These diaries cover the entire life and career of one of the most prominent figures in the British Army in the twentieth century and have been eagerly awaited by historians and enthusiasts alike. The extraordinary diaries of Lord Ironside were first targeted by Professor Sir Michael Howard when he created the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives back in 1964: after a remarkable 60 years, they are finally in the ownership of King’s College and the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives.

Arthur Byng Nelson, Head of the Art & Heritage Department at Sherrards, advised the Ironside family regarding these special papers and facilitated the transfer to the nation in lieu of inheritance tax for the benefit and study of the general public.

To commemorate this event King’s College London Archives and the Sir Michael Howard Centre for the History of War are hosting a talk on Tuesday 12^th March from 5:30 pm in the Archives Reading Room, at the Strand Building. At this gathering, esteemed speakers Professor Jonathan Fennell and Professor Andrew Stewart of King’s College London will delve into the significance of this collection for the study of the history of the world wars and beyond.

To sign up, click here and secure your place to celebrate the legacy of Field Marshal Lord Ironside and the invaluable contribution of his diaries to the understanding of military history.

To find out more about how we can help with your Art & Heritage matters, click here. 

The Sphering Group is a front-line player in flue and air care in Europe with a renowned expertise in design, manufacturing and distribution of innovative high-quality chimney and ventilation systems.

The Sphering Group wanted to expand its European presence with a location in the UK and targeted a competitor, SFL Ltd, previously part of the Stamm International Corp. who was the No. 2 manufacturer of flues and chimneys in the UK with well-established distribution in the USA and Far East.

Sherrards were introduced to Sphering Group via the London division of the French Chamber of Commerce and were quickly instructed to assist on the targeted acquisition of SFL.  

This was Sphering Group’s first targeted UK acquisition of a trading business, and the deal took almost two years to complete due to the cross jurisdictional nature and complexities in the company raised during the research phase and resulting in a complicated escrow fund held by J P Morgan on behalf of the parties and to cover against potential and significant risks of claims associated with the trading business. 

The acquisition was eventually successful and adds R&D capabilities and a sixth manufacturing plant to Sphering Group’s industrial capacities already operating in France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, and Poland. With the integration of SFL teams, the Group now employs 800 people across Europe.

 

To find out more, contact the Corporate team. 

 

 

Sherrards coordinated directly with Donlim and acted alongside a major law firm in China, as the transaction was subject to extensive negotiations, including requiring approval from the Chinese government. The transaction was completed in March 2023.

Donlim is headquartered in Shunde, Guangdon, China, and is a major manufacturer of home kitchen appliances and other electrical products, with over 28,000 staff and revenues of RMB 14.9 billion in 2021. Donlim wished to expand its portfolio of international brands by acquiring Morphy Richards, a well regarded British brand established in 1936, and for whom Donlim had been manufacturing products under contract for some time.  MRCA was, before the transaction, owned by Glen Dimplex, an Irish company, and has substantial operations in the UK in addition to other major markets in China, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Glen Dimplex retained the rights to the Morphy Richards brand in other key international markets. The transaction received significant press coverage in the UK and Ireland.

Following completion, Donlim has acquired a permanent presence in the UK and will use this as a platform to expand its consumer appliances offering in the UK market, as well as now having the benefit of an esteemed British brand to use in its operations overseas.

To find out more, contact James Crook.