W Ottway & Co Ltd

BiographyW.Ottway & Co., Ltd, Optical and Scientific Instrument Makers began in 1640 and was originally based at the Royal Exchange in London. The business made quadrants, theodolites and other scientific instruments but was destroyed by The Great Fire of 1666. The company relocated to various locations over the next century and broadened their output to also producing optical lanterns.

By 1900, the firm was based at the Tyndale Works in Islington, London and in 1897 came under the direction of William Close Ottway. William had previously worked with a wholesale opticians company, J.Hammersley & Co., and developed an interest in astronomy. With a fellow enthusiast, Andrew Common, William collaborated on the invention and development of numerous optical projects such as the construction of a 60" reflector telescope, gunsights and naval rangefinders.

William Ottway and Andrew Common continued their successful collaboration by occupying the same work site, 'Orion Works', in Ealing and producing gunsights for the military during the Boer War. After Common's death in 1903, William Ottway continued to expand the business to become one of the largest suppliers of sighting equipment to the Royal Navy.

The success of the company continued throughout WWI and continued to manufacture a range of optical products including mirrors, eyepieces, astronomical telescopes, naval telescopes, binoculars, surveying levels and other instruments. Military contracts continued, primarily for the Royal Navy, including telescopic gunsights.

By the 1940s, W.Ottway & Co. was the largest supplier of amateur astronomical equipment in Britain and continued to develop and produce a wide range of optical instruments. In 1961, under various corporate and manufacturing pressures, the company was sold Hilger and Watts.

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