Diamine Inks Limited
Corporate brand
UnclaimedDiamine is a historic British ink manufacturer founded in 1864 and based in Liverpool.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Diamine Inks Limited is a British ink manufacturer with roots extending back to 1864. The business was founded in London by Thomas Webster as T. Webster and Co. and established a manufacturing presence in Liverpool from 1868. Liverpool subsequently became the company’s principal base and remains central to its identity. The company is associated particularly with writing inks and is described as one of the last surviving writing-ink producers in Britain. The business developed through several nineteenth- and twentieth-century changes. Thomas Webster initially worked in partnership with John Dyas, but that partnership ended in 1874, after which Webster continued independently as T. Webster & Co. In 1880 the company introduced the Diamine ink name, which later became the principal identity associated with the business. By 1881 the operation was located at 11 and 13 Henry Street in Liverpool. Between 1901 and 1911 manufacturing moved to premises on Tariff Street, where the Diamine Works were later expanded in 1925. Diamine’s history also includes the acquisition of the assets of Polygon Manufacturing Company Limited in 1924. Polygon products continued to be produced, and the business maintained a London office at Diamine House on Middle Lane in Hornsey. This indicates that the company’s activities extended beyond a single ink label and included the continuation of acquired product lines. Family succession was important in the company’s early history. When Thomas Webster stepped down, his son Reginald Webster took control of the business. The company later became part of the M.B.F. Group. In 2005 its legal name changed from Diamine Inks Limited to Diamine-Speciality Inks Limited, although Diamine remained the historically recognizable name connected with the ink business. The available reference material does not provide reliable details on current ownership, management, revenue, official distribution channels, or a corporate website. It does, however, establish a long operating history in British ink production, a Liverpool manufacturing heritage, the Diamine name’s introduction in 1880, and continuity into the modern era. Its positioning is therefore best understood as that of a heritage British ink producer whose reputation is rooted in longevity, specialist manufacturing, and the preservation of domestic writing-ink production.
History
Diamine Inks Limited traces its origin to 1864, when Thomas Webster established T. Webster and Co. in London. The business expanded its presence to Liverpool in 1868, and Liverpool became the main center of production. Webster initially operated in partnership with John Dyas. That partnership was dissolved in 1874, after which Webster continued the business independently under the T. Webster & Co. name. A significant branding development occurred in 1880, when the business introduced a new ink called Diamine. The Diamine name eventually became the company’s best-known identity. By 1881 the company was operating from 11 and 13 Henry Street in Liverpool. The business continued to expand and, between 1901 and 1911, transferred production to new premises on Tariff Street. These facilities became known as the Diamine Works and were enlarged in 1925. The company broadened its business in 1924 by acquiring the assets of Polygon Manufacturing Company Limited, which had been based on Bonner Street in London. Polygon products continued to be manufactured after the acquisition. The company also retained a London presence through an office at Diamine House on Middle Lane, Hornsey. The acquisition demonstrates that the business managed multiple product identities and manufacturing activities rather than operating solely as a single-brand writing-ink producer. Thomas Webster was born in 1839 in Bootle, Lancashire. After he stepped down from the business, control passed to his son Reginald Webster. Reginald Webster was born in 1878 and became the next identifiable family leader of the company. The available historical account does not establish the precise dates of his management tenure or identify all later directors and proprietors. In a later phase the company became part of the M.B.F. Group. In 2005, its legal name changed from Diamine Inks Limited to Diamine-Speciality Inks Limited. The name change did not erase the historical association with Diamine, which remained the core name connected with the company’s ink-making tradition. Diamine is notable within British industrial history because it continued in ink production for more than a century and is described as one of the last surviving writing-ink producers in Britain. The documented history supports a picture of a specialist manufacturer shaped by family succession, geographic movement within England, product-brand development, acquisition of another manufacturer’s assets, and later group ownership. Publicly available reference material supplied for this entry does not provide enough evidence to describe current facilities, management, product specifications, distribution markets, financial performance, or recent corporate activity.
- 2005
Legal name changed
[1]Diamine Inks Limited changed its legal name to Diamine-Speciality Inks Limited.
- 1925
Diamine Works expanded
[1]The company’s Tariff Street works in Liverpool were extended.
- 1924
Polygon Manufacturing assets acquired
[1]The company acquired the assets of Polygon Manufacturing Company Limited and continued producing Polygon products.
- 1881
Liverpool premises established on Henry Street
[1]The business was based at 11 and 13 Henry Street in Liverpool.
- 1880
Diamine ink is introduced
[1]The business launched an ink bearing the Diamine name, which later became its principal brand identity.
- 1874
Webster partnership ends
[1]The partnership between Thomas Webster and John Dyas was dissolved, and Webster continued the business independently.
- 1868
Liverpool production begins
[1]The company established operations in Liverpool, which later became its principal manufacturing base.
- 1864
T. Webster and Co. is founded
[1]Thomas Webster founded the ink business in London under the name T. Webster and Co.
Products and positioning
A heritage British manufacturer focused on writing and specialty inks, distinguished by a manufacturing history dating to the nineteenth century and a long association with Liverpool.
Writing ink · 1880
Diamine ink
Introduced in 1880, Diamine ink became the signature product identity associated with the company. The available reference material identifies it as a writing ink but does not provide reliable detail on individual formulations, colors, packaging, or current availability.
Ink and specialty products
Polygon products
Following the 1924 acquisition of Polygon Manufacturing Company Limited’s assets, the business continued producing Polygon products. The supplied sources do not specify the full product range or its later status.
Brand decisions
2005
Change of legal name to Diamine-Speciality Inks LimitedStrategyBackground
The company operated after becoming part of the M.B.F. Group and later updated its legal name.
Action taken
Diamine Inks Limited changed its registered name to Diamine-Speciality Inks Limited.
Aftermath
The legal entity adopted a broader specialty-ink name, while Diamine remained the historic brand identity associated with the business.
1924
Acquisition of Polygon Manufacturing Company assetsM&ABackground
The company expanded its product and manufacturing activities by acquiring the assets of Polygon Manufacturing Company Limited in London.
Action taken
Diamine took over the assets and continued production of Polygon products while maintaining a London office.
Aftermath
The acquisition added another product identity to the business and extended its operations beyond its Liverpool manufacturing base.
Sources1 sources
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