THE ROYAL SEWING MACHINE COMPANY
1868 - 1888
Joseph Harris aspired to go further with his sewing machine interests and in 1872, made an agreement with Messrs. Thomas Shakespear and George Illeston, who were trading as The Royal Sewing Machine Company. The arrangement was to supply Harris with a machine to be called "The Challenge" and 40 machines per week would be taken, with a provision for increased production after due notice. Harris was to pay £2.5s.0d for each machine. The agreement also records that The Challenge was to be designed specifically for Joseph Harris and this to be registered by himself. In consideration of these facts Shakespear and Illeston were prohibited from manufacturing the "Challenge" for any other person, nor were they to undersell Harris with any machine of the same class or type.
It should be noted that the sole exclusivity of design was almost certainly confined to the superstructure, i.e. physical appearance. The mechanics of the machine were, in essence those which were patented by Shakespear and Illeston in 1869 and were used in their own big selling "Shakespear" model. It seems possible that Shakespear and Illeston had similar agreements or collaborations with other customers, viz. Thomas Bradford - Anchor form machines and J. Collier & Son - Octagonal form machines, to name just two.
In about 1874 Harris decided the next step forward for his sewing machine enterprise would be to have his own manufacturing facility. To this end, he acquired the Franklin Sewing Machine Company. Franklin and other local firm A. Maxfield already produced a similar class of machine - The "Agenoria". At this same time, Harris, with the aid of John Judson, redesigned and patented a new shuttle / feed mechanism for his "Challenge" marque. Harris was now free of Shakespear and Illeston's middleman roll in his operation and his sewing machines were then sold under the name of "The Imperial Sewing Machine Co.".
As was the case for so many smaller UK sewing machine concerns, the second half of the 1870s brought about fierce overseas competition and a subsequent depression in trade. It would appear that the sewing machine manufacturing side of Harris' empire was unable to weather the storm and these interests were sold, perhaps somewhat ironically, to The Royal Sewing Machine Company in about 1877.
The sewing machine department of Harris' did continue to trade for many years, but the high hopes of the early 1870s were never to be fully realized.
GB 898 Thomas Shakespear & George Illston
of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Sewing Machine Manufacturer and George Illston, of Birmingham aforesaid, Machinist, for improvements in sewing machines.
March 24, 1869
GB 2.524 Thomas Shakespear & George Illston
of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Sewing Machine Manufacturer and George Illston, of Birmingham aforesaid, Machinist, for improvements in sewing machines.
August 25, 1869
GB 3.688 Thomas Shakespear & George Illston
of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Sewing Machine Manufacturer and George Illston, of Birmingham aforesaid, Machinist, for improvements in sewing machines.
December 20, 1869
GB 1.057 Thomas Shakespear & George Illston
of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Sewing Machine Manufacturer and George Illston, of Birmingham aforesaid, Machinist, for improvements in sewing machines.
April 21, 1871
GB 3.015 Thomas Shakespear & George Illston
of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Sewing Machine Manufacturer and George Illston, of Birmingham aforesaid, Machinist, for improvements in sewing machines.
September 15, 1873
