Historical information
J. Mann and Sons was first established as a farm produce store in 1921. The range of products was extended in the 1930s and included groceries and hardware, as well as the first petrol bowser in Wodonga outside the store. After WWII, the premises were extended and the range of products continued to increase. In the 1960s the Mann Family opened a new supermarket in Wodonga, in addition to the hardware business, providing steel, plumbing and industrial supplies, and they employed over 100 people at one stage. With changes in the retail industry, the Mann Family sold the main hardware business to Bunnings and the produce business to the Kelly brothers in 2006.
Bell Punch A/sia Ltd was a subsidiary of The Bell Punch Company, itself a part of (Cash) Control Systems. The Bell Punch Company was a British company manufacturing a variety of business machines, including several generations of public transport ticket machines and the world's first desktop electronic calculator The company was founded on 5 July 1878. By 1961 it employed a workforce of 2000 people. The circular mark on the back of the machine was adopted in the 1950s.
Inscriptions & markings
On Back of machine:
Supplied by BELL PUNCH LTD. A/SIA
BPC CASH CONTOL SYSTEMS
160 CASTLEREAGH ST. SYDNEY, MA9337
427 LITTLE COLLINS ST. MELBOURNE. CENT. 2038
AGENTS AND SERVICE IN ALL STATES
ADDING MACHINES TICKET REGISTERS CHANGE MACHINES TICKET PRINTERS GUM TAPE SEALING MACHINES, ETC.
