OVER the past few months much has appeared in this column about the Edwards Brothers, especially Maurice, and their early connection with with cars in Bolton before founding Edbros, still a big firm here.

It seems that there may have been another string to their bow. On August 8, a couple of people in Newark, Notts, wrote to me saying that they are researching the history of Bradbury & Co., who claimed to be Europe's oldest sewing machine manufacturer, established in 1852, and who had a depot (shop) in Bolton at 9, Newport Street.

Mr and Mrs Best also said that Bradburys recommended the use of cotton produced by James Chadwick & Brother, of Eagley Mills.

Could anyone help with further details?

Of course they could, in the shape of Mr Denis O'Connor, of Forton Avenue, Breightmet, a local industrial historian, and a long-time friend of this column.

He wrote to the Bests telling them that here in Bolton is the hydraulic tipping gear company Edbro, and that in the post first world war period Maurice Edwards, one of the founders, seems to have developed some interest in Bradbury and other sewing machines.

"Some years ago I went into part of the works (now demolished), and in a small room were the following Patent documents: John Mabson, Newcastle upon Tyne - Sewing Machines Patent 1516 1867; George Francis Bradbury and Thomas Chadwick of Oldham - Sewing Machines Patent 408 1868; As above but also including Thomas Sugden - Sewing Machines Patent 1823 1874; Michael Henry of Fleet, Patent Agent for Marie Ornesphere Bourdon of Paris - Sewing Machines Patent 2903 1872; Henry Lomax of Over Darwen and George Francis Bradbury and Thomas Chadwick and Thomas Sugden - Sewing Machines Patent 3499 1873; Thomas Chadwick and Thomas Sugden - Sewing Machines Patent 674 1876."

Mr O'Connor then moves on to Eagley Mills, and says: "This large scale cotton mill complex originated when John and Robert Chadwick, of Patricroft, near Manchester, purchased a small mill at Eagley in 1817. Considerable expansion followed, and the firm retained the title James Chadwick & Brother until it was taken over by Coats of Paisley in the late 1890s. The surname 'Chadwick' is fairly common in the part of Lancashire covering Bolton, Oldham and Rochdale, and as far as I am aware there is no connection between the Chadwicks of Eagley and Bradburys."

However Mr O'Connor had also been in touch with two former senior employees of Edbro regarding Bradbury sewing machines. He says: "Mr A. Thomas, retired sales manager for the firm, told me that he was apprenticed to what was then called Bromelow and Edwards in 1931, and recalls that a sole engineer was employed to assemble a few Bradbury machines; presumably the parts had been purchased at some time by Maurice Edwards, as Mr Thomas has no recollection of parts being made at the world. He does recall that the owners of Bradbury machines did buy needles from them, and that eventually customers were not charged for them."

So its thanks again to Mr O'Connor for coming up with the goods, and shedding more light on what must have been in its early days a very diverse and interesting company.