Children of Angelina Susannah and Edward Rashbrook

receiving order in bankruptcy: "Frederick James Rashbrook, residing at "Roqubrune," The Ridgeway, Chatham, in the county of Kent, builder, lately trading in partnership with another under the style or name of "Simmons & Rashbrook," at The Esplanade, Rochester aforesaid."

FIRM WITH £50,000 TURNOVER

Debtor Loses Partner Before Bankruptcy Proceedings.

BUILDING LOSSES.

The failure of a building firm, which in one year had a turnover of £50,000 was told at Rochester Bankruptcy Court on Monday. Appearing for his public examination was Frederick James Rashbrook, 59, of Roqubrine, The Ridgeway, Chatham.

Debtor, it was stated, had traded in partnership with William Edward Simmons as Simmons and Rashbrook, at the Esplanade, Rochester. The partner had died before the proceedings, and his administratrix had also filed a petition in bankruptcy. The two matters had been consolidated, and were being administered by one trustee.

Mr Rashbrook's statement of affairs showed contingent liabilities of £2,622/12/8. Assets were given as furniture worth £15, and there was a deficiency of £2,607/12/8. Debtor attributed his failure to bad management and heavy overhead expenses.

It was stated that the liabilities were all the liabilities of the former partnership, and credit had been given for the assets of the partnership, £399.

Debtor said he had nothing to do with the business side of the partnership's affairs. He was a journeyman carpenter in the Rochester district until 1919, when he went into partnership with Mr. Simmons and another man as haulage contractors in Gundulph-road, Chatham. Each put £100 into the partnership. After eighteen months the other man left and was paid £100.

Debtor and Mr. Simmons carried on, and began building. This was mainly the building of new houses under contracts, some for the partners' wives.

In 1933 the turnover was £35,700 and there was a deficit of capital of about £320. In 1934, with a turnover of £50,000, a capital of about £240 was shown, and in 1935 there were a turnover of £31,600 and a deficit of capital of £273. In 1936, with a turnover of £28,600, a net profit of £409 was made, but there was a deficit of capital of £330. Since then an increasing deficiency of capital had been shown, so that they had been insolvent for some years.

The Official Receiver (Mr. F.C. Wells): How was it you continued to carry on?

Debtor: I cannot tell you, as I only did the building.

Didn't you speak to your partner about it?—Yes, but he said everything would be all right.

"He kept finding the materials for the jobs to carry on," debtor added.

In 1937 there was a loss of £1,310 on a turnover of £28,700, and in 1938 a loss of £1,404 on a turnover of something like £26,000.

Debtor said he went into the matter with his partner as much as he could, but he had nothing to do with the office at all.

Contracts carried out for his wife at remunerative prices were fully paid, and one was overpaid. The house he was living in belonged to his wife.

His drawings from the business were £4/10/0 a week.

Replying to Mr. F.C. Sitant (for the debtor), debtor said he thought the profit "leaked out."

The examination was adjourned until October 23rd to permit of a private examination of Mrs. Simmons.

ROCHESTER BUILDER'S FAILURE

Public Examination in Bankruptcy Concluded.

Frederick James Rashbrook, of The Ridgeway, Chatham, a partner in the firm of Simmons and Rashbrook, builders, of the Esplanade, Rochester, attended a sitting of the Rochester Bankruptcy Court, on Monday, when his public examination was concluded.

William Edward Simmons, his partner, died last June, and Simmons' administratrix had filed a petition in bankruptcy.

In his statement of affairs, Rashbrook had shown partnership liabilities amounting to £2,622 12. 8d., and furniture valued at £15 as his only asset. When the public examination was opened last month he attributed the failure of the firm to bad management and overhead expenses.

On Monday, Rashbrook was asked only a few further questions by the Official Receiver (Mr. F.C. Wells), and by Mr. F.C. Stigan, for Mrs. Simmons.

He agreed that a large amount of the work done by the firm was to the order of Mrs. Rashbrook and Mrs. Simmons, and said that proper prices were paid for the work done.

He added that so far as he knew there was no reason why the business should not have yielded a reasonable profit.

Mr. C. Levick, of Maidstone, is trustee of the Estate.

In the Rochester County Court.                    In Bankruptcy.

No. 22 of 1939.

(Under Order for Consolidation of Proceedings.)

Re WILLIAM EDWARD SIMMONS, Deceased, Satis Cottage, Willis Avenue, Rochester, Kent, Builder and Contractor, and FREDERICK JAMES RASHBROOK, Roqubrune, The Ridgway, Chatham, Kent, Builder, lately trading in co-partnership under the name or style of Simmons and Rashbrook, at The Esplanade, Rochester, Kent.

NOTICE is hereby given that there being in the hands of the Trustee in the above Bankruptcy a surplus estimated at £78 2s. 7d. arising from the Separate Estate of Frederick James Rashbrook one of the bankrupts, and there being no separate creditors of such bankrupt, it is the intention of such Trustee, at the expiration of fourteen days from the appearance of this notice in the Gazette, to transfer such surplus to the credit of the Joint Estate in the said bankruptcy."

CHAS. LEVICK, West Borough Chambers,

Maidstone, Trustee.