Catalogue description Records of Rabone Chesterman, John Rabone and Sons and James Chesterman and Co Ltd

James Chesterman: Articles of Association of Messrs Cutts, Chesterman and Bedington 1848 and 1859; ledgers 1864-1874, 1884-1919 and 1937-1964; balance sheets 1892-1935; petty cash book 1951-1963; wages and salaries book 1872-1910; salaries books 1926-1947; register of shareholders 1923-1936; register of directors' holdings c1955; product specifications for spring measures 1898; datal books for rules c1925; list of rule graduations 1929; patents 1847-1862; trade mark registrations 1968; laboratory reports 1948; papers concerning the production of rules; product notebooks for costings c1955; training programme for operators of screw dividing machines; book of patents and recipes, work diary; stock sheets, price lists; pattern book; letters concerning patents and trademarks c1965. Production and assembly drawings for various precision tools including callipers, height gauges, rules and scales 1926-1981 [TD1-66]. Also firms history [FH.058].

John Rabone: Three scrapbooks containing papers and correspondence including papers relating to court case Rabone & Son v Davies & Madden concerning pattern books 1867-1868; wages and the formation and work of the Operative Rulemakers Society 1871-1880; American competition 1878; the Melbourne exhibition 1880; trade reports, articles and newscuttings about rules, tapes and the supply of ivory and boxwood; the bankruptcy of George Adlam c1850-1967; the use of Bakelite 1931; saw mill book c1884; work notebook 1936; measure book of comparative measurements world wide for different woods, etc c1880-1950; accounting notebooks relating to wages and leather cases for tapes 1913-1915; private ledger 1930s; production notes and drawings relating to tapes and tape retractors; production drawings for folding boxwood rules and tapes; index of lineal type modes: tables of comparison for various countries' scales of measurement with directions for setting machines to calibrate the scales of different rules, c1925; measure books with different comparative scales c1950; papers about trademarks and names (Minerva, Bow, Treble, etc) 1949-1966. Also technical drawings [TD1-66].

Rabone Chesterman: Ordinary dividend account 1970; accounts 1967; statements of accounts 1967-1968 including plant schedules 1968-1970; machinery and suppliers papers c1940-1959; Vernier height gauges and tapes; work sheets; calliper gauges; production notes and details relating to sonic measures; laboratory reports for spring measures and other items c1965; specifications for products including gauges, steel rules, and electronic height gauges 1977; machine tools list 1978; papers relating to the merger 1970-1972; correspondence 1971-1989; pensions papers 1971; terms of employment 1979; company policy 1989; reports of Stanley 1988-1989. Technical drawing of tape and spring 1970 [TD208]. Also firms history [FH.219-221].

Rabone Chesterman, manufacturers of boxwood and ivory rules and other measuring instruments of Pomona Street, Sheffield

John Rabone and Sons, manufacturers of boxwood and ivory rules and other measuring instruments of Pomona Street, Sheffield

James Chesterman and Co Ltd, manufacturers of boxwood and ivory rules and other measuring instruments of Pomona Street, Sheffield

• Messrs Cutts, Chesterman and Bedington
• Operative Rulemakers Society
• Rabone, Michael, fl 1780, rule maker, of Sheffield
• Rabone, John, fl 19th century, rule maker, of Sheffield
• Rabone, Eric, fl 19th century, rule maker, of Sheffield
• Chesterman, James, fl 1821, measuring instrument manufacturer, of Sheffield
• Chesterman, William, fl 1868-1880, Master Cutler, of Sheffield
• Housfield, fl 1821, measuring instrument manufacturer, of Sheffield
• Birmingham
• Sheffield
• West Riding of Yorkshire
• Measuring instruments

Michael Rabone carried on a business as rule maker at 8 Snow Hill, Sheffield in c1780; the business was continued by John Rabone and his (John's) grandson, Eric Rabone. It worked under the name of John Rabone & Sons c1784-1953, becoming a public company in 1948. The Headquarters were in Birmingham. James Chesterman had set up business with Mr Housfield in 1821 with a factory in Nursery Street, Sheffield. Known as James Chesterman and Co Ltd from c1832 the business specialised in making measuring tapes and instruments. In 1837 James Chesterman was listed as patentee of the spring tape measure and self rolling window blind. William Chesterman was elected Master Cutler in 1880, with his premises being badly damaged by fire in the same year. The businesses were amalgamated in 1963. In 1990 it was taken over by Stanley.

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