In 1818 Thomas and Joseph Perry established an iron foundry in Reading.

In 1820 Thomas went bankrupt, leaving Joseph on his own until 1825, when he took George Barrett (1771-1825) as his partner. This new firm began to manufacture ploughs to meet a growing demand from the farmers of Berkshire for better, more scientifically designed ploughs.

Joseph Perry died in 1830; Barrett brought in his nephew, George Allom Barrett (1799-c.1871) and William Exall (1818-81) as partners.

In 1842 Charles Andrewes was brought into the partnership and the firm became Barrett, Exall and Andrewes.

George Barrett died in 1858; his memorial is made of cast iron.

In 1860 Produced internal combustion (gas) engines, designed in 1860 by Lenoir. In 1864 the company changed to a limited company, the Reading Iron Works Ltd. In 1888 the firm went into liquidation during the agricultural slump.

Information Sources

• 1852 Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society, page 73, in a section listing entrants to "The Cattle Show" at Dublin, 13-15 April 1852: "Patent Hand Thresher, invented and made by Barrett, Exall, and Andrews, Reading... Patent Gear, invented and made by Barnett, Exall, and Andrews, Reading."
• September 1861 The Farmer's Magazine, page 258, in an article on exhibits at the Leeds meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society.

  Barrett, Exall, and Andrewes, of Reading, Berkshire.—Registered reverse action haymaking machine... set of Lynes' patent lever harrows...invented by Thomas Lynes, of Malmsbury and improved and manufactured by the exhibitors...three horse power portable steam engines; eight horse power horizontal fixed steam engine...18-inch patent endless band saw and frame, price £18 (obtained the silver medal at Chelmsford, 1856); portable grinding mill...

• July 1865 The Farmer's Magazine, page 70, in an article on exhibitors at the International Agricultural Exhibition at Cologne. "The Reading Iron Works Company (Limited), late Barrett, Exall, and Andrewes—A small portable engine and thrashing machine, chaffcutters, oilcake breakers, and crushing mills."
• December 1873 The Farmer's Magazine, page 524, in a description of exhibition at that year's The Vienna Exhibition: "Messrs. Barrett, Exall, and Andrews, of Reading, exhibit several fixed and portable steam-engines of the first class, the value of which have been tested on former occasions."
• More history can be found at Grace’s Guide.