Guide to the Records of Burgon and Ball Ltd (as filmed by the AJCP), 10 January 1867-1952

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Summary

Collection number:

M2555-M2562

Creator:

Burgon and Ball Ltd

Extent:

115 items

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

Financial and legal papers 1867-1952.

Papers relating to patents 1869-1911.

Papers 1881-1899 of Charles and Frederic Burgon, including letters written by Burgon during an Australian tour 1887-1888.

Cutting books 1886-1947 comprising cuttings mostly from Australian newspapers.

Letters 1900-1906 of J.H. Baines, company secretary, mainly to W.H. Eyres and J.H. Young in Sydney.

Letters 1868-1878 from shipping agents.

Agreements and correspondence 1877-1929 with Australian agents.

Correspondence 1898-1906 between Benjamin Hind in Sheffield and James Hind in Sydney.

Letters 1903-1907 from Alfred de Lissa, solicitor in Sydney.

Correspondence 1908-1944 with Australian branches and agents.

Biographical / Historical:

Makers of shears, hammers and agricultural tools.

Charles Burgon, cutlery manufacturer, and James Ball, scyth maker who had invented a process of making a sheep shearing machine, formed a partnership in 1866.

In 1870 they established their product in America and Australia and in 1887 Frederic Burgon went to Australia to attend the Adelaide Exhibition. Later Harry Burgon made several journeys to South America and Australia. In 1882 the partnership was dissolved, with Charles Burgon retaining the business as Burgon and Ball and buying out the rights to Ball's patent.

In 1894 Charles Burgon died and his death was followed by a dispute between his two sons, Harry and Fred. Fred tried to carry on business and in 1898 became a limited company with financial backing from Daniel Doncaster and Co.. Harry went into partnership with William Wilkinson and Sons, which became Burgon and Wilkinson - they went bankrupt in 1899 and Burgon and Ball bought its assets.

The Australian business was particularly important and in 1890 W.H. Eyres was appointed representative in Australia. In 1906 Burgon and Ball brought a successful case against him in Australia for defrauding the firm. Burgon and Ball also entered into partnership with J.H. Young, a shearing contractor, and later took over his business.

As well as sheep shearing machines (which they made), Burgon and Ball sold other machinery - especially bicycles with rubber tyres in England and Australia, and later cars.

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:: Available for Access.
Conditions Governing Use:: Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.