E. H. Bentall & Co

E. H. Bentall & Co was a long-established British engineering company based at Heybridge in Essex. Its roots lay in agricultural machinery rather than motoring. William Bentall, a farmer from Goldhanger, developed the Goldhanger or Essex plough during the late eighteenth century and placed it on the market in 1797. In 1805 he established a manufacturing business on the south bank of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation at Heybridge. The enterprise later took the name E. H. Bentall & Co after William's son Edward Hammond Bentall joined the firm and incorporated it in the nineteenth century. The company built its reputation through patented agricultural implements and processing machinery. Edward Bentall improved the family plough and developed equipment including cultivators, oil-cake mills and root pulpers. An 1843 broad-share cultivator design won a gold medal at the Great Exhibition in 1851, while later awards from the Royal Agricultural Society helped establish the company as a significant supplier to British and overseas agriculture. By the late nineteenth century the business had expanded its product range and built employee housing at Heybridge. Edward's son Edmund Ernest Bentall was involved in management by 1889. E. H. Bentall & Co entered automobile production as an adjunct to its engineering activities. Edmund Bentall developed petrol engines for agricultural machinery and, as a motoring enthusiast, built two experimental cars by 1904. The company subsequently developed production automobiles using early purchased components before moving toward its own chassis and engines. Its first car was displayed at the 1906 Olympia Show. Bentall cars were sold through dealers in London and Essex, with bodies supplied by local coachbuilders. The range included an 11-horsepower two-seater and a more expensive 16/20-horsepower landaulette. Automobile production ended in 1912 after approximately 100 cars had been made, apparently because tooling and other establishment costs were not recovered. Only two Bentall cars are believed to survive. The agricultural-engineering business remained the company's principal activity. It made farm implements, stationary engines, valves and feed-processing equipment, and employed more than 600 people by the First World War. Part of the Heybridge works produced shell casings during the war. In 1919 the company joined Agricultural & General Engineers Ltd, a large but ultimately unsuccessful industrial group. During the 1920s Bentall was a major exporter of feed cutters, serving customers in continental Europe, Scandinavia and South Africa. The group's collapse in the early 1930s placed Bentall in administration, but Edward Bentall acquired the company from the administrators and his son Charles led its reconstruction. During the Second World War the business continued agricultural production while also undertaking engineering work for the aircraft industry, including small machine parts and complete assemblies for Handley Page Halifax bombers. Charles Bentall converted the company into a public company in 1946. It acquired Tamkin Brothers in 1949 and J. W. Woolley & Co in 1958, integrating their activities at Heybridge alongside investment in a new foundry. Following Charles Bentall's death in 1955, chairman Godfrey Owtram reorganised the business. After a loss in 1956–57, the company returned to profit by March 1958. Acrow acquired Bentalls in 1961. Under Acrow, the business continued in agricultural and industrial equipment and expanded into greenhouse manufacturing through the 1981 acquisition of Simplex from GEC. The two operations were combined as Bentall Simplex. Acrow entered receivership in 1984, and the combined business was sold by administrators to TB Group of Driffield, Yorkshire. The Heybridge factory was closed as the new owners concentrated production at Scunthorpe. The former Maldon business was sold in 1985 to Chief Industries of Grand Island, Nebraska. E. H. Bentall & Co the…

William Bentall's agricultural engineering enterprise began at Heybridge in 1805, following the commercialisation of his Goldhanger plough. His son Edward Hammond Bentall joined the business in 1836 and formalised it as E. H. Bentall & Co by 1839. Edward's patented implements, especially the broad-share cultivator, brought awards at the Great Exhibition and Royal Agricultural Society events. The company expanded from ploughs into machinery for preparing and processing agricultural products and developed an international customer base. The business also invested in its workforce and local industrial infrastructure. It constructed housing at Woodfield Cottages and developed a substantial Heybridge works. By the end of the nineteenth century, the Bentall family remained central to management, with Edmund Ernest Bentall becoming involved by 1889. Edmund's interest in petrol engines led to the company's brief move into automobile manufacturing. Two experimental cars had been built by 1904, followed by production development using Crypto chassis frames and Lemoine axles before Bentall began making more of its own components. The marque appeared at the 1906 Olympia Show and offered several relatively expensive models. Bodies came from Mannions of Chelmsford and Adams of Colchester, while Acre Autocar marketed the cars in London and Glovers of Witham handled Essex sales. Production ended in 1912 after roughly 100 cars. Agricultural machinery continued to dominate the company. The range included stationary engines, valves, feed cutters and other farm equipment. The company became a substantial employer and diverted part of its factory to shell production during the First World War. Its 1919 entry into Agricultural & General Engineers created access to a larger industrial group and export network, but the group later collapsed after unsuccessful investments. Bentall was recovered from administration by Edward Bentall, and Charles Bentall rebuilt the independent business. The company supported British wartime production again during the Second World War, making agricultural equipment as well as components and assemblies for Handley Page Halifax bombers. It became a public company in 1946 and expanded through acquisitions, including Tamkin Brothers and J. W. Woolley & Co. A postwar downturn followed Charles Bentall's death, but Godfrey Owtram's reorganisation returned the business to profitability by 1958. Acrow acquired Bentalls in 1961. The company later broadened its agricultural-equipment portfolio through the purchase of greenhouse manufacturer Simplex in 1981, creating Bentall Simplex. Acrow's 1984 receivership triggered another ownership change. TB Group acquired the business from administrators, closed the Heybridge factory and focused manufacturing at Scunthorpe. The Maldon operation was sold to Chief Industries in 1985. The original company is now defunct, while its historical importance rests on its long contribution to agricultural engineering and its rare British automobile production.

