Making an Irish Free State City – Sunbeam & Wolsey join forces

The Cork Examiner on 3 March 1933 carried a paid and well-designed and impressive ‘catch the eye’ advertisement stating A New Home for a Mighty Irish Industry for Sunbeam Knitwear Company in Blackpool.

The machinery was the top of the range and comprised the latest models for interlock underwear hosiery. Such machines were manufactured by Messrs Wildt and Company at their Adelaide Works, Leicester and imported into Cork.

The furnishing of the several Sunbeam departments with benches, tables, presses, etc., was carried out by Messrs Eustace and Company, 9 St Patrick’s Street. The timber used in the offices of the managing director was supplied by Messrs EH Harte and Sons, Cork, who also supplied the Celotex, with which the factory was insulated. Messrs Murphy Bros., North Abbey Street, Cork, builders and contractors, were responsible for the joinery work, all of which was made and supplied by them.

The plumbing and sanitary work was entrusted to Joseph Horgan, plumber and sanitary engineer, of Ballintemple. All the electrical material for the lighting of the new factory, including all cables, conduit and special lighting units, were supplied by the General Electric Company Ltd, whose Cork address was Magnet House, 74 Grand Parade. The lighting installation of the factory was executed by Messrs Millard and Healy, electrical engineers, Paul Street.

As the year 1933 progressed, the aspirations for Sunbeam Knitwear Company remained high. In particular William Dwyer’s interest in learning from the knowledge of the UK knitwear market led him to not only bring machinery and staff into Cork from textile orientated cities such as Leicester, but also to team up with a prominent company in Leicester itself.

On 1 August 1933, the Cork Examiner and Irish Press carried a paid advertisement and article declaring the Sunbeam Knitwear Company in Cork has amalgamated with the famous Wolsey Company of Leicester. In essence, the Cork company had acquired the Irish business end of Wolsey, which had its principal warehouse for the Irish market in Dublin. As a result of the acquisition, the Cork company was subsequently renamed as Sunbeam Wolsey.

The Wolsey company were widely known in the Irish and UK market. Established in 1755, the UK company had almost three centuries of experience. The firm's headquarters was situated close to Leicester Abbey, the burial place of Cardinal Wolsey – hence the motif of his head on the company’s logo.

The joint venture or deal so to speak went officially through in January 1934 and was administered on the Cork side by the company's solicitor, Barry M O'Meara, 18 South Mall. The deal was published in the Irish Press. It comprised the acquisition through a share holding mechanism of Wolsey Limited to Sunbeam Knitwear Limited “of the goodwill of Wolsey Limited's business in the Irish Free State and Wolsey’s Trade 'Marks therein and its Leasehold premises and the allotment to Wolsey Limited, or its nominees of 17,054 Ordinary Shares of £1 each in Sunbeam Knitwear. Limited”.

In essence, Wolsey Limited held 49 per cent of the shares of new Company of Sunbeam Wolsey or £17,054 in shares. In addition, the sale of the stock, fixtures furniture, etc at Wolsey's Dublin Depot for £2,220 was to be paid in cash by Sunbeam Knitwear Company.

Wolsey Limited agreed not to manufacture or sell articles of clothing in the Irish Free State and Sunbeam Knitwear Limited agreed not to manufacture articles of clothing in the United Kingdom and to certain restrictions on sales in the United Kingdom.

The agreement with Wolsey Limited provided for the supply “on satisfactory terms” of plant and machinery necessary for the development, of the business of Sunbeam Wolsey and the manufacture of its products in the Irish Free State. Wolsey Limited placed their knowledge and technical resources at the disposal of new company Sunbeam Wolsey.

The Irish Press of 1 August 1933 declared that the Wolsey Company excelled in its line of manufacture and that the new agreement heralded employment and cheaper prices for the consumer. “It is heartening to learn that the Sunbeam people have concluded an arrangement under which the products from the Cork factory will be largely increased, meaning that employment will be increased and that as a natural corollary there will be a more general diffusion of happiness in Cork and in the surrounding districts. The extension of the Cork Company means that the home purchaser, apart from securing. better finished articles, will get them at substantially lower prices…Making them (articles) within the Free State means that no customs duties will be payable, means that employment will be given at home and that an increased circulation of money will follow.”

The knowledge of the directors on the Leicester side was impressive. Ernest T Walker, who was chairman and managing director of Wolsey Limited, had been connected with the hosiery trade all his life, and was the grandson of the original founder of the firm of Messrs R Walker & Sons in 1834.

His vast experience and intimate knowledge of every aspect of the hosiery trade have rendered his services of very great value as a representative of the industry on many councils and committees. Among his many activities Ernest was a member of the Executive Council of the Federation of British Industries, a member of the Committee of the National Federation of Hosiery Manufacturers, a member of the Hosiery Joint Industrial Council and was an active member of the Leicester Chamber of Commerce.

Alfred Salt was the company secretary of Wolsey Limited and joined the firm shortly after its formation as a public company. He was the lead person on the Leicester side in the negotiation with William Dwyer in Sunbeam Knitwear Company.

Alfred received his training in the City of London with two of the largest and most eminent firms of chartered accountants and in 1926 was appointed a departmental director of the firm. In 1929 he was made a full director with a seat on the Board. His appointment as assistant managing director was made in January 1930. Alfred was a member of the Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters and also of the Executive Committee of the Management Research Groups.

To be continued…