Peter Spence and Sons

1882.

May 1933.

May 1933.

1947.

1949.

Peter Spence of Pendleton Alum Works, Salford (1882), of Newton Heath (Miles Platting), and of Goole Alum Works

Later of National Buildings, St. Mary's Parsonage, Manchester, 3. Telephone: Manchester Blackfriars 3521-3. Cables: "Alum, Manchester"

1845 Peter Spence took out a patent on the alum process that he had accidentally discovered.

Moved to Manchester to access cheaper supplies of fuel; established works at Pendleton; further patent in 1850. Soon became the leading manufacturer of alum.

1856 Dissolution of the Partnership between Peter Spence and Henry Dixon, in the business of Alum Manufacturers, carried on at Pendleton, near Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, and also at Goole, in the county of York, and elsewhere. All debts due and owing to and from the said late firm will be received and paid by the said Peter Spence by whom the business will hereafter be carried on.

1857 Lawsuit on nuisance caused by emissions resulted in moving the works away from Pendleton. The factory had been emitting toxic waste products such as hydrogen sulphide and sulphuric acid. The Manchester photographers James Mudd and his brother Robert Mudd were commissioned to take photographs as evidence. The Mudd photographs highlighted the outline of trees stripped of their foliage, while the chimneys of the Alum works lurked in the background. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on the charge of the Pendleton Alum Works causing a nuisance, but declared as not proven the charge that the nuisance was injurious to health. The Pendleton works were closed down, and the business removed to Newton Heath (Miles Platting).

1870 Patent No. 1949: 'Improvements in the treating of sewage and in obtaining manures or fertilizing substances therefrom'. Copy of patent here

Established branch works in Birmingham and Goole.

1883 After the death of Peter Spence, the successor company was Peter Spence & Sons.

Frank Spence became chairman.

1887 A. G. Kurtz and Co won an action against P. Spence and Sons of Manchester restraining the latter from making threats about a patent relating to fixing colours on cloth and paper which both parties claimed to have originated.

1890 'THE SHIP CANAL AND PURIFICATION OF SEWAGE. In view the approaching completion of the Manchester Ship Canal the Corporation of Salford are taking some interest in the matter of purifying their sewage, and demonstrations of various processes have been seen in operation. At their works at Weaste there is in demonstration at present the process of sewage purification which is brought forward by Messrs. Peter Spence and Sons, of this city. This method is one, not of filtration, but of precipitation, by means of patent product of their own called " alumno-ferric." The sewage as received has a regular supply of this chemical added to it. In this case it is put into the sewage which comes from Pendleton in sufficient quantity for the whole being carried to the point where the rest of the sewage mingles with it. Afterwards lime is added, but this is not a "sine qua non " of the method. The process consists essentially of the alumno-ferric. At Weaste the quantity of material dealt with is from eight to ten million gallons per hours, and the purification occupies about seven hours. At the end of that time the result is remarkably clean-looking water. It is claimed for the method that this water is entirely free from smell, practically colourless, and not liable afterwards to become putrescent. With regard to its particular application to Salford sewage, it is considered that this process is the only one which will suit the tanks as they are at present, and that any other will require serious structural alterations involving a large expenditure of money. Now that the works are completed it is a question rather of chemical management than of engineering. Some of the members of these authorities saw the system at work yesterday at Weaste, and to-day members of the Salford Corporation will inspect it.'

1892 'THE CHIMNEY DISASTER AT GOOLE. INQUEST AND VERDICT The inquiry into the causes of the disaster at Goole Alum Works on the 21st October, at which by the falling of a chimney stack two men lost their lives and others were injured, was resumed at the Goole Court-house yesterday afternoon, before Major Arundel, coroner, Mr. Kershaw, barrister, Manchester, instructed by Mr. W. Everatt, solicitor, Goole, appeared for Messrs. Peter Spence and Co. , the proprietors of the works ; Mr. Wintringham Cuffs, of Goole, represented the relatives of the two deceased men, Hebron and Nicholls ; and Mr. Rideal, of Manchester, appeared for Mr. Bidder, the contractor, whose men were engaged in straightening the chimney at the time of the disaster. Mr. Beaumont, Inspector of Factories, and Mr. Peter Spence were also present. Further evidence having been called, the Coroner briefly summed up and the jury after an absence of eighty minutes found a verdict of accidental death. It was announced that Messrs. Spence had arranged to make every provision so far as the families of the deceased are concerned. We understand that fears are entertained as to the recovery of another of the injured men now lying at the Cottage Hospital.'

