Ford Sherington business records, 1887-1972

MLMSS 10132

fonds

1887-1972

1007687

0.96 metres of textual material (6 boxes)

In 1888-89, Ada Caroline Sherington, her three sons William, Arthur and Guy, and her two sisters Clara and Alice Banfield, arrived in Australia from London. They settled first in Brisbane before coming to Sydney where Clara Banfield married Alfred Ford a tin trunk manufacturer from Newtown. Ada Sherington invested in Ford’s business and also took an active part in the business for the next 20 years. In 1911 the new company of Ford Sherington Limited was established, located in a modern factory at the top of Kippax Street Sydney. Over the next 60 years, the company was the major manufacturer of travel luggage in Australia, with branches created in other state capitals as well as South Africa. The ‘Globite’ suitcase, created from vulcanised fibre became a famous icon for both travellers and schoolchildren. Following the deaths of Ada Sherington and her three sons, the next generation of the Sherington family continued the business. William George Sherington, grandson of Ada Caroline, was managing director of the company for over 40 years. After the Second World War the company was listed on the stock exchange. In 1965 the company moved its Sydney operations to a new factory at Kingsgrove manufacturing car child restraints as well as travel goods. In 1972, Ford Sherington was sold to the property company Revere Holdings an off shoot of Parkes Development.
Reference: Library correspondence file

By decent from Alfred Ford and the Sherington family

Includes the correspondence, minute books, account books, catalogues and associated records of the firm Alfred Ford 1887-1910, the travel goods company Ford Sherington Limited 1910-1950 and Ford Sherington Holdings 1950-1972.

BOX 1
Folder containing notes on the history of the firm Alfred Ford and also Ford Sherington Limited.
Bound volume of Wages Book of the firm Alfred Ford from 1887-1890. Listing of names of employees, although often only by first name.
Accounts Book of the firm Alfred Ford 1897-1902. Contains in listed order accounts of Profit and Loss; Capital; Goods; Trade; A. Ford; Discount; Commission; Bills Payable; Bad Debts; McLean; Plant; Security; A. Sherington; Moloney; Mrs. C. Ford.
Accounts Ledger of the firm Alfred Ford 1902-1911. Contains the following categories of ledgers: Summaries of Accounts; Balance Sheets; Profit and Loss; Trading Account; Assets; Liabilities and Assets; Manufacturing and Trading Account; Manufacturing Profit and Loss ( steel leather total); Profit and Loss ; Stock of Steel Dept; Stock of Leather Dept; Stock Interest; Stock Agents; Stocks- Consignment at Agents; Arthur C. Sherington; Secuity Ac; Bank of Australasia; William Sherington; Interest Ac; Guy Sherington; Preliminary Expenses; Land; Property; Sundry creditors; Cash Creditors; Alfred Ford; Alfred Ford (Advance ); Nominal Capital. Ordinary Shares; Goodwill; A. Ford Capital; Ada C. Sherington Capital.

BOX 2
Folder of correspondence, testimonials and brochures 1892-1909. Mainly a series of letters between William Sherington in Sydney and his uncle William Pretty in Ipswich England providing advice on financial capital, bank guarantees and general business matters. Contains references on employment of William Sherington in Brisbane in 1892 and a leaflet on the firm of Alfred Ford as an importer of glass, china and earthenware.
Folder of correspondence and documents 1910-1913. Mainly concerned with the establishment of Ford Sherington Ltd 1910. Most of the correspondence is between William Sherington in Sydney and William Pretty and his son Frank Pretty in Ipswich England, providing advice on balance sheets, continuing bank guarantees, and Annie Pretty the wife of William Pretty, purchasing preference shares in the new company. There is a detailed programme for the First Annual Dinner and Smoke Concert of Ford Sherington in 1913.

BOX 3
Document Register volume with loose index inside front cover. Contains listing of various documents of Ford Sherington ca. 1912-1920. Some details of trade marks, apprenticeships and names of apprentices, mortgages, valuation of properties, leases, patents, registration of design, insurances, deeds, war bonds, and share script.
Folder containing Memorandum and Articles of Association of Ford Sherington Limited 31 December 1910, 19 pp. ; Memorandum of Articles of Association of Ford Sherington Limited, 12 Decmeber 1910, 19 pp. with annotations dated June 1917; Memorandum of Articles of Association of Ford Sherington Limited (Reprinted with amendments 16 December 1949).

BOX 4
Typed Minute Book of the monthly meetings of the Directors of Ford Sherington Ltd, 1924-1939. Each meeting has items of discussion underlined. Also contains notices of Annual General Meetings.
Minute Book of Board of the monthly meetings of the Directors’ of Ford Sherington Ltd 1911-1923. Also contains attached documents including, Balance Sheets and notices of Share issues. Each meeting has a side column index of attendance and items discussed.

BOX 5
Folder containing Alfred Ford Balance Sheets and Accounts, ca. 1900-1910.
Folder containing accounts note book and Insurance Policy of Alfred Ford
Folder containing list of Share Holders and Balance Sheets of Ford Sherington, 1911-1913.
Folder containing Tax Returns ca. 1899-1917.
Folder containing statistics on sales ca. 1913-1939.
Folder containing Memorandum and related material on the Sale of Shares in Ford Sherington Holdings Limited with associated notes on dividends paid by Ford Sherington and the list of those on the share register.

BOX 6
Folder containing leases and legal agreements, 1906-1950
Folder containing plans for Kippax Street Factory
Folder containing notes on the building of the Kingsgrove Factory, ca. 1965.
Folder containing catologues of travel goods produced by Alfred Ford and Ford Sherington ca. 1890-1940. There are also some photos of William, Arthur and Guy Sherington and of factory sites at Brisbane and Kingsgrove Sydney,
File containing details of the 1972 acquisition of Ford Sherington Holdings Limited by Revere Developments Holdings Limited associated with the property developer Sir Paul Strasser.

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Research & study copies allowed: Applies only to material in which the author has been deceased for more than 50 years
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

The contents list is adapted from an inventory compiled by the donor.