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The Williamson-Brooks Company Records
Collection, Ms B61
1927 – 1984
John Kennedy Williamson (1883-1964) inherited the boiler trade from his father, John Kennedy Williamson (1852-1908). The elder Williamson started the Connecticut Construction and Supply Co. in Bethel, Connecticut, which sold boilers manufactured elsewhere. At his father’s death in September 1908, the younger Williamson carried on the business part time until the following April when he moved to Bethel and assumed operations on a full time basis. By September 1909, Williamson hired Charles W. Brooks as a salesman.
The business moved to offices at the Bridgeport Boiler Works Co. In 1911, Williamson hired James C. Reeves as accountant and treasurer. That same year, Williamson incorporated the Porcupine Boiler Company. In 1914, he rented a plant at Wordin and Hancock Avenue and bought machinery to do his own fabricating. The following year Williamson changed from manufacturing boilers to manufacturing plate and structural steel. He moved the plant one last time, this time to Fairfield, in 1922.
The real estate holding company Williamson-Brooks was formed in 1927 to manage the 25 acres in Fairfield on which Porcupine was located. The property extended from Benson Road to the Circle Plaza and included the island in the center where MacDonald's is today. In 1944, the Williamson-Brooks Co. purchased the Porcupine plant and leased it back to the company as a tax saving device. Williamson-Brooks rented other parcels of the 25-acre site to various businesses including Red Star Express, Dunkin’ Donuts, Fairfield County Marine, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Fairfield Car Wash, Carvel, County Federal Bank, Hertz, and Exxon.
Both Porcupine and Williamson-Brooks were owned by John Kennedy Williamson, Reid and Harry Williamson (John’s brothers) and Charles Brooks. Porcupine was dissolved in 1967. After John Williamson died in 1964, Williamson-Brooks was managed by Williamson’s wife Gladys and his daughters Barbara Phillips and Margaret Pease.
Williamson-Brooks operated until 1982, using Investors Mortgage Inc. as its management company. Williamson Brothers, Inc. was established in 1932. It provided steel services and mill supplies.
The business moved to offices at the Bridgeport Boiler Works Co. In 1911, Williamson hired James C. Reeves as accountant and treasurer. That same year, Williamson incorporated the Porcupine Boiler Company. In 1914, he rented a plant at Wordin and Hancock Avenue and bought machinery to do his own fabricating. The following year Williamson changed from manufacturing boilers to manufacturing plate and structural steel. He moved the plant one last time, this time to Fairfield, in 1922.
The real estate holding company Williamson-Brooks was formed in 1927 to manage the 25 acres in Fairfield on which Porcupine was located. The property extended from Benson Road to the Circle Plaza and included the island in the center where MacDonald's is today. In 1944, the Williamson-Brooks Co. purchased the Porcupine plant and leased it back to the company as a tax saving device. Williamson-Brooks rented other parcels of the 25-acre site to various businesses including Red Star Express, Dunkin’ Donuts, Fairfield County Marine, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Fairfield Car Wash, Carvel, County Federal Bank, Hertz, and Exxon.
Both Porcupine and Williamson-Brooks were owned by John Kennedy Williamson, Reid and Harry Williamson (John’s brothers) and Charles Brooks. Porcupine was dissolved in 1967. After John Williamson died in 1964, Williamson-Brooks was managed by Williamson’s wife Gladys and his daughters Barbara Phillips and Margaret Pease.
Williamson-Brooks operated until 1982, using Investors Mortgage Inc. as its management company. Williamson Brothers, Inc. was established in 1932. It provided steel services and mill supplies.
The collection primarily consists of records of the Williamson-Brooks Company, 1927, 1945-1984, with samples of letterheads and minimal records of the Porcupine Company, ca. 1956-1967, and of Williamson Brothers, n.d. The records of each company are divided into subgroups. Materials had been weeded before donation, so there was little original order. As a result, the collection is grouped into series by type of record, then arranged chronologically.
The records of Williamson-Brooks Company are organized in Sub-Group I. Series A consists of announcements and minutes of Board of Directors and stockholders meetings, 1968-1982. Stockholders records in Series B encompass stock certificates, correspondence and memos to stockholders, and lists of stockholders, 1927, 1958-1982. Williamson-Brooks was a real-estate holding company, so property management and leases were of primary importance. The most complete records in this collection are
materials related to the company’s properties, 1946-1984. These files are arranged in Series C by address as they were originally, and within each address, chronologically. Arranged before the files on each individual property are indexes of leases, 1946, ca. 1966 and ca. 1980, and two maps of the area in question, 1963, ca. 1980. The records consist of correspondence, leases, and memos.
