Reply To: Made in England, they say…
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There’s a bit more to it than uncertainty of a particular commodity’s origin.
Nowadays items sold in the UK and Europe are marked ‘CE’, which is a legal requirement and ensures free trade throughout the EU and the EEC.
Going back to the inter-war years (and earlier) there was a universal system of trade protection. Great Britain and the Empire at the time were anxious to preserve their commerce and lock out other countries with punitive import tariffs.
It was at various times termed ‘Imperial Preference’.
To be fair other countries did exactly the same thing in reverse.
This is why British products from that era are marked ‘British Made’ or ‘Made in England’; likewise products from the Empire were marked ‘Empire Made’.
It was difficult for American firms to sell into the UK and the Empire, hence in the woodworking tools’ trades, firms like Stanley opened up in Sheffield and Disston, for example established a factory in Canada, thereby originating their export products in the Empire, as Canada was in those days, and making them elligible for sale in Britain – this is one reason why there are so many Disston saws on UK Ebay, nowadays.
Nothing new under the sun, as it were and good old-fashioned Protectionism looks ready for a come-back ….. but, in a nutshell, that’s why products were so marked. Nothing to do with quality or the lack of it, more about where the thing came from and how much tax was paid.