R Harris (Brassfounders) Ltd a.k.a. Spraygen Sprayers Ltd

12 Lower Tower Street
17/18 Buckingham Street
55 Newhall Hill
109 Pope Street
11 Carver Street

R Harris (Brassfounders) Ltd was registered on 31 December 1925 following a meeting held on 23 December 1925, with a nominal share capital of 2,000 £1 shares; the directors were named as Harold Edward Jefferies and Joseph Lilly. Both gave their occupations as brassfounders and the registered office was 12 Lower Tower Street, Birmingham.

On 31 December 1931, the registered office was changed to Rosenjet Works, 17/18 Buckingham Street, Birmingham and January 1937 saw the 2 directors elect their wives as co-directors of the business. Interestingly two sprayers in my collection that were manufactured by W.T. French & Sons (Mysto) are marked as being Rosenjet Sprayers – I wonder whether perhaps some of the funds for the business came from this company?

By February 1943 the registered office had again been changed to Rosenjet Works, 55 Newhall Hill, Birmingham 1, as indicated on a letter in the collection. The letterhead indicates that the company used The Rosenjet as a registered trademark and that the business was founded in 1867.Certainly there had been a business named Reuben Harris trading as brassfounders and listed in the Kelly directories for many years but not any earlier than 1890 – as yet that is. I have a feeling that prior to the formalisation of the business in 1925 it is possible that it was a family run organisation and the family decided to sell it.

Records of an Extraordinary General Meeting held at the Rosenjet Works, 55 Newhall Hill, B1 on 29^th April 1954; showed that a decision was taken to increase the share capital of the business from £2000 to £5000. The relevant papers submitted by the business showed that John Brian Hall French, now a director of the business, had signed them. Currently there is no indication as to when he joined R Harris.

A further EGM held on 8^th August 1957, resulted in the share capital being increased from £5000 to £10,000 – JBH French signed the papers sent to Companies House. This was not the last EGM as one held on 26^th January 1960 increased the share capital to £15,000 with the creation of 4000 7+1/2% redeemable preference shares that were allotted to G M French, J B H French and K M Waters. A special resolution of 12th August 1964 was for a Bonus Issue on Capitalisation resulting in further allocations to J B H French, A W French, G M French and A A Gallett. This date also saw a further increase in the share capital to £40,000 by way of 10,000 ordinary shares and 15,000 unclassified shares all of £1; the papers were signed by G M French, Chairman and J B H French, Director.

During the time from 1954 to 1973 the business moved at least twice and occupied premises in Pope Street and Carver Street, Birmingham.

On 10^th October 1966 Companies House recorded that R Harris ( Brassfounders) Ltd changed their name to Spraygen Sprayers Ltd – Spraygen was a trade name that had been used on many of their sprayers.

On 11^th April 1973 J B H French resigned as Secretary when the business was taken over by Hills Industries Ltd and a number of Hills directors became directors of Spraygen Sprayers Ltd. J B H French however remained as a director of the business until 30^th September 1982.

1^st August 2002 saw the name of the business change again to Pacific Communications Ltd but on 22^nd May 2003 the name reverted to Spraygen Sprayers Ltd. Accounts presented by Hills for Spraygen Sprayers Ltd indicate that after Hills took them over in the year ending 30^th June 1973 a profit of £23,638 was recorded but then the company effectively ceased to trade. At the time of writing, July 2007, Companies House indicates that as no accounts have been presented since January 2006 there is a proposal for the company to be struck off.