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The E. R. Holloway Ltd. Group of companies moved one of its subsidiaries - Barnet Combs Ltd to a WGC factory in 1934. In 1938 the Group warehouse and offices left London for the more attractive and convenient site adjacent to the factory. An injection moulding machine was installed in 1936 and the Barnet Comb Company produced commercially the first injection-moulded comb in this country. Company products ranged from sun glasses and brush ware to nylon components for many industries. Lustrac Plastics Ltd, a further subsidiary, was formed in 1943 for the manufacture of moulding powders. Its cellulose acetate powders were used for the group's own products and further trade was built up with outside moulding firms. The company turned its attention to other materials and extended its activities to include extrusion processes in order to meet the growing industrial demand for such articles as shaped rods and tubes. Another addition to the group, Hydeway Ltd, started in 1949 for the production of welded soft plastic goods such as wallets, bags and purses, comb cases, manicure sets, etc. After WWII ended, in spite of raw materials shortages and of increasing competition, the output of the group increased and by 1954 was reported to be over 300 per cent in volume. A high proportion of its goods were sent overseas. In the 1950s the group was promoting the fact that after three months' service all its employees (then numbering over 500) participated in a profit-sharing scheme. In the 1960s Barnet Comb was taken over by Holpack a subsidiary of Unilever.

E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Barnet Comb Company staff in car park - photographed mid 1960s. Pictured front are Les Eldridge & Bill Jobson, at the back Ernie, Len Jacobs, Frank Olding & Reg. The corrugated building in the background is the Devices Ltd factory and in the distance the curved top of the Shredded Wheat grain silos can be seen. Image donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Brian C as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Football match between Holpaks of Glemsford and Holpaks chief/head office, WGC. The WGC team pictured here won 4-1 with Brian C scoring the first goal in the first four minutes. The team used Smith Kline & French football kits. Item donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Brian as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked? project.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Barnet Comb toolroom - mid 1960s. Photographed by Brian C and donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Barnet Comb toolroom - mid 1960s. From left to right: Sid Martin, Len Jacobs, Bill Philpot, Ted Chapman. On the right is the one to one die sinker. Photographed by Brian C and donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Barnet Comb toolroom - mid 1960s - the company also made sunglasses - as can be seen in centre of picture. Photograph taken by Brian C and donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Barnet Comb toolroom staff - night out. Photographed in the early 1960s by Brian C and donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Barnet Comb Company factory interior dated 1938. Image from the Welwyn Garden City Library Local Studies Collection.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Barnet Comb employee Alan W posing for a photograph on the conveyor belt of the next door factory Lustrac Plastics. Image donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Alan as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
E.R.Holloway Ltd advertising Barnet Combs - publicity material from the late 1940s. This item is from the Graces Guide website and we are grateful for permission to reproduce it here.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
E.R.Holloway Ltd advertising Barnet Combs - publicity material for the company's exhibitor stand at Olympia in late 1940s. This item is from the Graces Guide website and we are grateful for permission to reproduce it here.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Music While You Work - Holidays With Pay - 5 Day Week - an advertisement seeking employees at the Barnet Comb Company Ltd from the Welwyn Times dated 29th November 1946 - page 4. This item is from a collection of newspapers donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by BJW as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Advertisement for E.R.Holloway Ltd - group of companies including Barnet Comb Co Ltd, Lustrac Plastics Ltd & Hydeway Ltd on page 76 of the WGC official handbook & directory for 1953-54. Item donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust by Ken W as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project. The advertisement states that the companies produce plastic fancy goods, moulding powders and extrusions as well as being Britain's largest hair comb manufacturers.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Advertisement for E.R.Holloway group of companies on page 70 of the Welwyn Garden City official handbook c1957 - donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Alan A as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project. It states that 'More than 500 people of WGC enjoy employment and share profits in the profits of the E.R.Holloway Ltd Group producing the world's largest range of combs & fancy goods in the factories of Barnet Comb Co. Ltd, Lustrac Plastics Ltd, Hydeway Ltd.' These were made in factories in Hydeway then the finished products were marketed from premises in Bessemer Road.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
Barnet Comb Company Ltd - a soft plastic comb case. Donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Alan W, who worked for the company, as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
E R Holloway Barnet Comb Lustrac Plastics Hydeway Ltd
E.R.Holloway Ltd factory in Hydeway - Alan W, who worked for the company is pictured here beside his mini! Image donated to the Welwyn Garden City Heritage Trust archive by Alan as part of the 'Where Do You Think We Worked?' project.
 
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