1. 1985Maldon operation sold

   The Maldon business was sold to Chief Industries, while TB Group had already closed the Heybridge factory.

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2. 1984Acrow enters receivership

   Acrow's financial failure led to the sale of Bentall Simplex by administrators.

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3. 1981Simplex acquired

   Bentalls acquired greenhouse manufacturer Simplex from GEC and formed Bentall Simplex.

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4. 1961Acquired by Acrow

   Acrow purchased Bentalls for £460,000.

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5. 1946Company taken public

   Charles Bentall converted the business into a public company.

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6. 1930Rescued from administration

   After Agricultural & General Engineers collapsed, Edward Bentall bought the company from administrators.

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7. 1919Joined Agricultural & General Engineers

   Bentall entered the Agricultural & General Engineers group.

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8. 1912Automobile production ends

   Bentall stopped making cars after approximately 100 vehicles had been produced.

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9. 1906Bentall car exhibited

   The company's automobile design was displayed at the Olympia Show.

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10. 1851Great Exhibition award

    The company's broad-share cultivator received a gold medal at the Great Exhibition.

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11. 1839E. H. Bentall & Co incorporated

    Edward Hammond Bentall formalised the family business under the E. H. Bentall & Co name.

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12. 1805Heybridge manufacturing business established

    William Bentall founded an agricultural-equipment manufacturing concern at Heybridge, Essex.

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13. 1797Goldhanger plough commercialised

    William Bentall's Goldhanger, also called Essex, plough was placed on the market.

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A British agricultural-engineering manufacturer known for practical, patented farm machinery, export-oriented production and a short-lived Edwardian automobile venture.

• Goldhanger ploughAgricultural implements1797

  The Goldhanger, or Essex, plough was developed by William Bentall and commercialised in the late eighteenth century. It formed the technological and commercial foundation of the Bentall engineering business and became an early example of the company's focus on practical improvements for agriculture.

• Broad-share cultivatorAgricultural implements1843

  Edward Hammond Bentall's broad-share cultivator was one of the company's most recognised nineteenth-century inventions. The design, patented in 1843, won a gold medal at the Great Exhibition in 1851 and helped establish Bentall's reputation among professional agricultural customers.

• Feed cuttersFeed-processing equipment

  Feed cutters became an important commercial line, particularly during the company's export expansion in the 1920s. Bentall supplied these machines to agricultural markets in continental Europe, Scandinavia and South Africa.

• Bentall automobilesAutomobiles1906

  Bentall produced a small range of Edwardian cars from 1906 to 1912. The company developed its own chassis and engine designs after using some purchased components. Models included an 11-horsepower two-seater and a 16/20-horsepower landaulette. Approximately 100 cars were made, and only two are believed to survive.

• Grain-storage and cereal-processing equipmentAgricultural and industrial equipment

  By the Bentall Simplex period, the business designed and manufactured grain-storage equipment, feed-processing systems and cereal-factory machinery. It was described as the largest UK manufacturer in the grain-storage field at the time of Acrow's 1984 collapse.

• Greenhouse equipmentHorticultural equipment1981

  Greenhouse manufacturing entered the group through the 1981 purchase of Simplex from GEC. The combined operation traded as Bentall Simplex under Acrow ownership.

• 1981Combination with SimplexM&A

  Acrow sought to broaden the business beyond traditional agricultural machinery.

  What changed. Bentalls purchased greenhouse manufacturer Simplex from GEC and combined the organisations as Bentall Simplex.

  Aftermath. Bentall Simplex was sold after Acrow entered receivership in 1984; TB Group closed the Heybridge works and concentrated production elsewhere.

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• 1961Acquisition by AcrowM&A

  Following postwar expansion and a period of reorganisation, Bentalls became part of a larger industrial group.

  What changed. Acrow acquired Bentalls for £460,000.

  Aftermath. Acrow later combined Bentalls with Simplex, but its own 1984 receivership led to another sale and the eventual closure of the Heybridge factory.

  Acquisition price. £460,000 (1961)

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• 1919Join Agricultural & General EngineersM&A

  Bentall was persuaded to join a newly formed industrial group intended to consolidate agricultural engineering businesses.

  What changed. The company became part of Agricultural & General Engineers Ltd.

  Aftermath. The group collapsed in the early 1930s after unsuccessful investments, and Bentall had to be bought back from administrators by the Bentall family.

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• 1905Move into automobile productionProduct launch

  After Edmund Ernest Bentall developed experimental petrol cars and agricultural engines, the company treated motoring as a potential expansion of its engineering business.

  What changed. Bentall developed production prototypes, initially using Crypto chassis frames and Lemoine axles, before progressing to cars with more company-made components.

  Aftermath. The cars appeared at the 1906 Olympia Show, but production ended in 1912 after roughly 100 vehicles and was apparently not financially successful.

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1. E. H. Bentall & Co