Standard's History in Pictures, Videos and Documents

Although we no longer manufacture what I would call powder products there are several companies who are actively enganged in producing firework set pieces…Roman candle batteries…Lance work frames etc etc for displays for themselves and for selling in to others…and they are doing a good and valuable job.
There are one or two small enterprises who will if you ask them nicely have the skill and the resources and the permissions to make up chemical formulae for pyrotechnic end use…so it’s not all bad…but it’s quite true..the day of the traditional large company is long gone.

 

That is very nice to know, at least its not all completely lost, I
do miss the British made garden stuff though such as rockets and
fountains etc, it just seems all the same old boom and crackle shot after
shot these days with the rockets also having the same effect as these multiple
shot cubes, wouldn’t be all that bad if we could get back the more fun stuff,
the only choice we seem to have nowadays is poor performing selection
boxes with all cardboard concealing small fountains thats guaranteed that
nearly all will have this annoying crackle stuff, these cakes things and just medium
to extra large rockets all doing the same thing and that is all the choice.

 

We can all but hope that common sense will resume someday
hopefully not too distant future as we do have some of the most OTT laws,
rules and regulations in the world, I think the way things are going with China
we will have to definitely explore other avenues for sure but also we will have to
see a dramatic change in the current political landscape as all these authoritative
bodies now meddling in every aspect of our lives are only too happy to put more
and more pressure on us more and more frequently at present, but anyway enough
on that, it would be nice though if our rigid law makers would allow for some of the goodies that were withdrawn from public sale to be allowed under the now new European regulations, in Holland and Germany etc they have bangers, firecrackers
and also the flyers and all the rest, I do know that some certain various ground spinners that apparently wouldn’t have been allowed under the BS regulations, so might be a start.

 

Here is the contents list of a Brock display case from 1984. Several of the pieces shown above are included.

 

P.S. that little lot cost £990 back then. Quite a decent amount of money.

 

Blimey, just short of a grand in in 1984, no kidding.

 

I just noticed that the numerical codes for the set pieces on the list above agree with those on the sheets posted by Richard.

 

Some assorted Standard letters and lists
1975 Specials

 

Interesting, thanks Kev, just goes to show how the introduction of
imports into the range from the early 90s and how things went rapidly downhill from
then on.

 

View attachment 62205 View attachment 62206 These drawings are a fascinating set of copies photographed by myself during my visit this last summer to the Huddersfield public library.
They show the re building of the showroom and offices of Standards company headquarters in the town…at Half Moon Street…..and it is practically unaltered since the time I visited it in the 1950’s..These works are dated February 1936.
The detailing is absolutely fascinating and a careful reading of them is very rewarding.
Richard.

 

The building is still there but is now shops and has been extended in height for student accommodation, the factory site is nearly all gone now, just a building they use for a seasonal shop.

 

Here are some interesting press cuttings that were stored in Standards files from around the late 80’s to gauge the reaction of various groups to the firework question generally referring to safety ..popularity etc etc which showed up in the records.
Obviously the industry was aware of public concerns vis a vis safety matters and were worried about the scale of reaction and were keen to monitor it.
Gloomy reading when put together like this in fact when assembled in such a fashion and read it’s a wonder there are any fireworks left at al!!!!a
But good sense has prevailed in the end and fireworks continue to be available to all sensible end users and long may that continue.
Richard.
.

 

Always the same, propaganda to get ever tighter restrictions on
fireworks which as led us to where we are today where there is not much
fun.

 

Absolutely Jamie..and when you read it collected together like this it’s not surprising it’s effects.

 

I'm glad I was a kid when I was, just a shame I can't remember much of it now .

 

Never read it…found it depressing!

 

And its not just the fireworks now, everything in our lives is been
controlled by these faceless bureaucrats.

 

I think you might be right Kev.