The parent company was incorporated in 1890 in succession to one of the Hingley family partnerships (the other of which subsequently became the Harts Hill Iron Company, Ltd. Other companies were taken over from the early 20th century (some absorbed, others maintained as wholly owned subsidiaries, etc.) and further subsidiaries established. In the post-Second World War era some dormant subsidiaries were revived and renamed as the group took on (albeit incompletely) a holding company-operating subsidiary pattern. Various activities were grouped (eg 'Engineering') and in the 1960s subsidiaries and plants were rationalised. The whole group was absorbed by F.H. Lloyd and Company, Ltd. of Wednesbury in 1966 but the consequent reorganisation of management, subsidiaries and activities was not completed until 1970/71, at which time F.H. Lloyd was reconstructed as a holding company and Hingley's (renamed F.H. Lloyd?) became one of its principal subsidiaries through which various of the old Hingley subsidiaries (and some other businesses?) were controlled. The main body of the records are listed in two groups: those of Hingley's itself and those of distinct subsidiaries within the Hingley group. However, various reports and papers of subsidiaries will be found in the former. Various classes of record run through from the pre-1890 partnership to the limited company. The latter took over from 1 July 1890 and its financial year ran from July-June until the 1940s or later. An element of uncertainty remains regarding the attribution of certain financial, employment and production records. Where there is doubt these have been classified under the parent company.
From the guide to the N. HINGLEY & SONS, LTD., 1846-1982, (Dudley Archives and Local History Service)
