8 6 6 ▁advert . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁Jos iah ▁Mason ' s ▁steel - pen ▁firm ▁came ▁together ▁with ▁W iley ▁& ▁Son , ▁pen ▁and ▁p enc il ▁case ▁mak ers , ▁and ▁James ▁Perry ▁& ▁Co ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁“ Per ry ▁& ▁Co ▁Ltd ”, ▁acqu iring ▁its ▁B irmingham ▁base ▁at ▁Lanc aster ▁Street ▁Works . ▁The ▁firm ▁also ▁began ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁steel ▁ch ains ▁and ▁access ories ▁for ▁b icy cles . ▁ ▁The ▁same ▁year ▁the ▁public ▁company ▁was ▁registered ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁January , ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁the ▁business es ▁of ▁Jos iah ▁Mason ▁and ▁A . ▁Sommer ville ▁and ▁Co , ▁manufact ur ers ▁of ▁pens ▁of ▁B irmingham . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁having ▁financial ▁problems ▁and ▁were ▁bought ▁by ▁James ▁William ▁Bay l iss , ▁part ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁Bay l iss - Th omas ▁car ▁making ▁company . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁Perry ▁& ▁Co ▁special ized ▁in ▁steel ▁pens ▁and ▁pen ▁hold ers , ▁cycle ▁ch ains , ▁free ▁whe els , ▁hub s , ▁b ells ▁and ▁cycle ▁access ories , ▁station ers ' ▁su nd ries , ▁gold ▁pens , ▁solit aires , ▁stud s , ▁sle e ve ▁links , ▁to b ac con ists ' ▁and ▁d rap ers ' ▁su nd ries ▁and ▁had ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁employees . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9