Hezekiah Hewitt

Patent holder for pen holder tip, no. 360,298 (29 March 1887)

used since June 1, 1884, is for the words "Ball-Pointed Pens" and "H. Hewitt's Patent". Also see US patent no. 295,395 and UK patent no. 429 from 1883 for the Hewitt nib, and the L&P thread that was cited earlier in this series

1869 saw the introduction of the ‘inventive genius’ Hezekiah Hewitt as a partner in to the company and Charles Leonardt came to Birmingham to join his father’s business.

D Leonardt & Co. Diedrich Leonardt founded the business in 1856. By 1867 he had entered into partnership with Catwinkle, the firm Leonardt & Catwinkle having a works in George Street. But by 1869 this firm had been dissolved and Leonardt had gone into partnership with Hewitt in Charlotte Street. Then, in 1880, Hewitt formed a partnership with both Diedrich and Charles Leonardt. This liaison survived until 1889, when Hezekiah Hewitt left to start his own business in Sparkbrook and (after all that!) the business reverted to its original name of D Leonardt & Co. The company was most noted for its patented nibs with hemispherical tips. In 1946 AAS Charles who, before the war had managed his father's pen making business, T Hessin & Co of Wheeleys Lane (off Broad Street), established the Highley Pen Co at Highley in Shropshire. In 1949 this business merged with D Leonardt & Co, and thereafter traded under that name. The company is still in business at Highley and still manufactures pen nibs and fountain pens.