The total percentage dividend payable on ordinary share capital (as compiled in Table 2 of Peter Jackson’s book [4, p. 245]) is plotted in blue for each financial year. No dividend was paid in 1903 and 1904 to allow profits to be re-invested in new plant, which repaid handsomely over the next few years. In contrast, after 1920 profits dwindled and there are no records of dividend payments after 1925.
Frank’s increasing involvement with establishing the University College of Swansea is indicated below the time axis from 1916 onwards, with his two periods as President after the Foundation on 19th July 1920 shown by the solid red line.
Business conditions worsened after 1920 as the post-war mini-boom ended. The trade press responded with promotional material and Frank contributed an upbeat article heralding modern developments and the promise of higher education [21]. W. Gilbertson & Co. Ltd. advertised their full range of products, including some long-established brands which had been manufactured for decades.
Lantern slide. Showing the Aswan. This photograph was taken by Sgt. Johnson of the 436 Welsh Field Company c. 1917. It formed part of a lecture which he gave. The notes from his lecture read 'Here we have a view of Assouan. In ancient remains Assuan is not very rich though such antiquities as are to be found here are of very consierable interest, only a fraction of the ancient buildings are still to be seen even in the ruins...There are new gardens in Assoun which are actually known to be blooming above the libraries of the past but in contemplating such catastrophies one can attach blame to no-one, except perhaps the archaeologist and the archaeologically interested public who failed to excavate these sites while there was yet time. The new buildings, the new roads these new gardens are healthy signs of modern progress which no sane person could wish to check and no man could hope to regulate.'
