Historical information
Bryant and May was a United Kingdom (UK) company created in the mid-nineteenth century specifically to make matches. Their original Bryant and May Factory was located in Bow, London. They later opened other match factories in the United Kingdom and Australia, such as the Bryant and May Factory, Melbourne; and owned match factories in other parts of the world.Bryant and May survived as an independent company for over seventy years, but went through a series of mergers with other match companies and later with consumer products companies. To protect its position Bryant and May merged with or took over its rivals. In 1971 the Northern Ireland factory, Maguire & Patterson closed down following a terrorist attack.. In the 1980s, factories in Gloucester and Glasgow closed too leaving Liverpool as the last match factory in the UK, until December 1994. The former Australian match factory, in Melbourne, closed in the mid-1980s. The registered trade name Bryant and May still exists and it is owned by Swedish Match, as are many of the other registered trade names of the other, formerly independent, companies within the Bryant and May group. The British match brands continue to survive, as brands of Swedish Match, and are made outside the UK.
Matches were first produced by Bryant & May in Australia in 1909. The Redhead name applies to the red striking heads of the matches which were introduced to Australia in 1946. The logo on the matchbox depicted the head and shoulder of a redheaded woman and has had four major updates since that time with a number of special issues depicting animals, birds and notable persons also produced
Significance
The Bryant & May Ltd factory in Church St Richmond is a listed building and has been converted to apartments following the closure of the Company 1980. Bryant & May's Ltd were influential in fighting against the dreadful disease known as Phossy jaw which was caused by white phosphorus used in the manufacture of the early matches. They were also the object of the 'Match Girls Strike' in London 1888, which won important improvements in working conditions and pay for the mostly female workforce working with the dangerous white phosphorus. The public were slow to purchase these safety matches because of the higher price .
Physical description
A box of safety matches with unused matches made by Bryant & May Pty Ltd , Richmond Victoria Australia. The tray containing the matches slides inside the open ended cover.. The striking patch is on both sides of the cover.
Inscriptions & markings
PREVENT FIRES/ BRYANT & MAY'S / a crown in an oval shape / SAFETY MATCHES/ MOTORISTS USE ASHTRAY/ AV. CONTENTS 60 / Made in Australia
