Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

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Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 167,701 pages of information and 247,104 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

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'''David Brown Limited''' is a British engineering company, principally engaged in the manufacture of gears and gearboxes. Their major gear manufacturing plant was in Swan Lane, Lockwood, Huddersfield, adjacent to Lockwood railway station.
‎‎[[Image:Im091023OT-DB.jpg|thumb| Advertising sign. ]]
[[Image: ‎Im18800625E-Brown2.jpg|thumb|1880.]]


Founded in 1860 as a general manufacturing company, by 1873 David Brown had focused on gear systems.
[[Image:Im1905V100-p35a.jpg|thumb| 1905. Park gear cutting works. Tool room and cutter grinding department.]]
[[Image:Im1905V100-p35b.jpg|thumb| 1905. Park gear cutting works. Worm reduction and gear cutting department.]]
[[Image:Im1905V100-p35c.jpg|thumb| 1905. Spur gear cutting department.]]
[[Image:Im1905V100-p35d.jpg|thumb| 1905. Bevel wheel planing department. ]]
[[Image:Im1905V100-p38a.jpg|thumb| 1905. Spiral gear and rack cutting department.]]
[[Image:Im1905V100-p38b.jpg|thumb| 1905. Light turning department.]]
[[Image:Im1905V100-p38c.jpg|thumb| 1905. Raw hide pinion turning department.]]
[[Image:Im1905V100-p38d.jpg|thumb| 1905. Heavy turning department.]]
[[Image:Im19080912AJ-David.jpg|thumb| September 1908. ]]
[[Image:Im1909V107-p118a.jpg|thumb| 1909. Worm gear drive at a water works.]]
[[Image:Im1909V107-p118b.jpg|thumb| 1909.]]


* 1911 maker of machine tools like bevel-gear generators (David Brown and Sons)
[[Image:Im191012AE-Brown2.jpg|thumb| December 1910. ]]
[[Image:Im191102Cass-DB.jpg|thumb| February 1911. Gears. ]]
[[Image:Im191201AE-DavidBr.jpg|thumb| January 1912. ]]
[[Image:Im19121016ICE-Brown.jpg|thumb| October 1912. Worm gear. ]]
[[Image:Im19121113ICE-DB.jpg|thumb| November 1912. Worm gear. ]]
[[Image:Im19121127ICE-DB.jpg|thumb| November 1912. Worm gear. ]]
[[Image:ImAEYB1913-00013.jpg|thumb| 1913.]]
[[image:Im1913Eing-DB.jpg|thumb| 1913. ]]
[[image:Im1913Eing-DB2.jpg|thumb| 1913. ]]
[[image:Im1913Eing-p499.jpg|thumb| 1913. ]]
[[Image:Im1913Autocar-DavidBrown.jpg|thumb| 1913.]]
[[Image:Im1913EnV116-p464b.jpg|thumb| 1913. ]]
[[Image:Im1913EnV116-p464a.jpg|thumb| 1913. ]]
[[Image:Im1913EnV116-p464c.jpg|thumb| 1913. ]]
[[Image:Im1913EnV116-p498.jpg|thumb| 1913. ]]
[[image:Im1918MWYB-Brown2.jpg|thumb| 1918. ]]
[[image:Im1918MWYB-Brown5.jpg|thumb| 1918. ]]
[[Image:1918DavidBrownSons.jpg|thumb| 1918. ]]
[[Image:Im1919Auto-DavidBrown.jpg|thumb| 1919. ]]


* 1913 April. Advert for Worm Gear. Listed as David Brown and Sons
[[Image:Im192001AE-DB.jpg|thumb| January 1920. ]]
[[image:Im1920EnV130-p302a.jpg|thumb| 1920. ]]
[[image:Im1920EnV130-p228a.jpg|thumb| 1920. ]]
[[image:Im1920EnV130-p228b.jpg|thumb| 1920. ]]
[[Image:Im19200127Com-DBS.jpg|thumb| January 1920. ]]
[[Image:Im19200103A-Duck.jpg|thumb| January 1920. ]]
[[Image:Im19200117A-DBS.jpg|thumb| January 1920. ]]
[[Image:Im1921Eng-Brown.jpg|thumb| 1921. ]]
[[image:Im19261111AE-David2.jpg|thumb| November 1926. ]]


