A clear trend emerges from the records. Most of the staff in the book worked here for many years - a pattern which has continued today. Take, for example, Alice Edge, a kitchen maid who worked from December 1894 to August 1923 giving 29 years service and Elizabeth Hemming, who started work in March 1882 aged just 15. She retired in December 1934 aged 67 after 52 years with the company. Other people worked here for shorter periods. William Haynes, for example, arrived in December 1916 as Nigh…

In recent weeks SafeGuard valuers have arbitrated on valuations carried out by other professionals and assessed items on behalf of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, to give a second opinion on seized items. They have also been working closely with credit card companies trying to resolve disputes on behalf of their merchants, when the end customer feels an article has been mis-sold.

Despite vigorous campaigning from The Birmingham Assay Office this method has become enforceable but there is now considerable pressure to review it. Italy, France and Germany all voted in favour of the method but their trade representatives are now frantically working with the UK to try to have the method reviewed. A resolution was passed at the international CIBJO conference in May to this effect and a delegation of CIBJO members, including Michael Allchin visited Brussels in late June to …