Catalogue description BUTLER MACHINE TOOLS COMPANY LTD, HALIFAX

ASQ/1-32 1886-1969 ACCOUNTS

ASQ/33 1936-1938 CORRESPONDENCE

ASQ/34-35 1937-1955 MINUTES

ASQ/36-37 1939-1962 SPEECH AND REPORT

ASQ/38 1961-1963 SALES RECORDS

ASQ/39 1964 SHARE RECORDS

TU:53 and MISC:592

Butler Machine Tools Company Ltd, Halifax

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Depositor: Asquith Butler

Date(s) of accession: 27 Nov 2000

James Ryder Butler, a former Crossley Carpets apprentice, started the firm in 1868 to make looms for the flourishing textile industry, but soon moved over to machine tool production. In 1868 the factory was in Adelaide St, Halifax, moving to Mile Thorn, Westholme Rd, during the First World War. The works was extended in the 1950s. Butlers became part of the B Elliott Group, London, in 1966 and in 1977 the Newall Group which included Keighley Grinders also joined Elliotts. Trading as Butler Newall, half the exports went to West Germany. Eventually they moved back to operating under their separate names enabling Butlers to celebrate its 125th anniversary in 1993 under its original name. Butlers was put up for sale in August 1992, being taken over in February 1993 by Marbaix Lapointe (Holdings), of Basingstoke, Hampshire, who had also bought William Asquith's Machine Tools of Halifax in 1992. Asquith Butler was formed in 1993 and operations from Asquith's Highroad Well factory were moved to the Butler plant

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