* 1917 Advert for Double Helical Gears and Carburiser. (David Brown and Sons of Park Works, Lockwood, Huddersfield)
[[Image:Im19300509ERBT-DB.jpg|thumb| May 1930. ]]
[[Image:Im193308AE-DB.jpg|thumb| August 1933. ]]
[[image:Im1935v160-p66.jpg|thumb| 1935. Park Works.]]
[[image:Im1935v160-p68a.jpg|thumb| 1935. Park Works.]]
[[Image:Im1937Eng-Brown-2.jpg|thumb| 1937. ]]
[[Image:Im1937Eng-Brown-4.jpg|thumb| 1937. ]]
[[image:Im19391207FL-DavidBrown.jpg |thumb| Dec 1939.]]


* 1919 Advert for Double Helical Gears and Carburiser. (David Brown and Sons of Park Works, Lockwood, Huddersfield)
[[image:Im20160208RB-DavidBrown1.jpg |thumb| c1940s. Factory ID Card.]]
[[image:Im20160208RB-DavidBrown2.jpg |thumb| c1940s. Factory ID Card detail.]]
[[Image:Metals-DavidBrown-1941-1.jpeg|thumb| 1941. ]]
[[image:Im1943MWYB-Brow.jpg|thumb| 1943. ]]
[[image:ImAE19431104-RobReamer.jpg |thumb| November 1943.]]
[[image:Im19450816FL-DavidBr.jpg |thumb| August 1945.]]
[[image:Im194510AE-DavidBrown.jpg|thumb| October 1945.]]
[[image:Im194704AE-DavidBrown.jpg|thumb| April 1947.]]
[[image:Im194801AE-DavidBrown.jpg|thumb| January 1948.]]
[[image:Im194804AE-DavidBrown.jpg|thumb| April 1948.]]
[[image:Im1948v186-p003a.jpg|thumb| 1948. Park Works.]]
[[image:Im1948v186-p068.jpg|thumb| 1948.]]
[[image:Im1948v186-p080.jpg|thumb| 1948. Penistone.]]
[[Image:Im1948MotSC-DavidB.jpg|thumb| 1948. ]]


* 1920 September. Exhibited at the Machine Tool and Engineering Exhibition at Olympia with a worm miller, worm grinder and a worm wheel generator. (David Brown and Sons)
[[Image:Im1950BIF4-DavidB.jpg|thumb| 1950. ]]
[[Image:Im1951MWYB-DB.jpg|thumb| 1951. ]]
[[image:Im195202AE-DavidBrown.jpg|thumb| February 1952.]]
[[Image:Im19530620ILN-DB.jpg|thumb| June 1953. ]]
[[Image:Im1953MotSC-DB.jpg|thumb| October 1953. ]]
[[image:Im1954CMS-Brown.jpg|thumb| September 1954. ]]
[[image:Im1957v203-p922cca.jpg |thumb| 1957. ]]
[[image:Im1957v203-p584c.jpg |thumb| 1957. ]]
[[image:Im1957v203-p548aa.jpg |thumb| 1957. Winder Drives. ]]
[[Image:Im195703PWE-DB.jpg|thumb| March 1957. Roloid gear pumps. ]]
[[Image:Imv208-p777a.jpg ‎|thumb|1959. '''Super-Hurricane''' silage and green feeding machine.]]


* 1945 Advert for precision spur and helical gear hobs. (David Brown and Sons0
[[Image:Im1960MWYB-BrownD.jpg|thumb| 1960. ]]
[[image:Im1960v210-p128cc.jpg|thumb| 1960. ]]
[[image:Im196010MotSC-DavidBrown.jpg |thumb| Oct 1960. ]]
[[image:Im196210MotSC-DavidBrown.jpg |thumb| Oct  1962. ]]
[[image:Im20110709Sed-DB1.jpg|thumb| ]]
[[image:Im20110709Sed-DB2.jpg|thumb| ]]


