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Fonds

ALFRED OLBY LTD, BUILDERS' MERCHANTS, RAMSGATE

Catalogue reference: R/U145

What’s it about?

This record is about the ALFRED OLBY LTD, BUILDERS' MERCHANTS, RAMSGATE dating from c1870s -1977.

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Full description and record details

Reference
R/U145
Title
ALFRED OLBY LTD, BUILDERS' MERCHANTS, RAMSGATE
Date
c1870s -1977
Description

This collection consists of Minute Books, Finance Records, Receipts, Admin Records, Company Publicity, and records on the Olby and Powell families.

Note

Catalogued by A. Cable. June 2003

"
Held by
Kent History and Library Centre
Language
English
Creator(s)
<corpname>Alfred Olby Ltd, 1876-, Ramsgate, builders' merchants</corpname>
Physical description
26 items
Immediate source of acquisition

Donated via Ramsgate Library in October 1998. Accession number 1998/9.

Administrative / biographical background

Alfred Olby started the company in Ramsgate in 1876. He sold lead, zinc, iron, window glass, oil colour and varnish from premises at 27 Kings Street. A branch in Margate was opened in 1916, mainly selling ironmongery. The Folkestone branch opened in 1925, followed by Canterbury in 1928.

In 1945 the company had acquired the stained glass company of Caldwells of Canterbury. Commissions included work for Canterbury Cathedral Library, which had been damaged during the Second World War.

In 1907 Olbys had become a limited company and in 1954 it became a public company. Amalgamation with the Louis G Ford group of Eastbourne took place in 1964. Thomas Tilling Ltd acquired the group, in 1969, and by 1971 the business had become part of Graham Building Services

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/a20a7b5e-08dd-4420-b354-9708fab79003/

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236,709 records

This record is held at Kent History and Library Centre

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ALFRED OLBY LTD, BUILDERS' MERCHANTS, RAMSGATE