W. E. Berry Ltd (1888 - 2004)
Dates
- Existence: 1888 - 2004
Biography
The W.E. Berry Ltd printing company was founded by William Edward Berry in the early 1900s after taking over his father’s printing company and splitting with his business partner. The original company had been founded by William Berry in 1888 at 13 Currer Street in Bradford to print advertising posters. Business soon started to specialise in the railway and entertainment sector, specially the circus industry and over time became one of the most significant printers of entertainment posters in the UK.
In the 1920s the company started to print posters for the film industry after W.E. Berry met Fred Martin at Paramount Pictures. This developed into a lucrative partnership with Berry becoming one of only three companies in Britain to specialise in printing large format posters. Successive contracts with Disney and Columbia arrived, turning Berry into one of the leading producers and distributors of film posters in the UK. Some of the most famous posters include Star Wars (1977) and Flash Gordon (1980).
The mid of the twentieth century saw the production of Berry’s most beautiful and sought posters in the entertainment sector and the company continued experiencing success until the end of the late 1990s when it employed around 140 people, including Chief Illustrator Leon Crossley and a team of freelance commercial artists. However, by the early twentieth century Berry’s fortunes started to turn and after heavy financial losses the company went into administration in 2004, ceasing business on the 4th day of February that year.
Found in 110 Collections and/or Records:
Anglo-American Circus Poster, Friday 4 Saturday 5 May 1945
Billy Smart's Circus and Menagerie Poster, 18 - 28 March 1959
Billy Smart's Circus and Menagerie Poster, 26 October - 14 November 1959
Clapham Common. White and red type on blue and white background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus and Menagerie Poster, c1946 - 1999
Gloucester, The Oxleaze, 1-6 May. White, yellow and red type on blue and white background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus and Menagerie Poster, c1946 - 1999
Worcester, The Pitchcroft, 10-12 September. Plus Fairyland Fantasy. Yellow, white and blue type on dark blue, pink and white background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus and Menagerie Poster, c1946 - 1999
Clampham Common, 28 October to 23 November. White, yellow and red type on dark blue and white background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus and Menagerie Poster, c1946 - 1999
Porstmouth, Southsea Common, 27 July to 8 August. White, yellow and red type on dark blue and white background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus and Menagerie Poster, c1946 - 1999
Britain's largest circus. Produced by master showmen. White and yellow and red combined type on dark blue and red background with red and white border. Left blank to add location and date. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus plus Western Spectacle Poster, c1946 - 1999
Billy Smart's Circus plus Western Spectacle Poster, 5 - 10 August 1957
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Scarborough, Burniston Road Barracks Sports Field, 5 August to 10 August. Colour illustration of baby elephant on brown background, wearing a tutu and a pointy hat with a bauble stood up on two legs with its head turned towards the viewer and holding a yellow sign under his right leg reading The World's Greatest Circus, Thrills, Spectacle, Beauty. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Clapham Common, South Side, 28 October to 23 November. Colour illustration of baby elephant on brown background, wearing a tutu and a pointy hat with a bauble stood up on two legs with its head turned towards the viewer and holding a yellow sign under his right leg reading The World's Greatest Circus, Thrills, Spectacle, Beauty. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Leicester, Emerald Street Site, 15 April to 27 April. Colour illustration of baby elephant on brown background, wearing a tutu and a pointy hat with a bauble stood up on two legs with its head turned towards the viewer and holding a yellow sign under his right leg reading The World's Greatest Circus, Thrills, Spectacle, Beauty. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Clapham Common, South Side, open until 20 November. Colour illustration of baby elephant on blue background, wearing a pointy hat with a bauble and a green bowtie, seated on a circus platform in front of a small woman in circus band uniform wearing a tall red hat and black shorts, holding a poster with his trunk with the location and time of the circus, also yellow and white type. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Nesfield Printing Works Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Birmigham, Hay Mills, 18 March to 3 April. Colour illustration of elephant on blue background, wearing a pointy hat with a bauble and a green bowtie, seated on a circus platform in front of a small woman in circus band uniform wearing a tall red hat and black shorts, holding a poster with his trunk with the location and time of the circus, also yellow and white type. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Nesfield Printing Works Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 28 October - 23 November 1968
Clapham Common, South Side. Colour illustration of elephant wearing a tutu and a pointy hat with a bauble stood on a circus platform and a mouse dressed as an elephant trainer holding a whip on blue background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 10 - 12 June 1962
Stratford-on-Avon, Bishopton Field, Birmingham Road. Aerial fantasy, 20 elephants, The Fairyland story, U.S. Seventh Cavalry western show, polar bears, chimpanzees, camels plus over 150 other animals. Colour illustration of clown in green jacket and red trousers holding seven coloured ballons containing the circus acts over a black starry background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 27 October 1969
Clapham Common. Colour illustration of baby tiger playing a drum on a green background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 27 October 1969 for a short season
Clapham Common. Colour illustration of baby tiger playing a drum on a green starry background. Signed Thomas. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Bridlington, Sewerby Heads site, 12-17 August. Colour illustration of baby elephant stood on its back legs, wearing a tutu and a pointy hat with a bauble, resting its right front leg on a notice reading 'The World's Greatest Circus, thrils, spectacle, beauty' on a brown background, also yellow, blue and red type. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
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