* In 1947, the company acquired [[Aston Martin]] and in 1948, [[Lagonda]]. The David Brown investment led to the DB series of Aston Martins.
[[Image:Im20110923IF-DB1.jpg|thumb| Exhibit at [[Internal Fire Museum of Power]]. ]]
[[Image:Im20110923IF-DB2.jpg|thumb| Exhibit at [[Internal Fire Museum of Power]]. (Detail). ]]


* Both car companies were sold in 1972 to Company Developments Limited Aston Martin then in financial trouble for a nominal £100.
'''David Brown and Sons''' of Swan Lane, Lockwood, Huddersfield, an engineering company, principally engaged in the manufacture of gears and gearboxes. Maker of '''Valveless''' car, tractors and, later, sports cars.


* In 1990, the family disposed of its stake to its management who floated the group as a public company in 1993. David Brown was acquired by Textron Inc. in October 1998.
'''Chapters
* [[David Brown: Cars]]
* [[David Brown: Tractors]]


* The company, trading as '''David Brown Engineering Ltd''', headquartered in Huddersfield, is now a leading supplier of heavy transmission systems for industrial, defence and marine applications.
'''General <br>
1860 Company founded by [[David Brown]] as a pattern-making concern specializing in gearwheel patterns for cast gears.  


1868 Advert. 'WANTED, an APPRENTICE to the PATTERN MAKING Business: one that has been in the wood trade preferred. Apply to David Brown, pattern maker. Chapel-hill.'<ref>Huddersfield Chronicle - Saturday 22 February 1868</ref>


===Tractors===
By 1873 David Brown had focused on gear systems with machine-cut teeth, of which the firm was one of the pioneers
David Brown were one of the greats in tractor production, with a major manufacturing plant at Meltham Mills, Meltham West Yorkshire England. Breaking new ground where others were only to follow later, but being a pioneering company ultimately lead to their downfall.


*  David Brown joined with [[Harry Ferguson]] to produce the [[Ferguson Brown]] Tractor.  The tractor was built at Park Gear Works, Huddersfield initially and later at the Meltham Mills factory.
1880 Trading from Chapel Hill, Huddersfield. (See advert)


*  The tractor was powered by a four-cylinder engine with the first 500 having a Coventry Climax Type E engine and the other 1350 having a 2010 cc David Brown engine.
1881 Employing 3 Men and 4 Boys.<ref>1881 Census</ref>


*  The [[Ferguson-Brown]] tractor sold well but the partnership between David Brown and Harry Ferguson came under pressure as Brown felt that some small alterations could improve the tractor.
1882 Advert. 'Wanted, a sharp active LAD. - Apply to David Brown, Pattern maker, Chapel Hill.'<ref>Huddersfield Chronicle - Saturday 02 September 1882</ref>


*  The Ferguson-Brown tractor was improved to become the world's first production tractor featuring a hydraulic lift and converging three-point linkage.
1885 Court case where he is sued by Henry Leach for non-payment of some wood objected to. Agreement reached.<ref>Huddersfield Chronicle - Friday 17 April 1885</ref>


*  Following the production of 1350 of these updated models David Brown and [[Harry Ferguson]] parted and David Brown went on to produce a new model in September 1939.  This model was the VAK1 and was an immediate success.
1897 Trading as '''David Brown''', General Pattern Works, Huddersfield.<ref>Yorkshire Evening Post - Saturday 27 March 1897</ref>


*  The VAK1 was elegant in its style and used a four-cylinder engine with four forward and one reverse gear.  It had a patented depth wheel system.
1898 Trading as [[David Brown and Sons]], General Pattern Works, Huddersfield.<ref>Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 13 April 1898</ref>


*  As well as being used as farm machinery many of the VAK1s were used in World War II as aircraft tugs and crawlers.
1898 David Brown began to manufacture machine cut gears


*  Production of the tractors ceased for a while during the war and it wasn't until 1945 that the VAC1A was produced.  This updated version featured an improved engine lubrication system and a more precise governor.
1899 [[David Brown and Sons]], pattern makers, East-parade, Huddersfield, were summoned for failing to securely fence a circular saw.<ref>Huddersfield Chronicle - Thursday 10 August 1899</ref>


*  The David Brown Co. went on to produce the Cropmaster in 1947.  This started a long run of production of Cropmaster tractors which finished in 1953.
By 1901 David Brown had retired and died this year; his 3 sons [[Ernest Matthew Brown|Ernest]], [[Francis Edwin Brown|Frank]] and [[Percy Brown|Percy]] succeeded him; they began to produce self-contained worm gear units complete with bearings and shafts


*  The Cropmaster was known for its reliability and quality and included many extras as standard features, such as hydraulic lift and electric lighting.
1902 a 12-acre site was acquired at Lockwood for a new factory, Park Works.  


