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Samuel Heath & Sons (S.H.&
S) by Ross Mellows |
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The origins of
brassfounders Samuel Heath & Sons can be traced back as far
1820. The company was floated on the Birmingham & West Midland
Stock Exchange in 1890. Samuel Heath & Sons have produced a
wide variety of products over the years including candle snuffers,
bedsteads, coffin furniture, locks & builders brassfoundry.
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In
the early days of the Birmingham motor industry they made motor lamps
for C.A. Vandervell Ltd. They have occupied their premises in Leopold
Street since the 1860’s.
Like many companies in the brass industry Heaths were also involved
in munitions production during both world wars. During WWII they manufactured
firing pins, primers, shells for Bofors guns, stoves & large blowlamps
for the military. Their factory was severely damaged by bombing during
WWII. Today the company produces high quality, solid brass, bathroom
accessories, taps and showers, door and window fittings.
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Leopold Street, Birmingham
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It is not clear when Samuel Heath & Sons
started production of pressure stoves & blow lamps but with an established
company such as this it would be safe to assume that it would have been
fairly soon after these inventions came out of Sweden in the last decades
of the 19th century. The earliest record I have found to
date is a 1919/20 patent for an improved cleaning wire design. These
little tools, often referred to as ‘Prickers’ were used to clean the
burner jet of soot etc. The wire was easily snapped off, rendering the
whole pricker useless. Their design allowed for easy replacement of
the wire without disposing of the handle.
S.H. & S. Patented
"Improvements in Holders for Cleaning Needles for Vapour Burners & Gas
Burners"
(Crown
Copyright - reproduced with permission from the UK Patent Office)
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Stoves from Samuel Heath & Sons are often
just marked SH&S B inside a triangle. Some carry the brand name "Thermidor"
on a decal. |
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Thermidor Picnic Stove.
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S.H.
& S. Military Specification stove from WWII (1943)
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On the 18th May 1950 Heaths took
over RM Manufacturing
& Engineering Ltd based at nearby Stanhope Street & incorporated
the RM brand of blow lamps & stoves into their own range. The famous
RM logo can sometimes be seen with the Heathware crest below it. |
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Many thanks to Samuel Heath & Sons
Ltd for much of the information & illustrations on this page.
They no longer manufacture stoves but more details of their current
product range can be found at
http://www.samuel-heath.com
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