Old Ledbury COWANS / SPICERS

COWANS / SPICERS

Alex COWANS & Sons Ltd / Spicers

1946
Mr John MALLEN arrived from London in July 1946 after his employer Alex COWAN and Sons Ltd struck a deal with stationers H J Chapmans.

He arrived with four envelope-making machines and set up business in H J Chapmans premises beside what was then F C Swifts Garage in the Homend. ( opposite the old boys school ).

Mr MALLEN started with 5 girls and only had a small tortoise stove to provide heat.


1949
Over the next 20 years the firm expanded rapidly setting up a hand folding section above Spencers ( later Boots ) in 1949 and taking over H J Chapmans premises when it re located to Ledbury Park in 1951.


1950s

[Alex Cownan]

From the left - Mary EDWARDS, Pam CARLESS, Maud EDWARDS, Dorothy PRIDAY, John MALLEN, Joan HABBITTS, Audrey DAVIS, Janet TAYLOR




1952

[Alex Cowan Letter Head 1952]

10th July Letter from Cowans staff wishing Audrey DAVIS good luck in her new ventures!!!!! ( Marriage and baby )


1960

[1960 COWANS]

Front Row - 2 men crouched, 9 ladies seated, 1 man crouched, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown,
2nd Row - 6 ladies seated, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown,
3rd Row - 14, unknown, John SMITH, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown,
Back Row - unknown, unknown, unknown, Dinah LANCETT, Monica MAYO, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, Ann WALTERS, unknown, Jack Mallen, Doris STEPHENS, Tom MORETON, unknown, Jackie GRIFFITHS, unknown




1962
The firm also expanded into all of FC Swifts premises.


1967
The company was taken over by Reed International and became part of Spicers.


Associated Links

SMITHs Builders Yard
FC SWIFTS Motor Engineer

Sources
1914 - 1919 Ledbury Guardian Newspaper - Herefordshire History
1916 Tilley's Almanack
1958 Tilley's Almanack
1963 Tilley's Almanack
Photographs are credited to the owners
Comments are from members of the Old Ledbury Facebook Group
Cuttings from Ledbury Reporter newspapers