E. M. Roche Novelty Company

Newark, New Jersey

Organized June 1st, 1896 with $2,000 in capital, Edward Melvin Roche of Bloomfield and Peter J. Luth of Orange, New Jersey together with George H Freer, of Brooklyn, New York incorporated the E. M. Roche Novelty Company, under the laws of New Jersey, for the purpose of manufacturing toy banks and other novelties.  Located at 38 Mechanic Street in Newark, they operated in the facility formerly occupied by the Troy Nickel Company. 

At about that same time a young inventor from New York City by the name of Swen Elias Swenson patented two articles; the first was a combination lock that was later assigned to the Roche Novelty Company, and the second was the Time Safe bank that they produced.

In May of 1898 an infusion of capital was required to keep the business operating.  Capital stock was increased to $10,000 and $9,844 was loaned by Herbert S. Simpson and Howard N. Simpson.  By July of that year a petition for receivership was filed by the creditors and granted.  The business continued to operate at the Mechanic Street location, but by 1900 had moved to 52 Lawrence Street.  This fresh start was not enough as on March 14th, 1901 the charter for the company was declared null and void due to the non-payment of taxes.

By 1902 there was no listing for either Edward M. Roche, or his company, in the Newark city Directory.