Walcot Street, Bath: The ‘German-Sounding’ Company

Available for over a year

At the outbreak of World War One; contracts from the War Office were in high demand - when industry at home was desperate to maintain order books. So much so that some would push the boundaries of deceit. In 1914, John Gunning of the British, Foreign and Colonial Automatic Light Controlling company of Bournemouth used anti-German feeling for a bit of commercial skullduggery. Horstmann were making gas controllers, gauges and precision tools for the government, and their rivals in Bournemouth sent leaflets to the mayor of Bath and other council officials accusing Horstmann of being German sympathisers - just because of their name. Horstmann in turn took out advertisements repudiating the accusation and took John Gunning to court. Gunning lost and was ordered to place a notice apologising in the Bath Journal and trade magazines. Location: Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BW