IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 1432 Atcraft
Held at: London Metropolitan University Special Collections
Title: E Atkins / Atcraft Ltd, furniture manufacturers
Date(s): 1881-1983
Level of description: Collection (fonds)
Extent: 79 volumes and 2 box files (2 linear metres)
Name of creator(s): E Atkins / Atcraft Ltd, of London | furniture manufacturers
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The firm was established as E Atkins in 1879 by Edwin Atkins. The firm originally had factories at Church Row, Bethnal Green, London and in Birmingham. It was incorporated in 1922, with Edwin Atkins, his son Claude Cyril Atkins and George Clifton Sunley as shareholders and directors. It later changed its name to Atcraft Ltd, and moved to a factory at the Atcraft Works, Alperton, Wembley in the 1920s. The product range consited mainly of indoor and garden chairs, occasional and garden tables, hall furniture, bureaux, hammocks and camp beds, cots and playpens, prams and invalid chairs. In later years the firm concentrated almost entirely on producing nursery and garden furniture. The firm ceased trading in the 1980s.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of E Atkins and Atcraft furniture manufacturers of Wembley, London, comprising trade catalogues, 1913-1983; ledgers, private ledgers, day books and salary books, 1915-1960s (the run of each series is incomplete); sales summaries, 1933-1973; balance sheets, 1908, 1911, 1913-1915; articles of association, 1922; changes to articles of association, 1946; minutes of Directors' meetings, 1922-1946; designs of cartoons for nursery furniture; address book of staff and travellers; stocktaking book, 1881-1882; exhibitions accounts book, 1921-1963; address book of staff and travellers; tables of descendants of Edwin Atkins and George Clifton Sunley; papers relating to centenary celebrations of the firm, 1979; photographs of company vehicles, 1950s; press cutting of photograph of retired staff [1940s-1950s]. Many of the earlier trade catalogues bear the name of Claude Cyril Atkins, one of the Directors of the firm, and a son of Edwin Atkins the founder of the firm.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English.
System of arrangement:
The trade catalogues are arranged in rough chronological order.
Conditions governing access:
Enquiries should be made by email to specialcollections@londonmet.ac.uk
Conditions governing reproduction:
Details available upon request
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
The collection is unlisted.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:
The surviving archives of all precursor institutions of London Metropolitan University are currently being appraised in detail following their relocation to a central facility at 25 Old Castle Street, London, E1 7NT
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
The collection was acquired via Ed Blackburn, a lecturer at the London College of Furniture, when Atrcraft ceased trading.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of originals:
Existence and location of copies:
Related material:
Publication note:
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note:
Archivist's note: Initially compiled by Robert Baxter as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Subsequent amendments made by the Archives Project Team at London Metropolitan University in 2016.
Date(s) of descriptions: Aug 2002