Many grocers and greengrocers used locally-made scales. This set was used by Millard, a greengrocer in Staple Hill, to weigh fruit grown on a market garden in Coalpit Heath. The fruit was made into jam and sold in the local shops. Parnell & Sons began in Bristol as makers and suppliers of shop items such as scales, and developed into shopfitting, making wooden counters and display cabinets. From here it was an obvious move to branch out into building aeroplanes - in the days when aeroplanes had a wooden framework.