The rather unusual looking Cookson machine should be viewed today with due regard given to design trends of the time. As I've mentioned before, the mid to late 1880s was the Golden Age of miniature sewing machine design in the UK.
Frederick Nesfield Cookson was only one of many during this period who became hooked on the idea that great riches could be had, if that elusive perfect miniature machine was of their making.
Between 1886 and 1887 Cookson initiated four UK patents, the earliest of which incorporate a built-in table clamp similar to Poyser, Moldacot, etc. However, in the final designs we see a free-standing machine, more akin to another contemporary rival - the Dorman.
Indeed it was a free-standing, lockstitch model that went into production with a new business, registered on 1st April 1887, known as Cookson's Lockstitch Sewing Machine Co. Ltd. The company was based at 72 Lozells Road, Birmingham.

As well as a large shareholding, Cookson himself was to receive an annual salary of £300 as manager. Co-directors were John Edward Gittols and Robert Jessop, who also acted as Chairman.
However, little more than a year later, the company was in financial distress. In August 1888 it was resolved that voluntary liquidation should be undertaken, with a view to forming a new company to be called Cookson's Patent Sewing Machine Co. Ltd. Proposed directors were James Frederick Fairley, Samuel Jenkins and Walter Evans. However, debts carried over from the old company were never cleared, and the new concern collapsed very soon after conception.

N.B. I never like to get into the "numbers produced" subject, but I have noted, on extant examples, serial numbers as low as 100+ to as high as 2000+. The production machines also underwent some minor cosmetic changes after the first few hundred.

As a post script to the Cookson concern, we find the phoenix-like appearance of the Harpur & Mason Company, who produced a new machine, "The Handy", differing somewhat in design, but incorporating Cookson's patents.
It would be reasonable to conclude that following the insolvency of Cookson's, Harpur & Mason acquired their patent rights and manufacturing premises. The business operated from the same Lozells Road address, and appeared in local directories between 1890 - 1892. From the very few surviving examples, it would appear their machine was even less successful than Cookson's.

G.D.
June 2000
Revised 2005.