A brief company history

Press, 10 June 1980, Page 11

A brief company history

Mr Sedley Wells, the managing director of Sedley Wells, Ltd, retired on March 31, 1976, leaving his son, Mr David Wells, to take over the family business, as well as its subsidiary, Wellard Industries. Mr Sedley Wells began his association with the piano trade in 1921 as an employee of the Bristol Piano Company in Christchurch. Seven years later he joined Robert Francis as a piano tuner before he found he had a flair for selling. In 1930 he moved to New Plymouth and took charge of the radio department of Hamilton Nimmo and Sons, Ltd. Mr Wells later moved to Wellington as sales manager of the same firm. In 1932 Corderey Wells, Ltd, was formed, selling radios. Mr Wells bought the Corderey family shares in 1939 and changed the name of the company to Sedley Wells, Ltd. During the Depression Mr Wells sold second-hand pianos. Later he bought Petersons Music Store which was eventually formed into a company as Sedley Wells Music Store, Ltd. He also formed Wellard Imports, a wholesale importing and manufacturing company. The name was changed to Wellard Industries New Zealand, Ltd, when it began manufacturing pianos. From radios and music the company branched out into the home appliance field and into television when that was introduced to New Zealand. It was a pioneer in the electronic organ business when these new instruments were first available in this country. Last Octobei- the Sedley Wells group was taken over by Wilson Neill, Ltd, the Dunedinbased wine and spirit merchant, home appliance marketer and game-meat exporter. Sedley Wells became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wilson Neill, but continues to trade under its own name as a separate entity. All management and staff continued to work in their previous positions. The decision to accept the take-over bid was made largely as a result of the increased merchandising opportunities it offered.