Vintage Stratton Brand Sunglasses 1950s Catalogue Full Colour
This trade catalogue dates to c.1958 because the company used the name Laughton & Sons Ltd. on the back cover.
Meanwhile the listing shown below in the April 26 1958 edition of The Chemist And Druggist describes the makers as JARRETT RAINSFORD & LAUGHTON LTD., WARSTOCK ROAD, BIRMINGHAM 14.
The parent company name changed from Jarrett, Rainsford & Laughton Ltd. to Laughton & Sons Ltd. in 1958.
The prices are, of course, pre-decimal.
This television campaign was primarily designed to appeal to British people who were well off enough to travel abroad but as the sun shines in the United Kingdom, those who took staycations were also targeted by the firm’s television campaigns. The catalogue shows Buckingham Palace & two of The Queen’s Life Guards on horseback.
FRONT COVER OF THE DRUGGIST AND CHEMIST APRIL 26 1958
Although the front cover of this edition of The Druggist And Chemist is advertising Bartex sunglasses, we have found a wonderful advertisement for Stratton brand sunglasses inside this publication.
Here is the description of the advertisement which is copied and pasted from this publication with no editing of the text.
We have searched this edition of The Druggist And Chemist to find another advertisement showing the other stand to no avail. There must have been an error when compiling this advertisement, as the first stand completely takes up the page and so there would not have been room to display another stand complete with sunglasses.
As you can see from the full colour illustrations we have included the stand in this advert and it shows only a small selection of Stratton brand sunglasses.
THE CHEMIST & DRUGGIST STRATTON TRADE ADVERTISEMENT
In 1956 - 1957 Jarrett, Rainsford & Laughton gained permission to erect a three storey building facing Warstock Road. This factory manufactured powder compacts and men’s jewellery and accessories, such as cufflinks, tie clips and match book holders.
On the left we can see the general offices.
On the left at the front we can see the general offices. Behind this is the Twinco Injection Moulding Division which is where the sunglasses were made. On the right the Packing Warehouse, Men’s Jewellery, Powder Compact and Metal Goods sections. Far right is the Machine Building and Stock Warehouse.
This photograph was taken by Patricia Laughton, daughter of G. S. Laughton
Francis Joseph Curry was the Production Manager and Director of the West Heath factory. As well as inventing improvements to powder compacts, tie racks, hair accessories and household goods, like telephone address & number index pads. F.J.Curry also invented many improvements to existing machines.
In 1958 the decision was made to combine the facilities at the West Heath factory with the Warstock Works by erecting a 12,000 square feet premises on the Warstock Works site.
The Twinco & Lady Jayne brands included hair accessories, sunglasses, combs, hair brushes, shower caps and desk accessories.
The image above shows the Pearl Working Section. This section had moved from the Alexandra Works which were bombed by the Luftewaffe to a building on Lower Essex Street to the Warstock Works in 1959.
Whether this section also worked on mother of pearl items we are not sure.
View our wonderful Stratton brand collection.
Sources:
The Chemist And Druggist.
A Century Of Achievement