J E Dallas & Sons History
J E Dallas & Sons was launched in 1922 to sell Jedson drums made by Premier. In 1925 supply was switched to AF Matthews. In 1935 the Jedson brand was retired and Dallas launched the Carlton King, Classic and Standard ranges produced in-house at Ridgemount Street in London before the war and at Clifton Street after. Early Carlton King snare drums and outfits were magnificent instruments, especially in their striking All Star finishes. Art Deco style lugs were released in 1938 and were centre-mounted on mostly metric pre-international shells. A single ended version of the Deco lug appeared but was only used on the mid-range Classic Tom-Toms as they were single-headed. It is a shame that they must have been too extravagant to use them on the top of the range King series.
In 1957 the Classic and Standard lines were re-named as the more American-sounding but dreadful President and Gigster range. New double-diamond lugs were designed but were still centre-mounted, and called Counter-Balanced. Finally, in 1963 single-ended lugs appeared and fitted off-set as they were too long for the shallow Tom-Toms.
Production of Carlton Drums stopped in 1967 after a merger with Ivor Arbiter paved the way for the new Hayman Drums in 1969. The first drums were mahogany and had George Hayman badges but after a year or so the mahogany and the 'George' were. Hayman kits proved popular but Dallas Drum production closed finally in 1975.
In 1957 the Classic and Standard lines were re-named as the more American-sounding but dreadful President and Gigster range. New double-diamond lugs were designed but were still centre-mounted, and called Counter-Balanced. Finally, in 1963 single-ended lugs appeared and fitted off-set as they were too long for the shallow Tom-Toms.
Production of Carlton Drums stopped in 1967 after a merger with Ivor Arbiter paved the way for the new Hayman Drums in 1969. The first drums were mahogany and had George Hayman badges but after a year or so the mahogany and the 'George' were. Hayman kits proved popular but Dallas Drum production closed finally in 1975.
Notable Dates
- 1856 John E. Dallas was born.
- 1873 He started to make banjos, with J. E. Brewster, in a small workshop in London's Oxford Street.
- 1875 He set up as a publisher and banjo maker at 415 Strand, from which address it is said he made banjos for the Moore and Burgess Minstrels and the Mohawk Minstrels. Dallas was a fine wood craftsman who fashioned some exceptionally high-class banjos and zither-banjos.
- 1893 By then, the demand for his instruments made it necessary for him to take over the entire premises at 415 Strand; enlarge his workshops; and employ men to make the large range of instruments he had put on the market. For some years he advertised that he personally tested every banjo and zither-banjo before it left his workshops. At the height of the banjo boom he was making banjos and zither-banjos for other firms and teachers.
- 1906 The three sons of John E. Dallas were rewarded for their work with the firm and were given directorships and the firm's title changed to John E. Dallas and Sons.
- 1914 In February, the firm moved to 202 High Holborn.
- 1920s By the late 1920s, instruments were being mass produced under the name "Jedson." Which was derived from his initials, "J.E.D", and "Sons".
- 1921 John E. Dallas died, and and in August of that year the firm became a private limited company. Soon the activities of the company had spread far beyond the fretted instruments and with it came growth.
- 1926 The firm moved to larger premises, at 6-10 Betterton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2, and started to lay the foundation for the large wholesale distribution of everything musical for which the firm is known today.
- 1929 British Industries Fair Adverts for 'New Gramophones' - various models. Musical merchandise and 'Jedson' instruments. Also Masterton Gramophones, Jedson Banjos, Drums and General Musical Merchandise. Publishers of Tutors for all Instruments. (Musical Section - Stand No. MM.8)
- 1937 The house of Dallas moved to Ridgmount Street. They later moved again - finally to Clifton Street, EC2.
- 1947 In June, John E. Dallas and Sons Ltd became a public company with an issued share capital of £500,000. With the outbreak of World War II (1939-1945), Dallas ceased to make banjos but, in 1947, started to produce inexpensive banjos in small quantities - sold by music shops throughout the country. These bear the "Jedson" trade mark but are not comparable with the pre-war instruments bearing the same name
- 1947 British Industries Fair Advert for 'Fine Range of Musical Products'. Manufacturers of "Carlton" Drums, Percussion Band Instruments, Fretted Instruments, Recorders, Brass and Wood-wind Instruments Mouthpieces, Musical Accessories, Strings for all Instruments. Musical Publications, Manuscript Books, Tipperary Flutes, Record Players. (Music and Radio Section - Olympia, Ground Floor, Stand No. C.1550)
- 1963 The Houghton works in Birmingham were closed down, and George Houghton set up workshops for the Dallas company at Bexleyheath, Kent. It was from there that most of the post-war banjos bearing the Dallas name were made. A whole range of Dallas Banjo Ukuleles were made bearing the name and autograph of George Formby
Hayman Drums
Hayman Drums started production in late 1968 when Ivor Arbiter struck a deal with John E. Dallas & Sons, to take over their historic Carlton line of drums.
Dallas was established in London in 1875 and by the 1920’s they were selling drums under the Jedson brand actually made by Premier.
Carlton Drums were launched in November 1935 and by the 1950’s the three lines produced were the top line Carlton range, the semi-pro President drums and the entry level Gigster.
By the late 60’s, Carlton Drums were suffering from a perception of being a “dance-band” kit and according to Ivor Arbiter were “losing a fortune”. Ivor no longer had the UK Ludwig dealership rights and wanted to turn the Carlton factory into a modern drum making facility and manufacture British drums similar to the older Ludwigs.
One of the Carlton shell makers called George Hayman developed the “Vibrasonic” lining to improve the resonance and projection. Five coats of polyurethane were far superior to Ludwig’s white “Resocote” and others of the time. The turret lugs were inspired by the distinctive look of the George Way, later Camco Drums of the 50’s and early 60’s and were originally made by hand, later lugs were cast and were considerably lighter. Original shells were thin 3 ply mahogany with reinforcement rings before changing to birch shells.
The original kits were ready in April 1968 and were first delivered to stores the following September. The drums were officially launched in February 1969 and exhibited at the London trade show in August 1969. Initially marketed as “George Hayman”, this was later shortened to Hayman.
Hayman Drums with their fresh, modern look took the drum market by storm, but the Dallas-Arbiter relationship did not last and shortly after Ivor left to develop his Arbiter Autotune range, production stopped in 1975. Lou Dias of Supreme Drums in London took the last of the kits along with much of the hardware left at the factory and provided an invaluable source of spares for Hayman players for many years.