Ludski/Ludlow Company History

['Ticker' Riley]

The other week it was mentioned to me about Ludski and Ludlow being one and the same company, which, as a new collector, was something I hadn’t previously been aware of. By the same token, I was also told that the Firm’s change of name took place sometime at the beginning of the First World War. I do know that some families of German descent did change their names at this time due to anti-German feelings, Schmit to Smith that kind of thing (even the Royal Family went from being Wettin to Windsor), but as Ludski sounded more like a Polish name to me I did wonder if this was right or not. So, at the suggestion of Stephen (badjez), I’ve been going through some London Trade Directories and Telephone Directories to see if I could confirm any of this.

Anyway, this is what I have found out so far specifically relating to the change of name which I thought might be of interest to Forum members – in the ‘Professional and Commercial’ section of The Post Office London Directory of 1933 the Firm is recorded as “Ludski B. & Son, military accoutrement mkrs” of 1 & 3 Smith’s Court, Great Windmill Street, but in the Directory for the following year we find “Ludlow & Co”, also “military accoutrement mkrs” at the very same address, thus indicating that the change of name actually took place around this date and not during the Great War as I had been led to believe. Things look to be further confirmed by the London Telephone Directories of the time, wherein that for November 1932 has “Ludski B, & Son” of 1 Smith’s Court with the ’phone number “GERrard 6718”, whilst in the Directory for May 1933 we find “Ludlow & Co, Badge Makers” at the same address and with the same ’phone number. Based on this then, it would seem that any badges marked with “Ludski & Son London” would date from before 1933, whilst those bearing the mark “Ludlow London” would be after that date.

I have also managed to find out some more about the origins of the Firm, which I will post up here later, and am now in touch with the gentleman who currently runs the Company; who are still going but who now only seem to make buttons and fasteners. Unfortunately little in the way of records appears to have survived from the time when the Firm did make military badges, but anything I do find out I will happily share with the Forum.

Regards

Martin

[41st]

Martin,
That bit of information is extremely helpful. Many thanks for posting.
Hwyl,
Kevin

['Ticker' Riley]

Hello Kevin

Glad to hear the information on this is of some help to you in particular, and I hope other members will also find things of interest too. Mind I see that although the Trade and Telephone Directories clearly suggest the Company changed its name around 1933 (possibly due to rise of anti-Semitism on the Continent at this time, what with Hitler coming to power in Germany that year), I see that Companies House’s WebCHeck doesn’t actually record Ludlow & Co.’s incorporation until 1941. Anyway, will post up more on the Firm’s history soon.

Regards

Martin

P.S. it would be really good to know what evidence can be deduced from the badges themselves of course, in the way of dateable marks that is, i.e. hallmarks - if anyone has any such items by Ludski or Ludlow they could post up?

['Ticker' Riley]

Following on from my previous post about Ludski/Ludlow it would seem that the Company’s name was originally Barnet Ludski & Son, and that they in fact started out as surgical instrument manufacturers. The earliest Trade Directory reference I have found up until now is from J. S. C. Morris’ Business Directory of London and Provincial Foreign Trade Guide (l’Annuaire du Commerce de Londres) 1884, where the entry in the alphabetical section on p. 411 says “Ludski B & Son surgical instrument mkrs 63 Commercial st E”. If anyone is interested an online version of this particular directory may be accessed via the Historical Directories website. The Firm also makes an appearance in G. Eugene Harfield’s A Commercial Directory of the Jews of the United Kingdom, published in 1894 which actually gives the date for the Company’s establishment as 1873. Again if anybody would like to see this, it is also available online through the Internet Archive.

Barnet Ludski himself seems to have been a Polish Jew who had been born in Warsaw around 1830, and who may possibly have left his homeland during the late 1860s or early 1870s because of the anti-Semitism that I understand was prevalent in the Russian Empire during the mid-nineteenth century (and of which Poland would have been a part at this time). The 1881 census returns for Spitalfields clearly show Barnet and his family living at 63 Commercial Street, with his occupation listed as a “Surgical Instrument Maker”:

Ref. RG11/436, f. 4, p. 2

I have not yet been able to establish exactly when the Firm changed from making surgical instruments to making badges and other military ornaments, but in the 1891 census Barnet is down as what looks to be a “Millitary ornament Maker” (incidentally this was also the trade given as that of his son Walter, who was living elsewhere at this time), and was still living at the Commercial Street address:

Ref. RG12/274, f. 56, p. 24

Having said that for some reason The Post Office London Directory for 1899 still has the Firm listed as “Ludski Barnet & Son, surgical instrument mas.”, so maybe whilst they were beginning to move more and more into military badges and regalia perhaps they were still concentrating on the surgical instruments side of the business at this time? Anyway it seems that Barnet died in 1910, as according to the General Register Office Death Index a Barnet Ludski died that year aged 80 in the Hackney District (Vol. 1b, p. 208). Presumably the Company was carried on by his family, and I am hoping to go through other directories to try and establish the movements of the Firm over the following years. Once again when I have done this I will post up the various addresses here, in case Forum members are interested.

