Tasker's Engineering Co
of Sheffield
1839 John Tasker started in business making leather and rubber goods, in Pond Hill, Sheffield
c.1855 Moved to Devonshire Street
Introduced gutta-percha and india rubber to Sheffield
c.1866 took premises in Angel Street, Sheffield, supplying leather belting; also developed the engineering side of the business which expanded rapidly which expanded into Station Road.
1877 His Angel Street store became one of the first telephone exchanges in the provinces, the Sheffield Telephone Exchange but demand was slow to build up.
1878 Tasker, Sons and Co installed generating plant for electric lighting which was demonstrated to the public[1]
1888 The telephone exchange was incorporated as a limited company - the Sheffield Telephone Exchange and Electric Lighting Co Ltd
Installed private telephone exchanges for Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and Balmoral.
1892 The telephone exchange was acquired by the National Telephone Co; the generating station was incorporated as the Sheffield Electric Light and Power Co
Later purchased Portmahon Works in Sheffield where they produced grinding machines
1896 Dissolution of the Partnership between John Henry Royle Tasker and Frederick Tasker carrying on business as Engineers and Machinists at Sheaf-street in Sheffield under the style or firm of Tasker Sons and Company's Engineering Department. All debts due ... will be received and paid by the said John Henry Royle Tasker who will continue to carry on the said Engineering business at Sheaf-street in Sheffield under the style of Tasker's Engineering Company[2]
1898 Tasker's private electricity venture came to an end when Sheffield Corporation purchased the electricity undertaking.
Later the Portmahon Works were transferred to Lancashire.
1922 Produced a large armour-plate grinding machine for the Japanese Government, having a 120 HP Metropolitan-Vickers motor driving a 44 inch diameter inserted segment grinding wheel.[3]
1986 Taskers Engineering Co was put into liquidation[4]
The company is now called Taskers UK Ltd, hydraulic and lubrication engineers.
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Company history webpage
- Obituary: Sheffield Independent, January 29, 1895