GREAT WESTERN SOCIETY LIMITED

Active
Company number 00899248Private company limited by guaranteeIncorporated 1967

Key figures

£5,270,939+13.0%
Net assets 2025/26
+13.0%
Average annual growth 2024/25–2025/26
02 m4 m6 m2024/252025/26

† GREAT WESTERN SOCIETY LIMITED filed these accounts on paper, so Companies House publishes them only as a scanned image. The figures for the years marked † were read automatically from the scan and kept only where the statements add up (for example net assets equal total equity), but a reading error is still possible — check the original accounts at Companies House.

Ratios

2025/26

Sector comparison

SIC 91011

Where the company stands among the 238 active companies whose first SIC code is 91011 (Library activities).

Net assets£5,270,939
Higher than 95% · median £25,073
Total assets£5,479,634
Higher than 93% · median £54,655
Cash£1,157,999
Higher than 87% · median £39,901
Company age59.7 years
Older than 96% · median 14.5 years
Largest in this sector by net assets
  1. THE WORDSWORTH TRUST£21.5m
  2. TYNDALE HOUSE AND INSTITUTE£20.3m
  3. ROYAL PHILATELIC SOCIETY LONDON£16.9m
  4. THE POLISH INSTITUTE AND SIKORSKI MUSEUM£11.2m
  5. TRAMWAY MUSEUM SOCIETY(THE)£5.6m
  6. GREAT WESTERN SOCIETY LIMITED£5.3m
  7. UV&S LTD£5m
  8. LIBRARIES UNLIMITED SOUTH WEST£3.2m
  9. THE GERALD COKE HANDEL FOUNDATION£3m
  10. LISTENING BOOKS£2.4m

Positions are approximate. Figures come from each company's latest accounts; money and employee figures are compared only with companies that filed accounts in pounds for a period ending in the last two and a half years and are not dormant, so those groups are smaller than 238. The line on each bar marks the median.

Summary: GREAT WESTERN SOCIETY LIMITED

What kind of company is it?

GREAT WESTERN SOCIETY LIMITED is a private company limited by guarantee registered with Companies House under company number 00899248. It was incorporated on 27 Feb 1967. Its status is active. The registered office is in Oxfordshire (OX11). Its nature of business (SIC 2007) is library activities (91011), archives activities (91012), museums activities (91020), operation of historical sites and buildings and similar visitor attractions (91030).

How is the company doing financially?

The latest accounts in the database are for 2025/26 (period ending 31 Jan 2026); the company files group accounts. Turnover was £3,245,376. Net assets were £5,270,939, up 13% on the previous year. Cash at bank and in hand was £1,157,999. Total assets were £5,479,634 and total liabilities £208,695. Figures are available for 2 financial years (2024/25–2025/26).

How does it compare with similar companies?

Compared with 238 active companies whose first SIC code is 91011: By net assets it ranks higher than 95% of them (median £25,073). By total assets it ranks higher than 93% of them (median £54,655). By cash it ranks higher than 87% of them (median £39,901). It is older than 96% of them (median age 14.5 years).

What do public registers and reports show?

It is a registered charity (number 272616) with a latest reported income of £3.2m.

When are its next filings due?

The next accounts are due by 31 Oct 2027. The next confirmation statement is due by 1 Nov 2027.

Filed accounts2024/25–2025/26
2024/25 †2025/26 †
Turnover3,853,8453,245,376
Cash at bank and in hand1,308,0121,157,999
Total assets4,913,9235,479,634
Total liabilities249,729208,695
Net assets / total equity4,664,1945,270,939

A dash (—) means no accounts were filed for that year or the item is not in the accounts; 0 is a zero stated in the accounts. Small companies usually file only a balance sheet, so the profit and loss account is often missing.

Registers and licences

Registered charityNo. 272616
Registered with the Charity Commission
1 Feb 1977
Income, year to 31 Jan 2026
£3.2m
Spending
£2.6m

1) To preserve, restore and operate as a permanent public exhibition and museum, steam and other railway locomotives, rolling stock and equipment, both for historical and educational purposes, and2) To make available for public reference the history, equipment and operation all with reference to bo…

View on the register of charities

Sources: Charity Commission for England and Wales, Care Quality Commission, Home Office and HM Revenue & Customs, under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

History

3 events
  1. Financial year 2025/26 endedAccounts: turnover £3.2m, net assets £5.3m
  2. Financial year 2024/25 endedAccounts: turnover £3.9m, net assets £4.7m
  3. Company incorporatedPrivate company limited by guarantee

Dates as recorded at Companies House: incorporation, name changes, officer appointments and resignations, current persons with significant control, and the end of each financial year with figures in the database. Former persons with significant control are not listed.