Regards

Martin

[badjez]

Well done. Excellent research. Commercial St/ Spitalfields/ Whitechapel were all populated by immigrant communities and was strongly Jewish until the 1970's. Lots of small shops still exist, these days part of the 'rag-trade' run by the Asian community.

Stephen.

[KLR]

Martin, Congratulations - brilliant. This is just the sort of research that we need. I had discovered that 'Ludlows of London' still exist - with addresses in Medmenham, Bucks and high Wycombe, Bucks. Is this where you have found a contact ?
I'll cross this one off my list if you are on the case. I know they made officer's badges in the 1940s but yes, it would have been nice to have records.
In my case I've listed all known makers of KLR insignia and I intend to work my way through to find details - though I've only looked at Gaunt and B&P and Jennens - both, of course amongst Gaunt papers ! but there are more details I'd like. . I suspect many of us could pool resources and I think there is at least one other Forum member with some maker's records.

Bent & Parker
Dowler
Elikington
Fattorini
Firmin
Gaunt
Gladman & Norman (possibly)
Hobley
Hobson
Jennens
Lambourne
Ludlow
Pitt
Pitt & Swatkin
Smith & Wright
Stratton

(the list is made up of names on badges and documentary sources in eg WO papers)
Julian

[John Mulcahy]

Originally Posted by 'Ticker' Riley

Hello Kevin



P.S. it would be really good to know what evidence can be deduced from the badges themselves of course, in the way of dateable marks that is, i.e. hallmarks - if anyone has any such items by Ludski or Ludlow they could post up?

Here is what I can add, I have an Irish Guards W/O pattern cap star in my collection. The piece is marked "Ludlow/ Sterling /London".

The cap star has been brooched and inscribed "To Mum, Love, Violet & Arthur 1943"

Assuming that the piece had not been pre-dated during the engraving it appears as if they were using the name Ludlow by 1943.

Photo below (not the best quality - taken quickly this evening sorry) .

John

['Ticker' Riley]

Hi John

Many thanks for the information from your Irish Guards’ star badge. The date of 1943 would only been a couple of years after the apparent incorporation of Ludlow & Co., but is still some ten years after the name change; going by the trade and telephone directories’ entries. As a new collector I don’t personally have any badges by Ludski or Ludlow, though I do aspire to own some particularly their Leicestershire tiger ones which I have seen. I don’t know if the Firm ever did use hallmarks, as yours is just marked ‘Sterling’, but if anyone else has examples it would be interesting to know what the dates are. Maybe other members are now having a rummage through their collections, and with luck we might have some more postings on this. I’ll certainly put up more information on the Company’s different addresses over the years once I have it, but in the meantime thanks again for the contribution - every little snippet of info helps!

Best regards

Martin

[fougasse1940]

Hi Martin,
Excellent work, my compliments.

Rgds,
fougasse1940.

[john trowbridge]

Hi Martin and all,

l used to work at Ludlows in the early 60's They only made buttons and buckles then. They did have a huge collection of stamping dies for military badges laying around. Used as door stops l remember.

The area became shoreditch and far to expensive to use for manufacturing. This with a move into injection moulding, ie plastics. Was less labour intensive and allowed them to move away.

The owner l remember, Mr Ludlow was a real gentleman. sadly he died l am told at 70. Other directors were a Mr Denville, (Polish) and a Mr Twyman, all lovely people. l believe that his son is now running the company. Good for him.
l do have a current telephone no for them, sadly its at work, l am now at home. l am at John@abetterbadge.com for more info. regards

[Lampwick]

Fancy That Corner. I used to live in both Trowbridge and Ludlow!! Weird or what??

[GTB]

Hi
I'm posting my Ludski-manufatured badge for your records and for general Forum interest.
It is an officer's cast gilding metal Norfolk Regt collar badge, having three loops at rear. As impossible to clearly flat-scan the back I can state that the 'LUDSKI & SON / LONDON' stamping on two lines is identical to Andy's DCLI specimen above.
GTB

[JerryBB]

I have one of each, Ludski and Ludlow, the former on a Buffs OSD collar introduced in 1903 and the latter on a WWII period named officers GS cap.

[fougasse1940]

In the makers marks section of the Forum Ludski and Ludlow are listed separately, shouldn't there be just one listing?

Rgds, Thomas.

[fruitbat]

I Have a Gordon Highlanders /Warrant Officers Hat Badge with the prominent Stags Head , reverse has Ludlow on the reverse ,on the back of the Scroll , cheers Fruitbat