Charles Ross
of Heeley Bridge Works, London Road, Sheffield and Aizlewood Road Works, Sheffield.
Said to have been established 1865. [1]
1872 – “Ross and Horrocks – Manufacturers of every description of patent lever and portable weighing machines, cart and waggon machines. Works: Back of 12, Charles-Street, Sheffield.” [2]
Edward Horrocks was born in Stockport in about 1831. He came to Sheffield in about 1867 and was initially employed by William Donbavand, weighing machine maker of Moorhead. The 1871 census shows him as a weighing machine maker.
Charles Ross was born in 1841 in Nottingham, where he married Mary Ann Nix in 1862, shown at the time as a mechanic. The 1871 census shows him as a stay and corset maker in Union Street, and newspapers confirm this in 1867. It may be no coincidence that several of Horrocks' daughters were stay makers. When and how Ross and Horrocks came to be in business together has not emerged, but the 1865 date above is not consistent with what we know of the partners.
By Oct 1873 they had relocated to Heeley Bridge, Sheffield, (a site on London Road, on the north bank of the River Sheaf) but retained an office at 12 Charles Street.
1876 – “Ross and Horrocks. Makers of mortar and clay mills, weighing machines, waggon turntables, and general iron founders. Repairs contracted for annually. Heeley Bridge Works. Office: 12, Charles Street. Sheffield.” [3]
1879 – Ross and Horrocks, iron founders, and weighing machine and mortar mill manufacturers Heeley Bridge Works, London Road, Sheffield. The partners were Edward Horrocks, ironfounder and Charles Ross who is shown as additionally being a stay, corset, quilted skirt and crinoline manufacturer in Union Street. [4]
1879 – Partnership between Charles Ross and Edward Horrocks as machine makers and iron founders dissolved 22 Oct 1879. Business to be carried on by Charles Ross on his own account. [5] Edward Horrocks established his own business, in the same trade, at 81 Upper St Philip's Road. This was continued by his sons as E & J Horrocks.
1881 Census - Charles Ross iron founder employing 10 men and 3 boys.
1899 - Death of Charles Ross on 26 Nov 1899.[6] The firm was continued by his sons, Charles and George.
1901 - Charles Ross, manufacturers of weighing machines, 481 London Road, Sheffield. [7]
1911 - Charles Ross, manufacturers of weighbridges and weighing machines, Heeley Bridge Foundry, London Road, Sheffield. [8]
1912 - "Charles Ross, Ltd. (125,513) — This company has just been registered with a capital of £20,000 in £1 shares, to take over the business of engineers, manufacturers of scales, weighing machines and steam and pneumatic hammers, constructional steel and iron workers and merchants, dealers in steel joists and girders, etc., carried on by C. Ross and G. Ross at Heeley Bridge Foundry, Sheffield, and elsewhere, Charles Ross. The subscribers are; C. Ross, Cliffe House. Road, Sheffield, engineer, 1 share; G. Ross, Cliffe House, Chippinghouse Road, Sheffield, engineer, 1 share. Private company. The number directors is not to be less than two nor more than three; the first are C. Ross and G. Ross (both permanent). Qualification, £100. Remuneration of permanent directors, £400 each per annum." [9]
c1922 – the Weighing Machine Department was moved to Aizlewood Road, leaving the rest of the business at Heeley Bridge. [10]
1924 - new works built at Aizlewood Road, Sheffield for the manufacture of weighbridges. [11] The new works was on an undeveloped site, formerly the clay pit for the neighbouring brick works.
c1936 - weighing side of business merged with Ashworth, Son and Co of Dewsbury to form Ashworth Ross and Co. The structural side of the business remained with Charles Ross Ltd at Heeley Bridge. [12] Ashworth Ross vacated the Aizlewood Road site in 1937, it being taken over by F M Parkin (Sheffield) Ltd.
1938 - designed, fabricated and erected a new stand at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane ground.[13]
1940 - Charles Ross (the younger) died 15 Oct 1940 aged 64. Director of Charles Ross Limited, structural iron and steel engineers. (His brother George was managing director) [14]
1959 - George Ross died 9 Sep 1959 aged 76.
Charles Ross Limited continued to operate from Heeley Bridge until at least the 1970, mainly in structural steelwork.
1993 - Charles Ross Limited (Registered No. 125513). Trading name: Ross Steel Services. Receivers appointed 1st July 1993 [15]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1922 Who's Who In Engineering
- ↑ Advert in Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 29 Oct 1872
- ↑ Advert in Sheffield Independent - 5 Aug 1876
- ↑ White’s Directory of Sheffield 1879
- ↑ The London Gazette – 4 Nov 1879
- ↑ Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 27 Nov 1899
- ↑ White's Directory of Sheffield 1901
- ↑ White's Directory of Sheffield 1911
- ↑ Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 28 Nov 1912
- ↑ Phone Directory
- ↑ Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 30 Dec 1924
- ↑ Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 28 Dec 1939
- ↑ Sheffield Independent - 27 Aug 1938
- ↑ Probate records Sep 1941 and Yorkshire Post 13 Oct 1941
- ↑ The London Gazette 12 Jul 1993