The Early Years
The Roots of Haws, 1925–53
The Haws Works in Bishops’ Stortford was a former maltings in a yard off London Road known to locals as the Saltbox – but rapidly renamed Clapton Works!
The brass medallion fixed to the top of each can continued to feature the trademark hawthorn berries and leaves but the address round the edge was now changed to mark the move.
Customers continued to be warned:
‘Your watering can is not a genuine Haws can unless it features the Regd Trade Mark'.
‘Haws Genuine not Haws Pattern’ was another frequently used slogan competitors could apparently not only loosely copy the Haws patented design but, to rub salt into the wound, then describe it as a Haws Pattern can!
Despite considerable competition Haws continued to thrive well into the 1930s employing around 40 people producing 200–250 handmade metal cans a week. No wonder they were expensive to buy! Cans ranged in capacity from one pint to three gallons capacity (an even smaller can was made by each apprentice as a ‘rite of passage’ to prove his metal craft skills)
Personal reminiscences from employees at Bishops’ Stortford describe a dedicated cheerful workforce and Arthur Haws as a kindly boss. Quality control was paramount. All cans had to be inspected either by Arthur or the Works Manager prior to dispatch.
With the onset of war in 1939 problems began to arise. There were serious shortages of both labour and materials. In addition a substantial part of the factory space was taken over by a company called True Screws to make screws and other metal fittings for the war effort.
Now in poor health, Arthur Haws sold the business in 1950 to Taylor Law Co Ltd (Tala) part of the huge Metal Box Group. For a time it looked as though production would continue at Bishops’ Stortford using components shipped in from Tala’s Stourbridge factory. A new spinning machine, and paint spraying booth to replace hand painting, were installed and output increased considerably. At this same time the first galvanized cans were produced, the hand-dipping being undertaken by Crittalls of Witham Essex.
Despite these positive developments the decision was soon made to switch all production to Stourbridge and in March 1953 the Bishops’ Stortford factory was closed.
Sadly Arthur Haws, a devout Methodist, who had put all his energies into the Company, died soon after. It was the end of an era.
Introduction
Part 1 – The Early Years, 1885–1925
Part 2 – The Bishops Stortford Years 1925–53
Part 3 – The Tala Years, 1953–76
Part 4 – The Elliott Years, 1976–82
Part 5 – The Eclipse Years, 1982–