Financial records in Series D consist of volumes of cash receipts/ disbursements, 1965-1980; a journal voucher, 1952-1966; monthly income and expense reports, 1979-1983; cash flow records, 1968-1982; investment information, 1966-1982; loan records, 1974-1982; bills, 1961-1983; and tax records, 1971-1977, 1983.
Series E, Personnel Records, includes memoranda concerning pensions and salaries and employee contracts, 1947 1968. A management agreement and warranty deed, 1972, comprise the legal records in Series F. The correspondence in Series G is arranged chronologically, and includes memoranda about personnel issues and letters concerning properties, some of which may supplement or duplicate items in the individual property files. The letters date from 1967-1982.
Administration records in Series H consist of correspondence, memoranda and plans related to office signage, 1966; and samples of letterhead stationary, n.d. The correspondence, memoranda, agreements, property appraisals, the closing agenda and documents relating to the sale of the Williamson-Brooks properties, and the corporate seal, 1980-1983, are arranged in Series I, Liquidation.
Correspondence, a bill, a trust agreement, and blank stationary, 1956-1967, relating to the Porcupine Company are organized in Sub-Group II, in a single series entitled Administrative Records. Blank stationary of Williamson Brothers, Inc., is contained in Sub-Group III.
The records of Williamson-Brooks Company are organized in Sub-Group I. Series A consists of announcements and minutes of Board of Directors and stockholders meetings, 1968-1982. Stockholders records in Series B encompass stock certificates, correspondence and memos to stockholders, and lists of stockholders, 1927, 1958-1982. Williamson-Brooks was a real-estate holding company, so property management and leases were of primary importance. The most complete records in this collection are
materials related to the company’s properties, 1946-1984. These files are arranged in Series C by address as they were originally, and within each address, chronologically. Arranged before the files on each individual property are indexes of leases, 1946, ca. 1966 and ca. 1980, and two maps of the area in question, 1963, ca. 1980. The records consist of correspondence, leases, and memos.
Financial records in Series D consist of volumes of cash receipts/ disbursements, 1965-1980; a journal voucher, 1952-1966; monthly income and expense reports, 1979-1983; cash flow records, 1968-1982; investment information, 1966-1982; loan records, 1974-1982; bills, 1961-1983; and tax records, 1971-1977, 1983.
Series E, Personnel Records, includes memoranda concerning pensions and salaries and employee contracts, 1947 1968. A management agreement and warranty deed, 1972, comprise the legal records in Series F. The correspondence in Series G is arranged chronologically, and includes memoranda about personnel issues and letters concerning properties, some of which may supplement or duplicate items in the individual property files. The letters date from 1967-1982.
Administration records in Series H consist of correspondence, memoranda and plans related to office signage, 1966; and samples of letterhead stationary, n.d. The correspondence, memoranda, agreements, property appraisals, the closing agenda and documents relating to the sale of the Williamson-Brooks properties, and the corporate seal, 1980-1983, are arranged in Series I, Liquidation.
Correspondence, a bill, a trust agreement, and blank stationary, 1956-1967, relating to the Porcupine Company are organized in Sub-Group II, in a single series entitled Administrative Records. Blank stationary of Williamson Brothers, Inc., is contained in Sub-Group III.
Contents list:
Sub-Group I. Williamson-Brooks Company Records, 1927, 1946-1984
Series A. Minutes, 1968-1982 Box 1
Series B. Stockholders Records, 1927, 1958-1982 Box 1
Series C. Leases, 1946-1982 Box 1, 2
Series D. Financial Records, 1952-1984 Box 3, 4
Series E. Personnel Records, 1947-1968 Box 5
Series F. Legal Documents, 1972 Box 5
Series G. Correspondence, 1967-1982 Box 5
Series H. Administrative Records, 1966 Box 5
Series I. Liquidation, 1980-1983 Box 5, 6
Sub-group II. Porcupine Company Records, ca. 1956-1967
Series A. Administrative Records, ca. 1956-1967 Box 5
Sub-group III. Williamson Brothers Inc. Records, n.d.
Series A. Administrative Records, n.d. Box 5
Sub-Group I. Williamson-Brooks Company Records, 1927, 1946-1984
Series A. Minutes, 1968-1982 Box 1
Series B. Stockholders Records, 1927, 1958-1982 Box 1
Series C. Leases, 1946-1982 Box 1, 2
Series D. Financial Records, 1952-1984 Box 3, 4
Series E. Personnel Records, 1947-1968 Box 5
Series F. Legal Documents, 1972 Box 5
Series G. Correspondence, 1967-1982 Box 5
Series H. Administrative Records, 1966 Box 5
Series I. Liquidation, 1980-1983 Box 5, 6
Sub-group II. Porcupine Company Records, ca. 1956-1967
Series A. Administrative Records, ca. 1956-1967 Box 5
Sub-group III. Williamson Brothers Inc. Records, n.d.
Series A. Administrative Records, n.d. Box 5
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