The sewing machines shown on this page were made by various British manufacturers, although many of the Company names will be unfamiliar except to enthusiasts who seek to preserve and promote Britain's Industrial Heritage from a time Britain was truly Great.
Both The Singer Manufacturing Co. and The Howe Machine Co. have been classed as British manufacturers as both these American Companies established factories in Glasgow, Scotland. In fact Singers Kilbowie works became the largest sewing machine factory in the World.
In order to speed up load time we've listed some British manufactuers on separate pages, click on the links above for more British makers.
Warwick Hand: Serial No. 4346.
James Warwick started manufacturing sewing machines c1866 and had premises at 26 Hilton Street, Manchester and by 1876 at 59 Hilton Street. Various models of sewing machine were produced including The Victoria which was an improved Wheeler & Wilson machine and The Warwick Medium which was an improved Singer 13 machine.
Taken over by Henry Wallwork & Co. c1887 machines were produced at the City Works, China Lane, Manchester and a High Arm Family machine was later introduced which may have been based on a German import. It is believed the firm had ceased business by 1895.
This machine is clearly influenced by the Jones Hand but it is not a direct copy as it has several minor modifications. The bobbin winder is different and an additional spool pin is provided on the rear of the pillar. The gear guard is different and there are minor alterations to some of the other castings.
We believe this machine may have been produced by Shepherd, Rothwell & Hough, Oldham, Manchester and labelled for Henry Wallwork & Co. if correct this machine would have been made c1888.
The machine came complete with original manual and wooden case which is in poor condition.
So-All Serial No. 3692.
Manufactured by the So-All Sewing Machine Co. which had offices at 3 Oxford Street, London by 1891, with the firm becoming a limited company in 1892. It is not clear where the machines were manufactured but the firm had links with Kimball & Morton, Glasgow.
The So-All Sewing Machine Co. Ltd went into liquidation in 1894 having produced at least 12,000 machines.
This is an early version of the So-All probably made in 1891. It has a plain steel needle head and the cloth plate is polished cast iron, - on later versions both these were jappaned. The machine was unusual inthat it used the needle to draw the material across the cloth plate rather than the more common four motion feed hence the unusually wide needle head.
Varley Family: Serial No. 66844 S100.
Made by Varley and Co. Cyclops Sewing Machine Works, Marley Street, Keighley, Yorkshire. The firm was originally known as Varley & Wolfenden but seems to have become Varley & Co in the mid 1890's, later becoming a Limited Company the firm closed in 1918.
The Company Trade Mark portrayed a bobbin with the word Cyclops on the top and crossed needles either side and this appears on the pillar of the machine.
It is a fiddle base Family machine, with a Daffodil scroll decal and the Royal Coat of Arms to the centre bed. The black strip on the front of the base was originally a ruler in Imperial units.
The bobbin winder shares features with a Jones Hand and the hand crank handle is wood. It has a really neat lid, see the Cases & Bases Page
The same type of machine was badged and sold through J. D. Williams, Manchester it had a centre decal similar to that on the Jones T.S. with the word Family across it.
Varley Medium: Serial No. 70705 F61.
Produced by Varley and Co. Keighley, Yorkshire, and sold through a retailer - Fattorini & Sons, Bradford whose name can just be made out on the arm.
Antonio Fattorini started business in Leeds in 1827 moving to Harrogate in 1831. In 1846 he and his sons John and Edward established a Jewellery business in Bradford. In 1897 they made the first Rugby League Challenge Cup and in 1911 the F. A. Cup.
The firm had a mail order business which was sold to Empire Stores in 1910.
This is a Medium machine but has virtually identical decals to the Family machine shown above. Although it would probably have been used by a dressmaker or tailor it could also sew leather. We think this machine would date to the 1890's.
The stand and case are shown on the Cases & Bases Page
Eclipse Family: Serial No. 46862.
Manufactured by the
Eclipse Machine Company, Oldham which was formed in February 1889 by the Rothwell Brothers following the partnership of Shepherd, Rothwell and Hough being dissolved.
This machine is thought to have been produced in 1890. It has the company's Trade Mark on the pillar of a stylised image of the Sun passing over the world with the words "Eclipsing all Others" and flowers as a centre decal.
The Case of this machine is shown on the
Cases & Bases Page.
The Company also made a treadle version - the Eclipse Medium machine.
Kimball & Morton 'Oscillator': Serial No.122790.
Kimball & Morton was established in 1867 with a factory at 11 Bothwell Circus, Glasgow. The firm specialised in Industrial sewing machines for sail, sack and tarpaulin work as well as producing a range of Domestic sewing machines including the famous "Lion" sewing machine. The firm became incorporated (Limited) in 1887 and by 1895 the Company address was given as 11a Norfolk Street Glasgow.
The Oscillator seems to have been introduced in 1886, early versions, certainly up to 1889 had a different decal pattern and the wood work was less ornate.
This machine would probably date to c1900, the head has a floral decal and Mother of Pearl flakes along the front and rear edges of the bed. The shuttle is quite small and is positioned vertically beneath the slide plate.
See the lid and stand on the Cases & Bases Page
Ideal
This unusual machine was made by the Ideal Sewing Machine Co. Ltd. c1920. The design was Patented by Leslie Salter in 1910, however it's believed that the First World War prevented the machine actually going into production.
The company produced two versions of this machine - this is an example of the "A" type. The "B" type featured various improvements and can easily be identified by it's face plate.
The machines do not appear to carry a serial number and it is not known how many of each model were produced, nor if the two versions were produced concurrently or consecutively.
The machine is a chain stitch type using a walking foot cloth feed. The spool pin is located horizontally on the rear of the arm and is a push fit - Willcox & Gibbs style. Note how rough some of the castings are in particular, the gear cover and balance wheel.
Completely Nickel-plated the machine has a painted sheet steel domed cover with the Company's Trade Mark on the front. The case is held in place by three prongs which protrude from the wooden base and which align with holes and a hasp on the case.
Vickers Modele de Luxe: Serial No. C1-15065.
Made by Vickers Ltd who were more famous for armament production than sewing machines. The Company started producing sewing machines on a small scale during World War One at Hackney Wick and later at the company's Crayford Works. Production continued until the late 1940's. This machine is a copy of a Frister & Rossmann V.S. and was made c1920.
BSM: Serial No. 7/009021.
Made for British Sewing Machines Ltd, London by Vickers c1930, this model was also produced with a white, blue or yellow body. Early production examples carry the Vickers name as well as the B.S.M. logo.
This machine is in reasonable condition but has long since lost its cover, the machine was designed so it could be used as a treadle with holes in the base for the treadle belt to pass through. Over 32,000 of this model were produced.
The firm also produced an electrically operated rotary hook machine as well as an oscillating shuttle machine designated Type No. 3 A. The Company was known to be operating until at least 1945 and had premises at Lombard Road, Morden Road, London SW19.
Tailor Bird: Serial No. 8115.
Made at Richborough Hall, Sandwich, Kent in the late 1940's or early 1950's (the company had ceased production by 1953). Its body is made from pressed steel (rather than cast iron) and it appears to have been designed as a truly compact, light weight, portable machine, ingeniously folding in/out of its case. But it received much bad publicity and was not particularly successful despite being guaranteed for 5 years.
The Case of this machine is shown on the Cases & Bases Page
Tailor Bird: Serial No. 26255.
Also available in cream !
