I haven't a clue....
When it was gently pointed out to me that Speedias were not from Westley Richards, who are after all, a Birmingham firm, I did a bit more research, or rather I tried to...I got nowhere.
All we did discover was that WR Products seems to have operated out of a domestic three bedroom house in Shepherds Bush. The street has no commercial premises at all.
I think they must have been around for a while though, as Chavender has several early ones, I've seen images of others and there were at least two versions in mass production and the boxes indicate that there were four Marks, though I've onlty seen boxes saying Mark Two and Mark Four.
Westley Richards did make reels though, and to a very high standard.
They might have wanted to enter the cheaper end of the market incognito I guess, but then using the WR products is a bit too obvious.
I've yet to see Speedias in any catalogues....someone like Lee who carried so many products from other firms, and Allcocks too after the Noris shakespeare buy-out...but not a mention.
It's all a bit of a mystery...if it wasn't Westley Richards....who on Earth was it.......?
A recent article on a blog:
http://talesbytheriverbank.wordpress.co ... e-part-ii/
And the site it links to...which is of course our own Chavender's:
http://centrepins.yuku.com/topic/406/WR ... -centrepin