W. G. Coker

William George Coker
W. G. Coker & Co. of London started out as a Banjo making partnership between W. G. Coker and G. H. Young in the late 19th Century.

The Banjos they made were very heavy and solidly built with a short scale length of about 14 inches; so its likely they didn't start out as meaning to be Banjoleles?

They were fitted with Coker's own patent non-slip pegs and trademark, a large raised metal star fixed to the headstock with the name Coker punched in. Young eventually left, and the name of the firm was changed to W' G. Coker & Son with the address of 41 Melville Road, London, E.17.

No instruments were made after Coker's death in 1954