1901 Incorporated as a Private Limited Company in 1901.

1901 (April): 'THE ACCIDENT AT THE MANCHESTER WORKS. INQUEST AND VERDICT.
The inquest on the body of Matthew Jackson, who was scalded at Messrs. Peter Spence and Son's alum works, Holland-street, on Saturday, was held Mr. J. L. Aitken, deputy city coroner, this afternoon.
The body was identified by William Johnson, deceased's browner.
Mr. Frank Spence, chairman of the firm, said the deceased was boiling alum solution when the accident occurred. The alum was heated to about 222 Fahrenheit. Witness, describing the process, said the alum was run off into casks, where it stood for a week, after which was sufficiently solid to be released. The deceased's duty was to take away the block or cask from the alum after it had stood so long and the casks were numbered as there would be no mistake as to the proper one to release, and to prevent it being released before the proper time. Had the block or cask, continued witness, been numbered rightly the accident would not have occurred. The particular block which caused the accident had only been filled on the previous Wednesday. The remarkable thing about it was that the alum stood intact for fifteen minutes after the staves of the block had been removed. It was then that it burst and injured the three men. The witness added that these were the only people who witnessed the accident, so far as he knew.
John Henry Percival, a fellow workman of the deceased's, said he did not know how the deceased, an experienced workman, came to remove the staves from a block which was only three days' old. They made 18 blocks each week, and they had completed the eighteen prior to the accident.
James Blair, another employe at the works, stated in answer to questions that Jackson was with him when he filled the block last Wednesday. The staves should not have been taken off before a week hence. The Coroner remarked that someone ought to see that the blocks were marked. If this particular one had been so marked the accident would probably never have happened.
A verdict of accidental death was returned.'

1901 (August): 'ALARMING EXPLOSION AT NEWTON. THREE MEN INJURED.
An alarming explosion occurred this afternoon at Messrs. Peter Spence and Son's alum works, Holland-street. Shortly after returning from dinner at two o'clock the employes in the finishing room were startled to hear a loud noise. It was found that large alum block had exploded, and had scalded three men named T. Brooks, Armitage, and T. Walker. They were immediately taken to the Ancoats Hospital, where they were treated, and one was found to be suffering so severely that he was detained. The other two were found to be in a condition to enable them to be taken home. A similar accident happened some time ago, and was the cause of the death of a man.
LIST OF THE INJURED.
The following men were taken to Ancoats Hospital imnediately after the accident: Thomas Brooks, 29 years of age, Paddock-street, Ardwick, suffering from chemical burns to the legs and forearm. Detained as in-patient. Thomas Armitage, 42 years of age, George-street, Ancoats, and Thomas Walker, 32 years of age, Albion-street, Miles Platting, suffering in much the same way. They were treated and sent home.
Inquiries at Messrs. Spence's works this afternoon as to the cause of the accident was met with a point blank refusal to afford any information.'

1914 Directors: David Spence, son of Peter Spence (Chairman), Howard Spence (Managing Director), Malcolm Spence, Kenneth Spence, James Beam, Alfred Sheppard.

1934 Patent Application - Improvements in or relating to preparations for agricultural or horticultural pest control and the manufacture thereof.

1947 British Industries Fair Advert for Chemicals used in: Dyeing; Tanning; Paper Sizing; Water Softening; Textiles and Leather; Cosmetics; Pharmacy; Printing Inks; Rubber; etc., etc. Manufacturers of Alum, Aluminium Sulphate, Aluminoferric, Activated Alumina, Pharmaceutical Alumina, Precipitated Aluminas, Silica Commercial, Silica Precipitated, Calcium Carbonate, Titanium Salts, Titanium Potassium Oxalate, Titanium Phosphoxolate, Titanium Tetra-chloride. (Chemicals Section - Olympia, Ground Floor, Stand No. A.1097)

Later part of Laporte Industries

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