Singer Company

Here is a photo that someone uploaded onto "Memories of Coventry" before Singer Hall student accommodation was built on Canterbury Street factory

It took me a long time to place that photo. It's a view from north-east of the city centre looking due north towards Whitley Common. Coventry baths are extreme right of picture with the former technical college behind it and also dead centre on the opposite side of Cox Street and Sky Blue Way

Yes you're right Dutchman. I think it's been taken from the top floor of Thomas King House (high rise flats in Hillfields) and I have some taken from the smaller block, Hillfields House, you can just see the tops of the new student flats but they have kept the small part in the middle (white building)

Taken from the smaller block Hillfields House

Here is the former Singer office block in 2010

May be worth knowing, George Singer we believe was born in Dorchester, Dorset.

Hi. I'm looking for a photo of Canterbury Street, of St Peter's Church and the cottages next to it, just before the Second World War. If anyone has one that I could copy, I would be very grateful. Please contact me. Thank you

That old Singer Works on Canterbury Street can be seen here.

Hello I am curator of the Museum of Gardening, Hassocks, Sussex, also a lawn mower historian. I have for some time had a small motor lawn mower made by Singer & Co, Coventry. Extensive research has revealed little, the Singer owners club & the author of the history of Singer & Co have no trace or any knowledge of them producing a lawn mower. I have found several references to the Singer motor mower being sold second hand at various town auctions in the Midlands from 1928 to 1935 but only one reference to them being new in a classified ad in the Rugby Advertiser May/June 1922 as follows........ "The Singer Motor Lawn Mower now available at Sam Robbins Garage, Rugby £35" As said this is the only reference to the mower being sold 'New' Any leads appreciated. Thanks Please use the contact button.

Hi Clive, welcome to the forum. There are a few small adverts in the Coventry newspapers before the war but this article from the Coventry Herald - Friday 29 May 1936 might explain a bit. SINGER & COMPANY LIMITED SHAREHOLDER CRITICS AT ANNUAL MEETING The Board of Directors of singer and Co., Ltd. had to face the criticism of several shareholders at the annual meeting of the Company which was held in Coventry, on Wednesday, under the chairmanship of Mr. Charles Latham. A loss on the year's working of £ 129,292 was reported. Mr. W. E. Bullock (managing director), in the course of a statement read to the shareholders, remarked that the provision of further working capital of a permanent nature was essential and must be provided immediately if the interests of the shareholders were to be protected. TRANSFER OF WORKS SUGGESTED " In this connection," he said, " I recommend for consideration the transferring of all motor car manufacturing to our Birmingham works where a substantial increase in the number of cars now produced by the Company could be made with a considerable further saving in overhead expenses." The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, referred to the changes that had taken place in the constitution of the Board and to the scheme of moratorium to which the creditors acceded in February.. The relief thus obtained, he said, and the additional banking facilities later granted, had enabled the Company recently to increase its production and sales. Whilst this, together with the reduction of overheads which had been effected, had resulted in some diminution of trading losses, they still continued. It was the considered opinion of the Board that losses could be eliminated only by a reorganisation and concentration of pro- duction and also the reorganisation of distribution facilities and methods resulting in substantially increased sales. Roth these requirements called for additional finance: neither could be effected, nor was either likely to be successful without. From causes which were not, the Board thought, irremovable, the 'Company was at the cross-roads. The Chairman added that the Company could not continue to survive heavy losses. nor could it expect to repeat the expedient of a creditors' moratorium, which expired at the end of this year. On the other hand, the Company had manufacturing facilities adequate to a production which, if economically controlled. ought, with reasonably attainable FBll'l , , to place it at a not too far distant date once again on the road to profit earning. There was mud' to be done by way of internal reorganisation, b u the paramount need was for additional Irma-term finance. Mr. T. J. Cullen (a director) seconded. THE COVENTRY WORKS In his remarks. Mr. W. E. Bullock pointed out that as a result of reorganisation the overhead charges of the company for 1936 had been reduced, but it not possible to do all that was necessary in that connection so long as they continued to operate all the factories now in use. After referring to the suggested concentration of the firm at Birmingham. Mr. Bullock said the Coventry work. would, in such ease, be available to execute any work allotted to them in connection with the Government defence schemer. The Company had already executed the first orders for aircraft components and the Board believed this would be an increasing business at least for the next two or three years. A shareholder, Mr. Sidney G. Harris. of South moved the reference back of the report and balance sheet. and that a Committee of Investigation be appointed. Speaking of the balance sheet of last year, he said there was every reason for criticism of the most carping description. Mr. Harris said he wanted to say very deliberately and very feelingly that it was an absurd position for the Company to have been spending money in the way they had been. " SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL FIRMS " The Board were asking for more money. He had been a student of bookkeeping all his life. but " this thing had got I guesting." Were the Board car producers or experimenters? The secret of successful firms was that they had a form of stabilisation. " What are you trying to do?" continued Mr. Harris. You have marine engines and lawn mowers; are you still keen on winning prizes in conpetitions or are you out to earn dividends for the shareholders? If we have not a stabilised mind at the head of affairs we are not going to get the concern on proper footing." Mr. Harris added that he believed that a man of the calibre of Sir Herbert Austin would be prepared to aid in an advisory capacity. They wanted men on the Board to bring about a system of stabilisation. and not men who went after medals and trophies. Mr. C. W. Laidlow (Whitley Bay), seconding, remarked that the writing on the wall had been there for very many 'years. ln 1927 be put £ 13,000 in the company, and if he held the shares now they would not be worth £2,000. If the money had gone into the Austin it would have been worth £ 400,000 in the Standard £ 200,000. and in Riley's £150,000. Those companies made a car which was always a good ear and no stunts about it. The Chairman remarked that he could see no utility in referring back the accounts and the report, for they were a statement of the actual position of the company. No useful purpose could be served by appointing a committee of investigation. There was to follow recommendation that a committee of shareholders should be appointed. The Chairman asked if Mr. Harris was prepared to withdraw his amendment? The amendment was withdrawn, Mr. Harris remarking that he had ventilated his feelings on the matter. The accounts and report were adopted.

