William R. Dell and Son



26 Mark Lane, London, Flour mill and grain cleaning machinery
of 57, Mark Lane, London (1922)
c.1830 William Rawbonn Dell started his career as a miller in Colchester.
1844 Entered a partnership with Mr. George Artingstall, a wire weaver, at Messrs. George Artingstall and Co.
Dell invented a conical wheat brush machine for cleaning wheat. He was also interested in flour dressing machinery.
1856 Started his own business as a general mill furnisher at 72 Mark Lane, London.
1869 the firm of W. R. Dell & Son was formed when William Bleckly Dell was taken into partnership with his father.
1871 W. R. Dell retired
1872 W. B. Dell entered into a new partnership with John Fyfe Stewart, an engineer.
The firm was well known for the production of millstones and wheat cleaning machinery.
1873 Purchased their first engineering works, St. James’s Iron Works, Croydon - see W. R. Dell and Son.
1876 Needing larger premises the Reliance Iron Works were established.
1878 Exhibited a patent Victor double-brush scourer, an upright machine with circular concave or dish-shaped brushes. [1]
1880s Also acted as agents for foreign companies wanting to sell their milling machinery in Britain.
1888 Supplied machinery for cement plants (see advert)
1905 The firm had devoted themselves to the production of machinery for rice mills for many years, and a few years previously had purchased the patterns of the late firm of Whitmore and Binyon, who had supplied many large plants to Siam and the Far East (from catalogue "Rice Mill Machinery suitable for Large and Small Mills").
1906 Dissolution of the Partnership between William Bleckly Dell and John Fyfe Stewart, carrying on business as General Engineers, Millwrights and Mill Furnishers, at 26, Mark-lane, London, and Reliance Iron Works, Croydon, under the style or firm of W. R. DELL AND SON[2]
1922 Principals: R. Stewart and J. S. Witham. Specialities: Grinding and dressing machinery.
1938 Dealing in Schindler's silk cloth, of 30 Mark Lane (see advert).
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Mills Archive