In 1887 the long established steel toy business of Richard Timmins and Sons of Pershore Street Birmingham was sold to W C Wynn & sons, of Commercial Street Birmingham. They proceeded to extend their works and eventually concentrated on the amalgamation of both businesses under the name of Wynn and Timmins at the one address in Commercial Street. In 1892 they were incorporated as a Limited Company and by 1914 were known as the manufacturers of hand tools for all trades, iron and steel stampers, die sinker, and in the process of press working in sheet and metal for various items. The company around this time employed 200 people and the directors of the company in 1914 were W. H. Wynn, H. S. Wynn, W. L. Wynn. In 1929 they were producing tools under the heart brand until in 1969 the company was taken over by Balfour and Darwins of Sheffield, and the manufacturing facility in Birmingham was closed.An early manufacture of tradesman's tools, from 1900 into the late 1960s the company was a major suppler of tools to various industries and pioneered a number of improvements for individual hand tools for specific industries.Steel snub nosed pliers designed for a specific use unidentified at this time."WYNN & TIMMINS" stamped into the steel handle tools, pliers, metal pliers, wynn & timmins, birmingham manufacturer, tool manufacturer, richard timmins, sheet metal manufactures

R Timmins & Sons were makers of heavy steel 'toys' - toy in this context means any small metal object, including hand tools. The company was founded in 1790 by Richard Timmins and was situated in Hurst St, and later in Pershore Street, Birmingham. In 1850 Richard Timmins died aged 60 and the company continued with his wife Ann and their son Henry who were the executors of his will. In 1889 they were taken over by another Birmingham maker, W & C Wynn of Suffolk Street also edge tool makers and the business moved to Commercial Street Birmingham in 1872. For a few years, both companies continued to operate under their original names. In 1892 they were incorporated as Wynn, Timmins & Co, and in 1897 the premises in Commercial St were renamed Century Works. The company survived until 1969 when they were taken over by Balfour Dawins Ltd of Sheffield, and the works in Birmingham then closed.A significant item given its age having the probability of having been made after Richard Timmins had died and before the take over in 1872 during the time the company was being run by his wife Ann and son Henry. Given the inscription on the item is "A Timmins & Sons". The items significance is social given it was used to clean bungholes in barrels and was possibly used in the early cooperage industries of the early Australian colony. Bung reamer metal with wooden handle. A Timmins & Sons stamped on blade.warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, coopers tools, bung hole reamer, barrels, barrel making