BEMCO LTD

The British Electrical and Manufacturing Company Limited (Bemco) originated as the Tyneside Electrical Supply Company, which was established in 1893 in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was formed by two partners, to supply electrical equipment to industrial users in the North East of England and as a purchasing company for one of the first organisations in the world to cut coal by electricity, the Electrical Coal Cutting Contract Corporation. In 1902, the original partners were joined by two brothers, Robert and Herbert Barkes, who introduced further capital to expand the company on the distribution side and also by starting a small manufacturing unit making switch and fuse gear. Branches were opened at Sunderland in 1905 and London in 1907. In 1908, the company’s name was changed to its present title; The British Electrical and Manufacturing Company, and in 1910 the Barkes brothers became sole owners.

In the early years, Bemco supplied a variety of electrical materials, mainly to collieries, shipyards, steel works and railways. These included lamps, signalling equipment specially made to mining and railway requirements, switchgear, black adhesive tape which was imported from America by the ton, knife switches and cables of all types, including the first trailing cables used in the pits. Shortly after the outbreak of war in 1914, the manufacturing unit was sold due to a shortage of skilled labour, but in 1919 a further branch was opened in Glasgow and the main business moved from St. Nicholas’ Buildings to another local site, Clavering Place in Newcastle.

Since 1945, branches have been opened across the South East, including a flagship branch in Wandsworth and additionally Leeds, Edinburgh and an Export Division in Leigh. The manufacturing unit was also re-established in Glasgow.