BAMFORDS LTD

Consists of financial statement 1969; form of guarantee 1920's; catalogues of equipment produced by Bamfords Ltd including corn grinding equipment, ranges, mowers, reapers, potato diggers, oil engines, hay loaders, balers and manure spreaders 1880's-1970; catalogue produced by Kearsley and Co(Engineers) Ltd, Ripon 1928; house journal 1969; sales circulars 1967-1968; leaflet relating to the history of Bamfords and careers information booklet 1969-1971; printing block proofs 1890's-1920's

Henry Bamford started an ironmongery business in Uttoxeter in 1845, with the financial backing of his father-in-law, Samuel Brassington. Henry's eldest son, Samuel, joined his father in the business. He had some flair for invention and design, and it was through him that the firm began to move from pure ironmongery into the manufacture of implements. Garden engines, cheese presses and curd mills were among the things offered in Bamfords' catalogues of the 1860s.

Bamfords' products relied on bought-in parts until in 1871 Samuel Bamford built a new foundry, which became the Leighton Ironworks. Now the firm began to operate as two divisions, with Henry continuing the ironmongery and Samuel managing the manufacturing. With the ability to make castings, the firm's product range began to expand. They were making oil cake mills, horse gears, haymakers, horse rakes and sheep racks by the mid-1870s.

It was for their harvesting implements and barn machinery that Bamfords became especially known in the late nineteenth century. The no. 5 Royal mower introduced in 1882 established their reputation in this field, and this was followed by reapers and binders for the corn harvest. The 'Rapid' corn grinding mills, root choppers and chaff cutters established Bamfords as one of the leading manufacturers of barn machinery.

These were the products on which Bamfords concentrated before the First World War. In 1920 they started to make small stationary oil engines. They also introduced their 'Triumph' potato digger, and in later years the range of products was developed with new types of hay turners, balers and harvesters.

The firm was a family partnership until 1916, when it became a private limited company. It remained in the control of the Bamford family for many years, however.

• TR BAM/AC7/1 Financial Statement - Bamfords Ltd., Uttoxeter
• TR BAM/AD7/1 Form of Guarantee - Bamfords Ltd., Uttoxeter
• TR BAM/P2/A1-217 Individual Advertising and Servicing Publications
• TR BAM/P2/A1-19 Henry Bamford and Sons
• TR BAM/P2/A20-217 Bamfords Ltd
• TR BAM/P2/B1 Catalogue - Kearsley and Co., (Engineers) Ltd., Ripon
• TR BAM/P4/1 House Journal - Bamfords Ltd., Uttoxeter
• TR BAM/P5/1-2 Sales Circulars - Bamfords Ltd., Uttoxeter
• TR BAM/P7/1-2 Special Publications - Bamfords Ltd., Uttoxeter
• TR BAM/P8/1-3 Printing Block Proofs

Available for consultation

Material deposited as a gift, April 1970 T70/6

Compiled by Zoe Watson, March 2004

A detailed catalogue is available at the Museum of English Rural Life

Please contact the Archivist