*  The 50D model tractor was produced from 1953 to 1958.  It featured a six-cylinder, 50 HP power unit and was a heavy tractor ideal for towing operations.
1905 Detailed and illustrated description of their works at Huddersfield in [[The Engineer 1905/07/07|The Engineer]]


*  Further models were introduced over the next few years, the 30C and 30D, the 25C and 25D and in 1956 the 2D was made.
1908 Took over production of the [[Valveless]] car.


*  The 2D was designed for precision market garden work and for use on larger farms as a specialist row-crop machine. It was powered by a lightweight two-cylinder diesel engine.
1911 Maker of machine tools like bevel-gear generators. <ref>* Machine Tools by James Weir French in 2 vols. Published 1911 by Gresham</ref>


*  The model 900 was introduced in 1956 and was available with a choice of engines: diesel 40 HP; TVO 37 HP; gas 40 HP; and high-compression gas 45 HP.
1912 '''David Brown and Sons (Huddersfield)''' was incorporated as a public company to acquire a private company of similar name. [[Francis Edwin Brown|F. E. Brown]] was Chairman.<ref>[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28588/page/1764] The London Gazette
Publication date:8 March 1912 Issue:28588Page:1765</ref>


*  In 1957 the 900 Livedrive was produced with a dual clutch which could give live hydraulics.
1913 April. Advert for Worm Gear.


*  In 1959 the 950 Implematic was marketed, featuring the depth wheel system or draught control with equal facility.
1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of cars see the [[1913-1917 Motor, Marine and Aircraft Red Book: Cars| 1917 Red Book]]. Produced the [[Valveless]], the [[Dodson]] and the [[Dodson Valveless]] cars.


* Further models were produced in the 1960s with enhanced features such as multi-speed PTO and improved front axle clearance. Height control was added to the hydraulic system and in the 880 Implemantic a new engine provided far greater power.  
1917 Advert for Double Helical Gears and Carburiser. (David Brown and Sons of Park Works, Lockwood, Huddersfield).<ref>* Mechanical World Year Book 1917. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p230-1</ref>


*  The 770 model featured a patented two-lever twelve-speed gearbox as standard equipment and the Selectamatic hydraulic system. This was introduced to all David Brown tractors in October 1965.
1919 Advert for Double Helical Gears and Carburiser. (David Brown and Sons of Park Works, Lockwood, Huddersfield).<ref>* Mechanical World Year Book 1919. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p262-3</ref>


*  The 1200 Selectamatic tractor, produced in 1967 had a separate hand clutch and the hydraulic pump was mounted at the front of the engine.  A standard feature was the luxury suspension seat.
1920 September. Exhibited at the Machine Tool and Engineering Exhibition at Olympia with a worm miller, worm grinder and a worm wheel generator. (David Brown and Sons).<ref>* [[The Engineer 1920/09/03]] p233</ref>


*  The Synchromesh twelve forward and four reverse gear-box was fitted as standard on all David Brown tractors from 1971.  Also in 1971 the David Brown safety feature, the Weatherframe was introduced.
[[David Brown and Sons]] acquired [[Keighley Gear Co]], devoted to small- and medium-sized gears and gear units.  


*  In 1988 the Meltham factory closed, the David Brown company having been bought by Tenneco Inc. of Houston, Texas.
1927 See [[The Basic Industries of Great Britain by Aberconway: Chapter VI|Aberconway]] for information on the company and its history


1930 Description of the Huddersfield works <ref>[[Engineering 1930/05/02]]</ref><ref>[[Engineering 1930/05/30]]</ref>


1931 [[Percy Brown]], the Chairman dies and [[David Brown (1904-1993)‎|David Brown]] became managing director, following the death of his uncle.


==Sources of Information==
1931 Acquired [[P. R. Jackson and Co|P. R. Jackson and Company]], Ltd., of Salford, where the manufacture of steel castings and heavy gearing is undertaken,
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brown_Limited] Wikipedia
 
* Machine Tools by James Weir French in 2 vols. Published 1911 by Gresham
1933 Introduced the Radicon worm gear - the name Radicon refers to the dissipation of heat by Radiation, Conduction and Convection.
* [[The Engineer]] of 3rd September 1920 p233
 
*  The Complete Encyclopedia of Tractors by Mirco de Cet published in 2006 by Rebo International ISBN 978-90-366-1893-9
1934 Links established with Richardson Gears (Pty) Ltd of Footscray, Victoria, Australia.
 
1934 Bought site at Penistone for a new foundry - [[David Brown Foundries]] began making high grade steel, and steel castings, the following year.
 
1935 Patented the Merritt-Brown controlled differential steering on tank transmissions.
 
1935/6 David Brown joined with [[Harry Ferguson]] to produce the [[Ferguson-Brown]] Tractor. The tractor was built at Park Gear Works, Huddersfield initially and later at the Meltham Mills factory - see [[David Brown: Tractors]].
 
1937 Gear manufacturers, steel, iron and bronze founders. "Roloid" Pumps. "Taurus" Bronze Castings.<ref>* [[1937 The Aeroplane Directory of the Aviation and Allied Industries]]</ref>
 
1939 First tractor launched at the Royal Agricultural Show; production began at a new factory in a disused mill at Meltham.
 
1939 See [[1939 Suppliers to the Aircraft Industry| Aircraft Industry Suppliers]]
 
WWII Park works made gears for all types of machines and vehicles, including for the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. The aero-gear division moved to Meltham in 1940, supplying gears for the Hercules engines of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and for Spitfires.  Browns established a tank gearbox division at Meltham and at Penistone produced armour plating for Churchill and Cromwell tanks, and steel casing for blockbuster bombs.  An aircraft foundry was built at Penistone to make castings for aero-engines, and made cables for the oil pipeline system for the Normandy landings. In all the aero division produced over 500,000 gears and the gearbox division over 10,000 tank transmissions.
 
1944 Acquired [[Muir Machine Tools|Muir Machine Tool Co]] of Manchester and moved the machine tool division there.
 
1947 The company acquired [[Aston Martin]] for £20,000
 
1948 The company acquired [[Lagonda]]
 
1948 Founded subsidiary companies: '''David Brown Estates''' Ltd, [[David Brown Tractors]] Ltd, [[Duncan MacNeill Tractors (Edinburgh)|David Brown Tractors (Scotland)]] Ltd and '''David Brown Tractors (Eire)''' Ltd<ref>The Times Mar 12, 1951</ref>
 
1951 The [[David Brown Corporation]] was formed as parent for all the companies.
 
Early 1950s, formed '''David Brown Construction Equipment'''
 
1955 The company acquired [[Tickford]], builders of car bodies, and moved the car companies to their site.
 
1958 Concentrated on a single range of high-performance sports cars, the Aston Martin DB series; production of Lagondas ceased.
 
1959 The Aston Martin team, led by Stirling Moss, won at Le Mans.
 
1960 Ownership of the gear, foundry, and tool divisions was transferred to a new company, [[David Brown and Sons (Huddersfield)]] Ltd.
 
1960 Withdrew from sports car racing and grand prix racing, to concentrate on production cars for sale.
 
1961 Listed as [[David Brown Industries]] with 7,000 employees. Works at Huddersfield, London, Coventry, Manchester and Salford. Engineers and metal founders, manufacturers and dealers in gears, agricultural machines and implements, tractors and motor cars.<ref>[[1961 Guide to Key British Enterprises: Motor, Motor-Cycle and Commercial Vehicle Manufacturers]]</ref>
 
1964 '''David Brown''' acquired controlling interest in [[Vosper]] from [[Minerals Separation]]<ref>The Times, 22 May 1964</ref>.
 
1968 Largest gear hobbing machine made by '''David Brown Gear Industries'''.
 
Early 1970s the [[David Brown Corporation]] was in financial difficulties.
 
1971 David Brown was removed from executive control of the company
 
1972 Sold [[David Brown Tractors]] to [[Tenneco International Holdings|Tenneco Inc]]<ref>The Times, 18 April 1973</ref>
 
1972 Both car companies were sold to [[Company Developments]]  
 
1978 After [[Vosper Thornycroft]] was nationalized, Sir David Brown resigned from the chairmanship.
 
1990 The family disposed of its stake to the management
 
1993 Flotation of the [[David Brown Group]] as a public company.
 
1993 '''David Brown Group''' purchased '''Hamworthy Hydraulics''' and '''Hamworthy Transmissions''' from [[Hamworthy Engineering Co]]; the production facility of the Transmissions part of the business was moved to the main David Brown facility in Huddersfield.
 
1995 Hamworthy Hydraulics was renamed [[David Brown Hydraulics]]
 
1996 Purchased '''IFP''', a manufacturer of valves and pumps, of Chicago, USA (the IFP pumps were originally manufactured by Hydreco and licensed to Hamworthy).
 
1998 '''David Brown''' was acquired by [[Textron Inc]]. in October.
 
2008 [[Clyde Blowers]] acquired Textron Fluid and Power Inc, including David Brown Hydraulics
 
The company, trading as [[David Brown Gear Systems]] Ltd, headquartered in Huddersfield, is now a leading supplier of heavy transmission systems for industrial, defence and marine applications.
 
2016 Merged with Santasalo to become David Brown Santasalo. Currently owned by Clyde Blowers Capital.  See [https://dbsantasalo.com/about/our-heritage/ David Brown Santasalo website].
 
== See Also ==
<what-links-here/>
 
== Sources of Information ==
<references/>
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brown_Limited Wikipedia]
* [[The Autocar]] of 5th April 1913 p
* [[The Autocar]] of 5th April 1913 p
* Mechanical World Year Book 1917. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p230-1
* Mechanical World Year Book 1919. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p262-3
* Mechanical World Year Book 1945. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p18
* Mechanical World Year Book 1945. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p18
* [[The Engineer]] of 5th January 1968 p10
* [[The Engineer]] of 26th April 1968 p650
* Biography of Sir David Brown [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/45974?docPos=3]
* David Brown Hydraulics [http://www.davidbrownhydraulics.com/aboutus.aspx]
{{DEFAULTSORT: Brown, D}}
[[Category: Town - Huddersfield]]
[[Category: Gearing]]
[[Category: Tractors]]
[[Category: Cars]]
[[Category: Machine Tools]]
[[Category: Pumps and Hydraulics]]

Latest revision as of 09:55, 8 May 2024

‎‎

Advertising sign.
1880.
1905. Park gear cutting works. Tool room and cutter grinding department.
1905. Park gear cutting works. Worm reduction and gear cutting department.
1905. Spur gear cutting department.
1905. Bevel wheel planing department.
1905. Spiral gear and rack cutting department.
1905. Light turning department.
1905. Raw hide pinion turning department.
1905. Heavy turning department.
September 1908.
1909. Worm gear drive at a water works.
1909.
December 1910.
February 1911. Gears.
January 1912.
October 1912. Worm gear.
November 1912. Worm gear.
November 1912. Worm gear.
1913.
1913.
1913.
1913.
1913.
1913.
1913.
1913.
1913.
1918.
1918.
1918.
1919.
January 1920.
1920.
1920.
1920.
January 1920.
January 1920.
January 1920.
1921.
November 1926.
May 1930.
August 1933.
1935. Park Works.
1935. Park Works.
1937.
1937.
Dec 1939.
c1940s. Factory ID Card.
c1940s. Factory ID Card detail.
1941.
1943.
November 1943.
August 1945.
October 1945.
April 1947.
January 1948.
April 1948.
1948. Park Works.
1948.
1948. Penistone.
1948.
1950.
1951.
February 1952.
June 1953.
October 1953.
September 1954.
1957.
1957.
1957. Winder Drives.
March 1957. Roloid gear pumps.
1959. Super-Hurricane silage and green feeding machine.
1960.
1960.
Oct 1960.
Oct 1962.
Exhibit at Internal Fire Museum of Power.
Exhibit at Internal Fire Museum of Power. (Detail).

