Harman Technology/Ilford/Rajar
The Brooks Watson Daylight Camera Company was formed in 1901 at the Abercromby Works in Great Homer Street in Liverpool. A number of patents were taken out between 1900 and 1902. They were joined by Frederick Oatley Bynoe in 1903. Arthur Augustus Brooks was born in 1869 in Newport South Wales where he married Kate Annie Darrock in 1897. In 1901 they were living in Liscard, Cheshire and he was described as a Mechanical Engineer. George Andrew Watson may be the General Merchant and Ship Oowner born in 1869 in Hoylake. In 1901 they registered the trade naem 'Rajar' and in 1903 bought the land in Mobberley on whoch they built the Film Works. The factory was built on 3/4 of an acre on a 2 acre site. It manufactured its own gas to drive engines in order to generate electricity. Brooks and Watson appear to have left the business shortly afterwards.
In 1907 Rajar (1907) Ltd was formed by Herbert Thomas Parke and Charles Frederick Seymour Rothwell who became the Managing Director. Rothwell was an Analytical Chemist who had had a number of roles in early photography including his own company in Manchester and the Thornton Film Company. He was born around 1870 in South Manchester, married Hannah Pearson from Sale in 1898 and in the 1901 census was described as the Manager of a Photographic, Film and Paper Company, ten years later a Photographic Chemist living in Hale. He died in Radlett, Hertfordshire in 1935.
Parke was born in Withnell, Chorley, Lancashire in 1859 and was described in both 1901 and 1911 as the Director of a Paper Mill. He died in Edgbaston in 1917.
In 1914 new buildings and plant were completed and a special event to celebrate this was held at St John's School in Altrincham. The company was re-formed as Rajar Ltd in 1919 and the directors were A E Parke, T L Parke and C F S Rothwell. Having joined with APM ltd (Amalgamated Photographic Materials) Rajar Ltd was put into voluntary liquidation the same year and the path was set for the future aquisition by Ilford Limited which was set up in 1879 by Alfred Harman. He rtired through ill helath in 1897.
Rajar Ltd was bought by Ilford's in 1928. In 1976 the Ilford Essex site closed. In 1983 Ilford's HQ moved to Mobberley and in 1996 Sales and Administration followed. The company was bought out by its management in 2005.
In 1907 Rajar (1907) Ltd was formed by Herbert Thomas Parke and Charles Frederick Seymour Rothwell who became the Managing Director. Rothwell was an Analytical Chemist who had had a number of roles in early photography including his own company in Manchester and the Thornton Film Company. He was born around 1870 in South Manchester, married Hannah Pearson from Sale in 1898 and in the 1901 census was described as the Manager of a Photographic, Film and Paper Company, ten years later a Photographic Chemist living in Hale. He died in Radlett, Hertfordshire in 1935.
Parke was born in Withnell, Chorley, Lancashire in 1859 and was described in both 1901 and 1911 as the Director of a Paper Mill. He died in Edgbaston in 1917.
In 1914 new buildings and plant were completed and a special event to celebrate this was held at St John's School in Altrincham. The company was re-formed as Rajar Ltd in 1919 and the directors were A E Parke, T L Parke and C F S Rothwell. Having joined with APM ltd (Amalgamated Photographic Materials) Rajar Ltd was put into voluntary liquidation the same year and the path was set for the future aquisition by Ilford Limited which was set up in 1879 by Alfred Harman. He rtired through ill helath in 1897.
Rajar Ltd was bought by Ilford's in 1928. In 1976 the Ilford Essex site closed. In 1983 Ilford's HQ moved to Mobberley and in 1996 Sales and Administration followed. The company was bought out by its management in 2005.
The four photos above surfaced in 2018 and had been in the possession of Peter Read , butcher from Stanley Terrace, Row of Trees Chorley, born in 1908.