International Time Recording Company

As the world's largest manufacturer of time recorders, there were many varied models sold into the UK market. The history of the company is well documented on wikipedia, the IBM history/archive website and the IBM Hursley Park Museum website (for more detailed information please see the references given on the links page), so here is just a brief outline of the company's history:

ITR was formed in 1900 in New Jersey by George W Fairchild, who had previously joined the Bundy Manufacturing Company in 1896. It was set up as a selling agency for the Bundy Manufacturing Company (key recorders), the Standard Time Stamp Company (time stamps & card recorder), and the Willard and Frick Manufacturing Company (card recorder). In 1901 it acquired the Chicago Time Register Company (manufacturers of the first autograph recorder). These 4 companies were merged into one company 1902. In 1907 ITR acquired the Dey Time Register Company (dial recorders), and in 1908 also acquired the Syracuse Time Recording Company (dial recorders).

These acquisitions gave ITR a large portfolio of USA manufactured time recorder styles and models, many of which found their way into the UK. They were primarily distributed via the UK arm 'International Time Recording Company Ltd' formed in 1912 in London, subsequently with satellite sales and service branches in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Glasgow. Despite parent company name changes in the USA (CTR, IBM and Simplex), this trading name was kept in the UK up to 1977 when it changed to ITR International Time Ltd, eventually being bought out by Blick in 1982.