MALDON ARCHIVE
E.H. Bentall & Co. Limited (1805-1984)
During the early 1800s the Bentall family moved from Ironbridge in Shropshire to Heybridge where it established a large factory specialising in agricultural machinery. The company of Bentall was established in 1805 by William Bentall, as Agricultural engineers. In the middle of the 18th century, William Bentall designed the famous ‘Goldhanger’ plough. Its design was so ‘state of the art’ it remained in production until 1947. Over the years the Company passed from father to son – always innovative – always successful. Patents and designs followed rapid succession and by the late 19th century it had even diversified into the design and manufacture of yachts and motor cars.
The Company grew and developed, exporting its products throughout the world. In 1836 Edward Hammond Bentall took over the family business and expanded it further, selling the company's products throughout Britain and beyond. Edmund Bentall took over the business in 1889 and the range of items manufactured by the company continued to grow. In 1873 Edward Hammond Bentall Built a large Italianate house called The Towers at the corner of Goldhanger Road and Colchester Road in Heybridge.
E.H. Bentall & Co. Limited (1805-1984) continued
The house pioneered concrete block construction and was built with ducted air heating and no fireplaces, although some were added later. The house was demolished in the 1953. The house pioneered concrete block construction and was built with ducted air heating and no fireplaces, although some were added later. The house was demolished in the 1953. By the turn of the century even cars were being manufactured, of which about a hundred were made before production was eventually discontinued, only one of which survives today. In the early years of the twentieth century several thousand people were employed by E H Bentall & Co.
Its product range in 1921 included oil & petrol engines, silage cutters, Beet Lifters, Bone Cutters, power and hand Cheff Cutters, Clover Cutters, Coffee Machinery, Cultivators, Dust Extractors, Elevators, Feeding Troughs, Flour Sifters, Grindstones, Grinding Mills, Grass Mowers, Hammer Mills, Harrows, Hoes, Ploughs, Ploughshares, Power Transmission Appliances, and Root Cutters just to name a few .
Only the large warehouse built in 1863 now remains, to serve as a reminder of a once substantial business. E.H. Bentall & Co Limited change their name to Bentall Simplex Limited on Thursday 31st December 1981 and remained in business for a few more years up until Wednesday 5th September 1984 when its parent company Acrow PLC went into receivership.
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