Henry Browne and Son Ltd

Ze strony: Sestrel compass – Valence House (valencehousecollections.co.uk) dostęp. 26 VI 2021

Sestrel nautical ships compass. Made by Henry Browne and Son Ltd, of Barking, who made aviation and nautical compasses, clocks and dials. The company made compasses form, notably, Spitfires, Tigermoths and Concord. Henry Browne was born in Lewis, Sussex in 1842 and died in Barking in 1935. His company was a well respected English instrument maker that had been making and selling fine quality compasses, ship's clocks, inclinometers, sextants, and chandlery items for over 140 years. It started in a factory in Brightlingsea, Essex and moved to Barking in 1929. The Trade Mark brand Sestrel was used on all their equipment. Their “Dead Beat“ compass design is well dampened and serves to reduce oscillations. It is reported that this design compass was fitted to many Allied ships during WW II. The company went through a boom period in the 1970s but collapsed in the 1980s due to the popularity of cheaper plastic compasses over tradition brass ones. Over the more recent years, there has been a consolidation of British instrument makers and the firm of Henry Browne & Son has changed hands a number of times. At last count, it became part of Lillie & Gillie of London for what may be the second time.