Page 56 - Redditch People

Redditch People

nickel-cadmium battery which had been developed only 20 years earlier by Waldemar
Jungner in Sweden and was the most advanced battery of its time.

The factory was set up at Hunt End, Redditch under the name Batteries Ltd using the
brand name NIFE and used the old Enfield Cycle Company factory (they had moved to
Hewell Road in 1907). It was acquired in 1918 for £6,000 and the company was
registered in a London office in 1918, four £1 shares being issued. The old factory was in
a very dilapidated condition and completely empty except for an old gas engine coupled
to a 110 V. D.C. Generator. The site was extensive and ran along a large part of Enfield
Road in Hunt End.

The first employee to be engaged was Miss Mary Walker a shorthand/typist who lived in
Hunt End. She joined the company on 10 July 1919 at a salary of 12/- per week. At this
time and until the end of 1920, a room at the Unicorn Hotel was used as a temporary
office. While he was organising the Company Martin stayed in the Hotel and there he
met his future wife, Bridgit Bingham. They were married in 1928.

At the time of his marriage he purchased High House at Crabbs Cross. This he developed
extensively and built, with the help of friends, extensive gardens and a tennis court. He
lived at the house until his death in 1944 at the age of 54.

Operations commenced at the Hunt End factory with the import from Sweden of cells in
an empty but formed condition, together with "knocked down" crates and flaked
electrolyte and it began manufacturing in 1920 by assembling batteries from components
made in Sweden. In 1933 Chloride acquired a controlling interest in Batteries Ltd. and
renamed it Nife Batteries Ltd.

During the Second World War the factory worked shifts providing 24 hours per day
production as batteries were essential for the British Military and they did all that was
possible to satisfy the requirements. Martin remained General Manager of the Company
until his death in 1944.

In 1947 Nife and Britannia Batteries in Union Street were merged to form Alkaline
Batteries Ltd., operating from Britannia’s Union Street site. The names of Nife Batteries
and Britannia were retained for commercial use.

Page: 56 © RLHS 2015