Whilst the Messrs. William and John Jones control respectively the factory and the counting-house the shareholders of Jones' Sewing Machine Company are not likely to be dissatisfied with their dividends.
The Sewing Machine Gazette (March, 1890)
March 27th, 1889 Patent GB 5.270
W. Jones, of Guide Bridge, Manchester. Wheel Feed Sewing Machines.
Consists in the combination with the feeding arm and with the rim of gripping parts arranged so as to be adjusted when worn.
October 4th, 1889 Patent GB 15.597
W. Jones, for improvements in sewing machines.
Spool Machine clone of W & W D9
1890
1890 GB 3.536
W. Jones, for improvements in sewing machines.
1890 GB 3.824
W. Jones, for improvements in sewing machines.
In 1890 about 23.000 machines could be turn out.
(460 machines in a week)
from the Sewing Machine Gazette
1891
1893
March 29, 1893 Patent GB 6.668
We, William Jones, Director, Hiram George Hall, Manager and James Hall, Assistant Manager of the Firm of Jones' Sewing &Machine Co. Limited of Guide Bridge, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Sewing Machine Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
Our invention relates to improved combinations and arrangements of mechanism for sewing with a vertical eye pointed needle and an oscillating shuttle. Some of the parts hereinafter referred to are ordinary and well known but they are combined with other parts which are novel in their arrangement and combination.....etc.
1901
Alexandra was Princess of Wales from 1863 to 1901.
On the death of Queen Victoria on 22 January 1901, Albert Edward became King Emperor as Edward VII, with Alexandra as Queen Empress.
The coronation took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on 9 August 1902.
Queen Alexandra held the status until Edward's death on 6 May 1910.
From Edward's death, Alexandra was Queen Mother, being a dowager Queen and the mother of the reigning monarch.
She was styled " Her Majesty Queen Alexandra ".
1904
September 16, 1904 Patent GB 19.936
Gear Belt for Sewing Machines
W . Jones and J. Hall, of the Jones Sewing Machine Co., Ltd., Guide Bridge.
The object of this invention is to provide a flexible driving bell not liable to slip, by means of which two shafts may be coupled so that their movements remain always in exact time with each other. A flat belt or leather or other suitable material is provided on its contact surface with transverse, equidistant metal projections or ribs adapted to engage with corresponding grooves in the peripheries of the belt-pulleys. Four claims are made.
1905
March 28th, 1905 Patent GB 6.507
Rotary Hook High speed Sewing Machine
Wm. Jones and James Hall, of the Jones' Sewing Machine Co., Guide Bridge.
This is a machine of that class in which the hook or loop-taker rotates two or more times for each stitch and the improvement constituting the invention embodied in it consists in the combination with the hook of a bobbin-case concentricallv mounted therein, a guide to prevent the loop twisting or being caught again by the hook after being cast off, and a relieving finger adapted to act on said guide so as to make a passage for the loop of needle thread to pass freely between the bobbin-case arm and holder. Four claims are made.
1911
1918
1925
1957
In 1957 the Jones Company was sold to the Imperial and Continental Gas Association. ICGA already owned E. Harris Ltd. which made sewing machines under the Vickers and BSM names. It appears that E. Harris may well have become involved with the distribution of the Jones machines at this time.
By 1962 ICGA had sold its sewing machine business at a minimum book value to the Brother International Group of Japan. They are still today producing sewing machines at the old Jones factory under the Brother name.
1968
In 1968, Brother UK acquires the Jones sewing machine factory in Manchester. Jones sewing machines were firmly established as Britain’s favourite brand, but the company had been suffering from a lack of investment and development. Brother’s decision to acquire them allowed the company to quickly establish itself in the UK.
The Jones name still appeared on the machines till the late 1980s.
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sources:
Old Sewing Machine Guides by Carol Head
see also: