Willoughby Brothers: History by R. R. Laws
Note: This is a sub-section of Willoughby Brothers
WILLOUGHBYS 1844-1969[1]
The firm was formed in 1844 by William Willoughby in Rendle Street, Stonehouse; the 1852 Directory of Plymouth shows the firm of Willoughby and Murch, Adelaide Street. The partnership appears to have been dissolved by 1857 and became known as William Willoughby Central Foundry, Adelaide Street.
In the Directory of 1864 the title is given as Willoughby Bros., Rendle Street and in 1867 the address became Central Foundry, Central Street. Willoughby Bros, became a Limited Company with registered offices at Rendle Street, in 1890 with a capital of £30,000 issued in £10 shares. At this time they acquired Phoenix Foundry, Phoenix Street, (formerly Moir) whose premises were closed about 1900 to 1904. Work was being carried on at Millbay Docks. In 1915 a Receiver was appointed and the then company was dissolved, a new company being set up as Willoughby’s (Plymouth) Ltd.
Vessels were built for the Royal Mail Steamship Company, The Suez Canal Company, War Department, Customs and Excise, City of London; the Chain Ferries for Torpoint, Devonport and Saltash, Littlehampton and Felixstowe; together with the ferry at Hythe in Southampton Water and many local steamers used in the Tamar Valley excursion trade. Reference to this may be found in chapter five of “Industrial Archaeology of the Tamar Valley” by Frank Booker ...
1921/3 Ellacotts joined Willoughby’s during the first quarter of the century. By 1928 Willoughby’s had vacated the Ellacott site, on East Quay Millbay Docks.
1958 Bickle Engineers, their neighbours in Millbay Docks amalgamated with Willoughby’s.
1969 The firm finally closed down due to the expiry of their lease and to the exceedingly poor conditions of the graving dock on which the British Transport Dock Board was unwilling to spend at least £100,000 to keep it in use.
Thus ended a very fine company of Engineers, Shipbuilders and Founders, which had been in existence in the Westcountry for 125 years, whose reputation among shipowners had become well known and respected.
Today part of the Central Foundry buildings remain in Rendle Street, Stonehouse (used by Plymouth Outlet). Foundry buildings on opposite side of the road are now occupied by O.B.C. central heating company.
Existing examples of ‘Willoughby’ products:-
MANHOLE COVERS – Southside Street, eight covers, 24" diameter, raised 1" square studs in circular pattern; two lifting holes. Seven of covers have ‘Willoughby Plymouth Ltd’ in raised figures which dates them as after 1915; one opposite White Lane ‘Willoughby Bros. Plymouth 1913’ on it.
FISH MARKET – Built in 1896 in similar style to the G.W.R. stations, the cast iron pillars which hold the roof structure are hollow and are used as drains to carry away the water from the roof.
PHOENIX WHARF – Madeira Road (nr Barbican). The steps have a pattern of diamond shaped studs and similar holes with “Willoughby Bros. Ltd.” in raised lettering on each step. The pier was declared a free pier by Mayor Law in 1895.
LAMPOSTS – Numerous throughout the city. One in Sherwell Lane behind Sherwell Church. Tavistock Road is still lit by gas.
DECORATIVE RAILINGS – at No. 6 Molesworth Road, Millbridge, Plymouth.’
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ R R Laws, The Ironfounders of Plymouth, in Cynthia Gaskell Brown, ed, A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Plymouth and Millbrook, Plymouth City Museum, 1980, 49-50