[ ECA members: 100 years ] J.J. Marr & Co. (ECA member since 1904)
Establishing themselves 147 years ago on Dale Street in Liverpool, J.J. Marr and Co. has a fascinatingly long history of electrical engineering work. In the beginning, the company was
heavily involved with the shipping industry. ‘I believe we were the fi rst company in the world to
Whittaker Bros Ltd (ECA member since 1910)
Whittaker Bros Ltd started trading in 1894, founded by Mr B. W. F. Whittaker in Dudley, West Midlands. It was upon his passing that his sons took over the business, where they then added ‘Brothers’ to the company’s trading title. In 1903, the fi rm was incorporated as a limited company. At this time, among its many clients
were some of the UK’s largest fi rms. Whittaker Bros also had some very
prestigious projects, including electrical installations in the Royal Church, Rectory Schools and Sir Dighton Probyn’s Park House at Sandringham, for the Royal Family. Following the death of the Whittaker brothers in the mid-1950s, the company was bought by Timmins & Foulkes. This was then sold in the late 1980s, but the Foulkes brothers retained the ownership of Whittaker Bros up until their retirement in 1995, when the company shares were then transferred as part of a management buy-out to the current owners. Still based in Dudley, Whittaker Bros has a varied client base, ranging from large
building contractors through to local authorities and other government bodies. All of its staff, including current directors, are recruits of the company-run apprentice training schemes. Whittaker Bros joined the ECA in 1910 and has been a member ever since. ‘Being a member of the ECA means their services are available at the end of a phone or email these days, which enables the company to function in the manner that is required,’ says Anthony Whitehouse, Whittaker Bros director. ‘Without the services provided by the ECA, we could not function in the market that we do at present.’ As an SME, Whittaker Bros does not run separate HR, health and safety and legal
departments that larger enterprises would have in place. Being an ECA member provides it with these support services if, and when, it needs them. With all of the changes and advancements in technologies and regulations over the past 100 years, Whittaker Bros values ECA member services such as information seminars, training courses, monthly meetings and regional offi ces. ‘This information and training is required for our company staff to be able to function in this very competitive business climate,’ says Anthony.
install electrical lights on a ship,’ says Keith Owens, managing director of J.J. Marr & Co. ‘Many of these ships that we fi tted electrical lights on were the transatlantic steamers that travelled from Liverpool to New York. Several of theses ships obtained the “Blue Riband” for being the fastest ship to cross the Atlantic.” In the 1870s, founder Mr. Marr also worked for the
Swan Electrical Lamp Company in Newcastle and was involved in developing the fi rst electric light bulb. During both world wars, the staff at J.J. Marr &
Co. were not called to fi ght, as they were classed as a ‘reserved occupation’. Today, the company is based at the India Buildings
in Liverpool, less than 300 metres from its original location. Keith Owens has been handed the company reins from his father, Kenneth, who was previously J.J. Marr & Co.’s managing director and whose father also worked there for many years. Throughout the company’s history, J.J. Marr & Co.
has employed between 10 and 15 operatives, offering electrical engineering and contracting services. Worth mentioning is J.J. Marr & Co.’s great employee track record – the company’s longest serving employee was Arthur Morris, who worked with them for 64 years, from 1920 until 1984. J.J Marr & Co. is the ECA’s longest standing
member, joining all the way back in 1904. ‘The ECA has supported our company through the
years, mainly providing us with invaluable knowledge about the industry; we fi nd that their technical telephone helpline is second to none,’ says Keith. ‘Over the last couple of years, we have made good
use of their employment law department, which has given us very good advice on all aspects of the law without resorting to expensive legal fees.’ Like most businesses, J.J. Marr & Co. has had its
highs and lows, but has stayed strong through these tough economic times by keeping its ‘eyes fi xed’ on its core business.
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ECA Today March 2011 March2011
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