Enterprise in Soap and Chemicals. Joseph Crosfield & Sons Ltd, 1815-1965

Notes:

Scholarly commissioned history following a broad chronological order in four parts: 1] 'Joseph Crosfield, 1792-1844, and "the Soapery at Bankey" - Family origins, founding of the Bank Quarry Soapworks, Joseph Crosfield - soap boiler and tallow chandler, Man of many trades, Public and private life'; 2] 'Victorian growth and prosperity, 1844-96' - Second generation, Growth and technical development, Trade and transport, Competition and combination, Paternalism and politics; 3] 'Third generation - competition and technological advance, 1896-1915' - Crosfield's a limited company, Technological enterprise in oils, Soapmaking and selling in frenzied competition, Chemical manufactures and business prosperity, Combination and amalgamation, Last of the Crosfields; 4] 'Crosfields in the age of big business, 1915-65' - war and commercial rivalry, Lever's take over 1919-29, Rationalisation within Unilever 1929-39, War and peace 1939-55, An end and a new beginning 1956-65 . The book 'provides insights into the relations between business giants such as Lever Brothers (Unilever) and Brunner Mond (ICI), in the borderland between the soap and chemicals industries. Particular attention is paid to the impact of scientific and technological developments. At the same time, these are linked with other factors, such as location, capital, trade, advertising, transport, prices, cyclical fluctuations, combines, rationalisation and labour relations, to provide a comprehensive and penetrating study of business evolution. One of the most interesting aspects of this study is its demonstration of the importance to modern British industry of applied science combined with commercial enterprise and adaptability, a willingness to innovate, scrap and rebuild' . Much on Brunner Mond, Lever Brothers and Unilever, William Gossage & Sons. Also much insight into competition and combination, innovation, etc