NW James and DA Leitch, May 1991
Historical Manuscripts Commission
All enquiries about access to records described in the following report should be addressed to the Historical Manuscripts Commission.
Saunders, Shepherd & Co Ltd is one of the oldest jewellery manufacturing firms in the Hatton Garden area of London. The business was established by the grandfather of the present chairman, Francis Shepherd, who went into partnership with Cornelius Desormeaux Saunders in 1869. Soon after its foundation the firm established itself in Bartlett’s Passage, near Holborn Circus. In 1906 a new building fronting on Fetter Lane was erected, adjoining the older premises in Bartlett’s Passage until the Second World War when the buildings were bombed. The firm continued to be based in the vicinity of Hatton Garden however, and now has premises in a converted tea warehouse in Bleeding Heart Yard. Saunders, Shepherd & Co Ltd was incorporated in its present form in 1916, and remains in family ownership. A Birmingham subsidiary, WH Wilmot Ltd, dating from 1860, was acquired in 1959. Another subsidiary company, Saunders & Shepherd Ltd was floated as part of the group c1973. The records of Saunders, Shepherd & Co go back to 1875 although many of the design records were destroyed during the Second World War, while those of WH Wilmot date back to c1900. They were inspected on 8 May 1991 by kind permission of the chairman. Mr SA Shepherd.
All records are kept in the cellar storeroom except where otherwise specified.
Minute books (3) 1916-43, 1916 -50, 1950-71
Register of members and share ledger 1950s-1966
Register of transfers 1906-11
Balance sheets (1 volume) 1914-40
Balance sheets. profit and loss accounts (1 volume)1919-42
Trust deeds for securing debentures, and debenture stock between Saunders, Shepherd & Co Ltd and JFH Shepherd (2 items) 27 June 1916, 8 Nov 1926
Correspondence relating to financing of acquisition of WH Wilmot Ltd (1 file) 1959
Account books (2) (Saunders, Shepherd & Vander Ltd)1940-45, 1953-60
Ledger 1935-40
Order book 1960-62
Trade fair visitors’ book 1963
Memorandum book relating to calls on commercial customers 1965-70
Papers relating to Irish customers (1 file) 1956-61
Correspondence with Messrs Gay Frères, Annemasse, relating to their agency agreement for gold
bracelets (1 file) 1961-69
Correspondence with Miris Caoduiro, Vicenza, relating to ‘Tessuflex’ watch bracelets (1 file) 1966-69
Correspondence with trade customers from and related papers (loose) 1954
Production and technical records
Cost and sales book relating to jewellery mounting and wholesale rings 1945-59
Pattern and order book ‘Gold Dept. D. No 2’ 1913-60
Pattern book relating to bracelets nd
Registers of designs (2) 1875-1905, 1905-21
Plate licences (including purchase tax certificate of registration 1940) (1 bundle) 1905-47
Sketch book of human figures nd
Copy extracts of papers relating to insurance arranged by TH March & Co (1 wallet) 1908-11
Illustrated jewellery catalogues [Chairman’s office] 1897-98, [Chairman’s office] 1903-04, 1914
Gold Department nd
Special order Department nd
JC Vander Ltd c1953, nd
‘Tessuflex’ catalogues (1 file) 1960s
Advertisements for ‘Tessuflexl’ watch straps (2 items, on boards) late 20th century
Printed material including design patterns for bracelets and jewellery
Asprey & Co Ltd catalogue nd
1 Bleeding Heart Yard (negatives, 1 bundle) 1979
Workshops (5 items, on boards) late 20th century
Premises (1 item) 20th century
Duke of Gloucester’s visit to firm (1 wallet) [Chairman’s Office] 1986
Miscellaneous photographs (loose) 20th century
Certificate of incorporation of Saunders, Shepherd and Vander Ltd (framed) 1952
Advertising material relating to Little Dorritt and Bleeding Heart Yard (1 bundle) 1981
Miscellaneous loose correspondence and papers 1960s-1980s
Memorabilia [Chairman’s office] 20th century
Directors’ minute book 1903-70
Register of members and share ledger including register of transfers 1903-59
Share certificates 1916-51, share transfer certificates 1960s, annual returns 1963-68 (1 bundle)
Papers relating to company reorganisation (1 file) 1969
Private ledger 1944-58
Annual budget and targets (1 file) 1968-69
Budget and running analysis (2 files) 1971, 1973
Price calculations and related papers (7 files) c1960-69
Customer analysis (1 file) 1963-70
Sales analysis (1 file) 1970
Correspondence and papers of London office relating to samples for Learoyd & Calverley (1 bundle) 1967-68
Papers relating to possible Irish customers (1 file) 1968-69
Stock book 1964-70
Production and employment records
Costing information (1 file) 1968
Production rates (1 file) 1969
Employment contracts (1 file) 1969
Records of new wages structure (1 file) 1971
Printed catalogues, photographs and miscellaneous records
Catalogues of gold chains, jewellery and bracelets (loose) 1920s-1950s
Illustrated jewellery, catalogues(2) [Chairman’s Office] nd
Catalogues of other watch bracelet making firms (loose) mainly 1960s
Copy print of Birmingham premises [Chairman’s office] 19th century
Photographs of staff (3 items, on boards) c1900
Photographs of staff on outings (2 items, framed) c1930s-1940s
Photographs of jewellery produced by WH Wilmot Ltd (3 items) 20th century
Miscellaneous correspondence and papers (1 file, etc) 1958-74
Personal papers of SA Shepherd [not inspected]
Papers of SA Shepherd marked ‘London’ (1 bag) 1977-84
Personal, family and financial papers, and papers relating to WH Wilmot Ltd (1 bag) 1960s-1980s, nd
Papers relating to building and works at 1, Bleeding Heart Yard (1 bag)