No, it's not! It's a Kemlows! (The 's' is part of the manufacturer's name. It is neither a possessive nor a plural.)
Hugh, I'd always known (probably wrongly) it that Kemlows made Kemlow Products. I do stand to be corrected.i
I wasn't aware of that. I'd always understood the models to be Kemlows (as in "It's a Kemlows road roller").
Given the printing on that box, it looks like we're both correct...
Live and learn as they say.
Thanks everybody for the speedy and helpful responses - now I know! On closer inspection I can make out the bottom half of a K cast imperfectly in the roof.
olbuzzard wrote:Thanks everybody for the speedy and helpful responses - now I know! On closer inspection I can make out the bottom half of a K cast imperfectly in the roof.
...and a thank you to you too. The discussion of whether it's Kemlow or Kemlows was as interesting as it was unexpected.
GHOSTHUNTER wrote:The actual company name is Kemlows Die Casting Products and I reckon they just wanted a quick 'Tag' name similar to 'A Wardie Product' used by B.J. Ward on some of his toys boxes.
Ghosthunter.
I think Kemlows Diecasting actually made the "Wardie Products" for Ward - I have the (rather rare) book on the subject but I'm working from my (rather poor) memory at the moment!
Correct, Kemlows did do the casting for B.J. Ward's 'Master Models', but I did not bring that into the discussion for fear of confusing the issue, I wanted to keep it Kemlow/Kemlows specific.
GHOSTHUNTER wrote:Correct, Kemlows did do the casting for B.J. Ward's 'Master Models', but I did not bring that into the discussion for fear of confusing the issue, I wanted to keep it Kemlow/Kemlows specific.
Ghosthunter.
Sorry Kevin.... me and my big fingers got in the way again!
My book is called "The Illustrated Kemlows Story (including the Mastermodel story)" by Paul Brookes, published by Paul Brookes in 2009 [ISBN 978 0 9561879 0 1]. I paraphrase from the book:
William Arthur Lowe and Charles Kempster were butchers who met up during WWII. After being demobbed they found that due to rationing there was little work for butchers so they got work as navvies on demolition sites. A local Rag and Bone man gave a die to Nellie (William's sister) so she could make lead soldiers to help finance her wedding dress (she was to marry Charles). Around 1945 they met Ray Jackson (a former DCMT employee) and in 1946 Kemlows Diecasting Products was formed with the three as directors.
Very few of the products were marked as being made by them although early items were marked with the name Kemlow. and Bertie Ward actually went to the effort of having the "Kemlow" cold-chiselled off the die for a windmill toy!
The Quad (Armoured Car) was first noted in the company's ledgers as being produced between 27/9 and 5/10 1946 to 1:60 scale and priced at 12 shillings per dozen. The ledger notes 372 were sold. (NOTE: The quad was also sold as a set with a detachable field gun between 5/10 1946 and 25/10 1948 and 50589 sets are noted as being sold, at 15 shillings per dozen, in the ledger)
