William Fairbairn and Sons: 1850 Description
Note: This is a sub-section of William Fairbairn and Sons
c1850 Mr. Love, in his "Hand Book," gives the following pleasing description of Messrs. Fairbairn's works:—
One of the principal establishments in Manchester, in these departments, is that belonging to Wm. Fairbairn, Esq., situate in Canal street, Great Ancoats street. To persons unacquainted with the nature of working in iron, an admission into these works affords, perhaps the most gratifying spectacle which the town can present of its manufactures in this metal. Consequently, almost every person of distinction visiting the town contrives to procure an introduction to the proprietor before leaving it.
In this establishment the heaviest description of machinery is manufactured, including steam-engines, water wheels, locomotive engines, and mill geering. There are from 550 to 600 hands employed in the various departments; and a walk through the extensive premises in which this great number of men are busily at work, affords a specimen of industry, and an example of practical science, which can scarcely be surpassed.
In every direction of the works the utmost system prevails, and each mechanic appears to have his peculiar description of work assigned, with the utmost economical sub-division of labour. All is activity, yet without confusion. Smiths, strikers, moulders, millwrights, mechanics, boiler makers, pattern makers, appear to attend to their respective employments with as much regularity as the working of the machinery they assist to construct.
In one department mechanics are employed in building steam-engines — those mighty machines which have augmented so immensely the manufacturing interests of Great Britain. All sizes and dimensions are frequently under hand, from the diminutive size of 8 horses' power, to the enormous magnitude of 400 horses' power. One of these latter size contains the vast amount of 200 tons or upwards of metal, and is worth, in round numbers, from £5,000 to £6,000.
The process of casting metal is conducted here on a very large scale. Castings of 12 tons weight are by no means uncommon the beam of a 300 horses' power steam-engine weighs that amount. Fly-wheels for engines, and water-wheels, though not east entire, are immense specimens of heavy castings. A fly-wheel, for an engine of 100 horses' power, measures in diameter 26 feet, and weighs about 35 tons. In this establishment some of the largest water-wheels ever manufactured, and the heaviest mill geering, have been constructed; one water-wheel, for instance, measuring 62 feet in diameter. The average weekly consumption of metal in these works in the process of manufacturing, is 60 tons or upwards, or 3,120 tons annually.
The preparation of patterns — wood facsimiles of the castings — is a very costly process. Every piece of machinery, before it can be cast, must be constructed in wood; and these patterns, as they are termed, are made to form, in sand, the mould into which the liquid ore is poured. Fifty men are daily employed in making patterns. The patterns, which are part of the proprietor's stock in trade, are worth many thousand pounds. After being used, the most important are painted and varnished, and laid carefully aside in a dry room, to be ready for use when machines may accidentally get broken, or to aid in the construction of new ones. The patterns are made frequently of mahogany.
A most curious machine is employed for the purpose of planing iron; and, by means of its aid, iron shavings are stripped off a solid mass of metal, with apparently as much ease as if it were wood, and with the greatest regularity and exactness.
Nor the least interesting department of these works is that appropriated to boiler making. Boilers, for steam-engines, are composed of a number of plates of wrought-iron, about 3-8ths of an inch in thickness. They are riveted together, with rivets about 3-4ths of an inch diameter, holes to receive which are punched through the plates by a powerful yet simple machine, with as much facility as if the resistance was only wood.
This extensive concern forwards its manufactures to all parts of the world. The stranger is told, on inquiry, that this article is for Calcutta, that for the West Indies; this for St. Petersburgh, that for New South Wales; and there are, besides, men belonging to it located in various parts of Europe, who are employed, under the direction of Mr. Fairbairn, in superintending the erection of work manufactured here. Many of the hands employed receive from £2 to £3 weekly wages, and scarcely any, except common labourers, receive less than 25s. per week. From these facts, some idea of the capital necessary to conduct a concern of this description may be imagined.
In addition to the above, Mr. Fairbairn has an establishment at Millwall, London, where upwards of 400 hands are employed in the manufacture of steam-engines, and in the building of iron steam-boats, and other vessels constructed of the same material.
In the Manchester establishment, Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Eaton Hodgkinson have conducted various important experiments, which have been published in the Transactions of the Manchester Philosophical Society, and in the Reports of the British Association.
See Also
Sources of Information
- 1853 Directory of Manchester and Salford page xxxiiv