Fullbridge Iron Works
1881 'YACHTING. THE EVOLUTION.
This is the appropriate name of a very strange-looking yacht which Messrs Bentall Brothers are building at Fullbridge, Maldon, for Mr E. H. Bentall, who, it will be recollected, designed and built the Jullanar. The Evolution, it will be seen, belongs to the Jullanar family ; but whilst Mr Bentall had the professional assistance of Mr John Harvey in "arranging the centres" of Jullanar, he has had no such aid in designing Evolution. .... The Evolution is being built in the most careful manner at the engineering works of Messrs Bentall Brothers (sons of Mr E. H. Bentall), and the ironwork and various castings are of the highest finish, and some of them very ingenius in design'.[1]
1884 Sale report [2]: 'MALDON. FULLBRIDGE IRON WORKS OFFERED FOR SALE.
A large company assembled at the King’s Head Hotel, Maldon, on Tuesday, when the extensive premises at Fullbridge, the property of Messrs. Bentall Bros., were offered for sale by auction, the proprietors having "declined the business." Some years ago Messrs. Bentall Bros, bought tho premises, then consisting of the wharf facing the river Blackwater on its northeast side, next the bridge, with the dwelling-house, sawmill, two warehouses, large yard, and gardens, the whole covering about an acre and half. The price given for the premises was £3,325. With the intention of promoting a general engineering business, the new proprietors erected a large factory, 84ft. by 34 ft., with three floors, in a most substantial manner, sank an artesian well, 130 ft. deep, within the building, and constructed an iron tank of 1,200 gals. capacity, on the top of the set-off alongside the main chimney, and also a loading jetty. Machinery and tools of the most modern and expensive character were provided.
Mr. H. Sherley Price, of the firm of Messrs. Wheatley, Kirk, Price, and Goulty, mechanical auctioneers, London and Manchester, was the auctioneer on Tuesday, and submitted the whole of the premises, together with the 16-horse nominal high-pressure and expansion engine by Catchpool, Stannard, and Stanford in one lot. The sale of machinery and fittings was reserved for the two following days. Among the company were Messrs. A. Bentall, E. E. Bentall, J. O. Parker. C. Freeman, F. Bird, C. Float, T. Lott, A. G. Sadd, C. Hicks, J. Carter, A. Self, J. Sadler, J. R. Ward, H. G. Warwicker, J. Witney, C. Blyth, James Rogers, W. R. Laver, W. Strutt, J. R. Smee, J. Adams, &c. The auctioneer gave a graphic description of the advantages of the property for manufacturing purposes, but failed to elicit a single bid, and the property was withdrawn.
'SALE OF THE MACHINERY.
On Wednesday and Thursday, March 12 and 13, Mr. Price offered the whole of the machinery, plant, and stores for sale on the premises. He was surrounded by a goodly number of machinists, brokers, iron dealers, and others, the following local firms being among those represented, viz. :— E. H. Bentall and Co., Heybridge (by Mr. Frank Bentall), the Maldon Iron Works Company, by Mr. Float; Mr. Bendall (Lawford), Catchpool, Stannard, and Stanford (Colchester). Christy and Norris (Chelmsford), Arc Electric Light Company (Chelmsford), by Mr. Crabb; Mr. Cottis (Epping), Hunt and Tawell (Earls Colne), E. R. and F. Turner (Ipswich), Mr. Jackson (Chelmsford), Whitmore and Benyen (Wickham Market). Messrs. Arthur and Ernest Bentall were present. All the machinery and tools, having been little used, are in good condition, and on average they fetched very satisfactory prices, in many cases within 20 or 25 per cent, of their cost. The following are some the most important lots sold on Wednesday with the prices obtained:- Lot 87, iron circular saw bench for 30in. saw, by A. Ransome and Co., £22; lot 12, bar iron saw, £33; lot 120, 10in. double-geared self-acting sliding, surfacing, and screw cutting lathe, and 16in. four-jawed chuck, £74; lot 181, ditto Muir and Co., £160 ; lot 134. 8in. ditto by Muir and Co., £102; lot 142, universal double-geared horizontal boring machine, by Collier and Co., £95 ; lot 152, screw cutting lathe, Shepherd, Hill, and Co., £44 5s. ; lot 156, 8-in. stroke self-acting geared slotting machine, £43; lot 166, 8-in. stroke self-acting double-geared shaping machine, Muir and Co., £B7 10s. lot 170, double-geared self-acting vertical drilling machine, Muir and Co., lot 174, 7-in. self-acting double-geared sliding, surfacing, and screw cutting lathe, by Muir and Co., £74; lot 181, double-geared self-acting wheel cutting machine, Craven Bros., £135; lot 191, vertical self-acting geared slot-drilling machine, Sharp, Stewart, and Co., £49.
The sale of machinery was continued on Thursday, the following being some the chief prices made:— Lot 276, special ungeared 7-in. screw-cutting lathe, by Whitworth, £30; lot 278, 8-in. stroke single-geared shaping machine, Muir and Co., £67; lot 281, self-acting planing machine, £40; lot 282. patent fly press, by Sir Joseph Whitworth and Co., £14; lot 285, double-geared milling machine, Bentall Bros., £33; lot 288, 7-in. self-acting double-geared sliding, surfacing, and screwcutting lathe, £28; lot 326, set of new internal and external gauges, Sir Joseph Whitworth and Co., £38; lot 351, ditto, Chatwin, £l9.'