Barcley Corsets Limited was an American company founded in 1899 by Harry W. Barcley with headquarters in Newark, New Jersey. The company came to WGC in June 1927 having increased its sales in the UK. From its first premises in Hyde Way the company then moved to its iconic pink and black factory at 73 Bridge Road East in 1939. According to the WGC Directory of 1953-4 the Barcley organisation employed 'many hundreds of fully-trained women, known as Barcley Registered Corsetieres, whose work was to meet the requirements, both surgical and non-surgical, of the women of this country for specialised corsetry'. The same directory also notes that 'During the late war, the whole production of the company was turned over to the supply of surgical supports, and these were given high priority as a national requirement'.