The encyclopedia · Strategy & Leadership · Strategic decision · 2026
W H Darby, insignia maker since 1886, filed for administrators — a sale saved 40 jobs
The 140-year-old Birmingham insignia maker could not source funding and filed notice to appoint administrators; a sale saved all 40 jobs.
W H Darby · 2026-02-24
What happened
W H Darby, a Birmingham Jewellery Quarter manufacturer of handmade insignia — jewels, medals, chains of office, lapel badges and cufflinks — filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators in February 2026. The company dated back to 1886 and described itself as 'proud to be British Manufacturers of handmade insignia'. It had employed 41 people in 2023.
The notice was filed through law firm Trowers & Hamlins, and Andrew Pear and Milan Vuceljic of Moorfields Advisory were appointed joint administrators. After exploring options to avoid insolvency, the administrators sold the business and its assets, saving all 40 jobs.
The administrators said the company was unable to source additional funding in its current form, and that the sale delivered the best result for all stakeholders while ensuring continuity of employment and of customers' orders that were in progress.
Why it happened
- A 140-year-old craft manufacturer had no way to source additional funding in its current form, leaving administration as the only option
- As a highly specialised maker of ceremonial and bespoke insignia, its custom work relied on a small, skilled workforce that could not easily absorb cost pressure
- The Jewellery Quarter manufacturer faced pressures common to heritage craft businesses: rising input and labour costs against a limited, niche customer base
The lesson
A heritage craft business that cannot raise funding to bridge a downturn has no buffer — selling the business whole keeps the craft and jobs alive, and the sooner, the more survive.
Aftermath
Moorfields secured a sale of W H Darby's business and assets, preserving all 40 jobs and continuity for in-progress customer orders. The Birminghammail and Professional Jeweller coverage confirmed the sale shortly after the notice was filed, keeping the 140-year-old insignia maker operating under new ownership.
Sources
- Birmingham Mail — Major Birmingham jewellery company at risk of collapse after 140 years (Feb 2026)
- Professional Jeweller — W H Darby and jobs saved as sale is secured (Mar 2026)
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