UK company. They used to build their bikes in house and specialized in touring and trekking bikes as well as tandems. Not sure if they still produce their bikes in-house our outsource frame production to Asia....

http://www.dawescycles.com/

At 5'3", as already noted, you'll want to get to a good bike shop where they can fit you to a properly sized bike. My wife who is 5'2" rides a 49cm custom 700c Ritchey with a shortened top tube. Any smaller and she would have needed to switch to a 650c. I think Trek still produces WSD (Women Specific Design) bikes that have shortened top tubes, shorter cranks, and other geometry cranks that make them more proportionately correct for a women than a standard bike frame.