Kerr & Co Ltd , cotton manufacturers and selling agents, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, was incorporated with limited liability on 10 April 1888 , with their registered office at Underwood Mills, Paisley. The capital of the company was å£250,000. In July 1895 , J & P Coats Ltd , thread manufacturers, Paisley, agreed to buy, as a going concern, the company's business. In 1908 , the company converted to a private company. In 1950, Machine Cottons Ltd, thread distributors, Glasgow, Scotland, were given power of attorney to deal with all matters concerning trade marks in Brazil. In 1951 and 1954 the company sold to J & P Coats Ltd, as a going concern, their business in the UK and all other parts of the world. Kerr & Co Ltd also appear to be selling agents for other business, for example in Australia and New Zealand, though they used selling agents themselves, for example La Plata Reel Cotton Co Ltd, selling agents, Glasgow, in Paraguay. The records in 1892 mention a strained relationship with The Central Agency, (later The Central Agency Ltd) selling agents for J & P Coats Ltd, Glasgow, possibly due to competition. A manufacturing agreement was entered into in 1934 between the company and United Thread Mills Ltd , thread manufacturers, Glasgow. In 1936 , a contract was entered into with Romanofir SAR , thread manufacturers and spinners, Romania, whereby the company supplied complete working drawings for the election of buildings and purchased and supervised the erection of plant and machinery in Romania. In 1940, J & P Coats Ltd was appointed as the company's agent for trade mark purposes. In 2002, Kerr & Co Ltd was still active, with their base at Wellington Street, Glasgow.
From the guide to the Records of Kerr & Co Ltd, cotton manufacturers and selling agents, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, 1886-1962, (Glasgow University Archive Services)