continued. COMMITTEE OF SHAREHOLDERS The meeting agreed to the appointment of a representative Committee of Shareholders with a view to giving the shareholders the widest facilities for helpful examination and consideration: Major Gerald Rossi Ashton, Mr. J. 0. Murgatroyd, Mr. C J. Howson, and Mr. Charles Ernest Bullock. chartered accountant, Stoke-on-Trent, Another shareholder, with experience on the management side, is also to be co-opted to the above committee. Mr. J. F. Chadwick, Mr. C. Latham, Mr. S. Mayer, and Mr. T. J. Cullen were re-elected directors, and Messrs. Thomson McLintock and Co. (auditor*) were re-appointed, In returning thanks for his re-election, Mr. Mayer said the Board had come to the conclusion, not without reflection, that the Company was now in position either to fall or to succeed. If it was to succeed it required capital.

More of the story - It sounds like the company over diversified and suffered by being spread over many sites, bought from other manufactures and retooled, rather than starting with new large factories. I'm guessing that the demise of the lawn mower side was part of an attempt to streamline the business. Singer In May 1936, W. E. Bullock, who had been managing director from 1919 together with his son, general manager from 1931, resigned following criticism from the shareholders at their annual general meeting. No longer viable, Singer & Co Limited was dissolved in December 1936 and what had been its business was transferred to a new company, Singer Motors Limited. I'll move these posts to the Singer Company topic when you've seen them Clive, if you don't mind.

Thanks Helen Sorry for delay only just picked this up, this is the only reference by Singer themselves to lawn mowers that we have found & odd that its 1936, I have now found another advertisement from a motor dealer in Hampshire, again 1922 indicating the new "Singer Motor Lawn Mower". With ours being the only one that has been found & no lawn mower historians or club members having come across one I very much doubt that it was produced for more than a couple of years. The mower will be on display this year at the Bromley Motor Pageant where Singer will be celebrating their 150th anniversary. Thanks again & yes please move the posts as you wish.