British Acoustic Films @ Mitcheldean (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Monday, January 09, 2012, 15:19 (4705 days ago) @ Jefff

Searching the internet re the history of BAF has been harder than I anticipated. This is presumably partly because the prewar British film industry initially comprised a huge number of small firms within an ever-changing business of takeovers and merges, especially after the onset of "talkies" ie sound. British Acoustic Ltd was the major Sound element of the The Gaumont British Picture Corporation Limited, the UK's largest film company.
http://www.nigelo.plus.com/gaumont/index.html

I suspect as with many high-tech industries the combined national War effort relied heavily on the film industry and associated industries, this would have caused even faster changes of technology and company location, organisation & ownership.

As their name suggests British Acoustic Films were particularly noted for the sound technology, hence your father's involvement.

This helps relate BAF and Rank:

"Rank Precision Industries Division

Gaumont British had among its subsidiaries British Acoustic Films Ltd, which manufactured sound equipment for cinemas and also manufactured and marketed 8mm and 16mm projectors and cameras under arrangements with the Bell & Howell Company, a major American manufacturer of such goods. Taylor, Taylor & Hobson Ltd, a subsidiary of British Acoustic Films Ltd, was an internationally known company manufacturing precision measuring instruments and special-ised lenses. A further subsidiary of Gaumont British was Cinema-Television Ltd, trading as Cintel, engaged in the development and manufacture of electronic equipment, cathode-ray tubes and cinema largescreen television. Yet another subsidiary of Gaumont British was G.B-Kalee Ltd which among other activities marketed general cinema supplies. In 1947 British Optical & Precision Engineers Ltd was formed as a public company, and was subsequently re-named Rank Precision Industries Ltd. It acquired the businesses of British Acoustic Films Ltd and G.B-Kalee Ltd and at the same tune acquired the rest of the share capital of Taylor, Taylor & Hobson Ltd (i.e. that portion not already held by British Acoustic Films Ltd). At the same time it acquired control of the business of A. Kershaw & Sons Ltd (manufacturers of cinema projectors) and also became responsible for manufacturing and marketing internationally (excluding the American continent) a part of Bell & Howell's range of cameras and projectors."
http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1960_1969/fulltext/054c02.pdf

Also see this excellent site, always good if trying to trace old British company histories and brand names etc.
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/British_Acoustic_Films