Waterlow and Sons Limited 1810 - 1960

1810: James Waterlow (d.1876), Birchin Lane sold copies of legal documents produced by lithography

1852: printed stamps; James Waterlow's sons, Alfred, Walter, Sydney and Albert, joined the partnership; branches were opened at Westminster and London Wall

1876: firm became a limited liability company

1877: family dispute and Alfred, the eldest son, and his sons and Alfred Thomas Layton, formed Waterlow Bros. & Layton retaining the Birchin Lane premises. The other brothers, under the Managing Directorship of Sir Sydney (as he had become after being Lord Mayor of London in 1872) continued Waterlow & Sons Limited ("W. & S."), operating from London Wall, Finsbury Market and other factories.

1887: on the death of Alfred, Waterlow Bros & Layton became a company ("W.B.& L.")

1920: companies amalgamated

late 1960s: assets of Waterlow & Sons Limited acquired by De La Rue & Co. Ltd