The Carr Fastener Company was apparently related to the F. S. Carr Company of Massachusetts that existed in 1895 (if not before), named after Fred Spafford Carr (1874-1967). They opened an England branch in Stapleford in 1911, and a Canadian factory in 1920. In 1928 a merger saw the company renamed the United-Carr Fastener Company.
They have been located in South Australia since 1928, where they are still operating. Carr-Dot fasteners are now made by Mitchell & Cheesman, South Australian manufacturers since 1957.
In the past they supplied buttons, snap fasteners and other items for the Department of Defence.
Daily Commercial News and Shipping List (Sydney), 21st September 1928 page 5.
The Daily News (Perth), 10th May 1929 page 1.
News (Adelaide), 17th June 1940 page 5, Workers at the Carr Fastener premises in Royal Park, Adelaide.
News (Adelaide), 1st April 1942 p.3. was this real or a April Fool’s news item?
1943 advertising. From Grace’s Guide https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Carr_Fastener_Co
News (Adelaide), 2nd April 1951 page 6.
Museum Victoria #890886
They made fasteners for motor cars, as well as for clothing. Here is a (slightly blurry) picture from Museum Victoria’s collection of a sample card of fasteners c.1950:
Museum Victoria https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/230626894?sortby=dateAsc&q=%22Carr+Fastener+Co%22&c=picture&versionId=254111476
For more on snap fasteners; see https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/dating-clothes-by-snaps.75667/
https://www.workerscity.ca/carr-fastener-company
Detail from 1958 Tariff Report
Grippers
These were made under license in Australia by the Carr Fastner Co.
“Put away your needle and thread! Do without buttons and button-holes! These STRONGER, SIMPLER, FASTENERS are QUICK to put on, SPEEDY in action & LAST A LIFE-TIME OF LAUNDERING … DAD likes them … MOTHER needs them ... JUNIOR loves them … EVERYBODY wants them…”
These cousins (and superior competitors if you are to believe the advertising) of buttons were marketed in the Australia Women’s Weekly from 1950 to 1960.
