Retirement and a New Beginning

As Jack Lloyd got older Cyril Haydon gradually took on more responsibility. At the works he did many things, even white washing the roof.

Under the Lloyd brothers the business prospered and was very profitable. The business was their life and they were very committed to it, but by the 1950s they were both well into their 70s and decided that it was time to call it a day. As the brothers never married they had no children to pass the business on to and so it was put up for sale. Late in 1953 the company was purchased by the Somerville family, who ran J. & W. Somerville Limited at Caledonia Nail Works, St. Ninians, Stirling. The company mainly made wire nails, but also produced some cut nails. The Lloyd brothers retired at the end of the year and handed the company over to the Somervilles on Christmas Day 1953.

After Jack's retirement old age caught up with him and Cyril Haydon used to go and sit with him, shave him and turn him over in bed. Their friendship never diminished. When Jack died he left most of his money to his housekeeper, having no family and few friends, the company had been his life. He outlived his brother Harry and after his death the Daily Express contacted the company to ask if they could describe him as “The tin tack king of England”. 

New Beginnings

The Somervilles took over control of the company at the end of 1953 and the following Company Directors were appointed:

Mr. C. W. Somerville
Mr. John Charles Dennis Somerville
Mr. J. B. Webster

Mr. Cyril Haydon was appointed as Works Manager and Mr. T. C. Southall became Commercial Manager.

Mr. C. W. Somerville died in 1956 and his son Mr. John Charles Dennis Somerville took charge. He was known in the works as Mr. Dennis, and lived with his wife Patricia and three children at White Lodge, Wood Road, Tettenhall.

Under the Somervilles the company slowly modernised and facilities were improved for the workforce. The canteen opened in June 1955 and heaters were installed in the warehouse in October 1956.


Dennis Somerville.

 Today if we are ill and can't get to work we automatically receive sick pay. In the 1950s this wasn't the case and so Dennis ran a "thrift club" where everyone contributed to a fund, from where sick pay was drawn.

In earlier years all incoming sheet steel was moved by hand, until January 1955 when an electric crane was installed. It was a 2 ton crane and from then on steel was purchased in 1 ton bundles. 

In 1958 a new Rhodes 32 inch shearing machine was purchased to handle larger sizes of sheet steel.
Cyril Haydon retired in 1963 and was replaced as Work's Manager by Ken Farrington. For several years after his retirement he would visit the works twice a week to help and advise on any problems that occurred. He purchased a cine camera and began to make films. Needless to say he took it to the works and in 1964 filmed production in the various departments. He died in 1981 at the age of 85.
The tack shop in the early 1960s.  Courtesy of Mary Ashleigh.
Return to Rationalisation Return to
the Contents		 Proceed to A
Family Business