Owen's Patent Wheel, Tyre and Axle Co
of Phoenix Ironworks, Rotherham
Late W. Owen Railway Wheel, Tire and Axle Manufactory
Manufacturers of 'Owen's Patent Solid Wrought Iron Wheels' and also sole manufacturers of 'Arbel's Stamped Wrought Iron Wheels'.
1864 William Owen (1810-1881), the sole proprietor of the Phoenix Works, transferred the works to a limited liability company, of which he was appointed chairman and managing director, a position which he filled for eight or nine years.
1864 Owen's Patent Wheel Company registered[1]
1869 Advert for cast steel and iron solid weldless tyres. Late William Owen (of Rotherham).
1883 'Sale of Machinery at Rotherham. — Messrs. Wheatley, Kirk, Price, and Goulty, mechanical auctioneers, Queen Victoria street, London, offered for sale on Monday and Tuesday, by order of the trustees under the will of the late Mr. Wm. Owen, the Bessemer plant, steam hammers, lathes, drilling and planing machines, and other engineering plant, at the Phoenix Ironworks, Greasbro' road, Rotherham (Owen's Patent Wheel, Tyre, & Axle Co., Limited). In some cases machines were sold for scrap metal prices only ; for instance one of the lathes, on which at the last sale about a year ago there was a reserve of £140, was sold for £20. A 24-inch centre powerful double wheel lathe, by Sharp, Stewart, and Co., Limited, realised £100; but the most important lot was a pair of high-pressure horizontal engines, 30in. cylinders, 3ft. 9in. stroke, with fly wheels 15ft. in diameter, weighing 15 tons, specially designed by Sir Frederick Bramwell, C.E., and constructed by Messrs. Robinson and Son, Rochdale. These engines were bought by a South Wales firm. The contents of the wheel shed, three turning shops, boring and planing shops, forge, bossing shed, wheel forge, boiler shed, and tyre mill were sold; but the Bessemer plant (by Galloway and Sons), which had only been at work for two and a half years, did not find a customer.'[2]