David Brown and Sons of Swan Lane, Lockwood, Huddersfield, an engineering company, principally engaged in the manufacture of gears and gearboxes. Maker of Valveless car, tractors and, later, sports cars.

Chapters

General
1860 Company founded by David Brown as a pattern-making concern specializing in gearwheel patterns for cast gears.

1868 Advert. 'WANTED, an APPRENTICE to the PATTERN MAKING Business: one that has been in the wood trade preferred. Apply to David Brown, pattern maker. Chapel-hill.'[1]

By 1873 David Brown had focused on gear systems with machine-cut teeth, of which the firm was one of the pioneers

1880 Trading from Chapel Hill, Huddersfield. (See advert)

1881 Employing 3 Men and 4 Boys.[2]

1882 Advert. 'Wanted, a sharp active LAD. - Apply to David Brown, Pattern maker, Chapel Hill.'[3]

1885 Court case where he is sued by Henry Leach for non-payment of some wood objected to. Agreement reached.[4]

1897 Trading as David Brown, General Pattern Works, Huddersfield.[5]

1898 Trading as David Brown and Sons, General Pattern Works, Huddersfield.[6]

1898 David Brown began to manufacture machine cut gears

1899 David Brown and Sons, pattern makers, East-parade, Huddersfield, were summoned for failing to securely fence a circular saw.[7]

By 1901 David Brown had retired and died this year; his 3 sons Ernest, Frank and Percy succeeded him; they began to produce self-contained worm gear units complete with bearings and shafts

1902 a 12-acre site was acquired at Lockwood for a new factory, Park Works.

1905 Detailed and illustrated description of their works at Huddersfield in The Engineer

1908 Took over production of the Valveless car.

1911 Maker of machine tools like bevel-gear generators. [8]

1912 David Brown and Sons (Huddersfield) was incorporated as a public company to acquire a private company of similar name. F. E. Brown was Chairman.[9]

1913 April. Advert for Worm Gear.

1913-1917 For a list of the models and prices of cars see the 1917 Red Book. Produced the Valveless, the Dodson and the Dodson Valveless cars.

1917 Advert for Double Helical Gears and Carburiser. (David Brown and Sons of Park Works, Lockwood, Huddersfield).[10]

1919 Advert for Double Helical Gears and Carburiser. (David Brown and Sons of Park Works, Lockwood, Huddersfield).[11]

1920 September. Exhibited at the Machine Tool and Engineering Exhibition at Olympia with a worm miller, worm grinder and a worm wheel generator. (David Brown and Sons).[12]

David Brown and Sons acquired Keighley Gear Co, devoted to small- and medium-sized gears and gear units.

1927 See Aberconway for information on the company and its history

1930 Description of the Huddersfield works [13][14]

1931 Percy Brown, the Chairman dies and David Brown became managing director, following the death of his uncle.

1931 Acquired P. R. Jackson and Company, Ltd., of Salford, where the manufacture of steel castings and heavy gearing is undertaken,

1933 Introduced the Radicon worm gear - the name Radicon refers to the dissipation of heat by Radiation, Conduction and Convection.

1934 Links established with Richardson Gears (Pty) Ltd of Footscray, Victoria, Australia.

1934 Bought site at Penistone for a new foundry - David Brown Foundries began making high grade steel, and steel castings, the following year.

1935 Patented the Merritt-Brown controlled differential steering on tank transmissions.

1935/6 David Brown joined with Harry Ferguson to produce the Ferguson-Brown Tractor. The tractor was built at Park Gear Works, Huddersfield initially and later at the Meltham Mills factory - see David Brown: Tractors.

1937 Gear manufacturers, steel, iron and bronze founders. "Roloid" Pumps. "Taurus" Bronze Castings.[15]

1939 First tractor launched at the Royal Agricultural Show; production began at a new factory in a disused mill at Meltham.

1939 See Aircraft Industry Suppliers

WWII Park works made gears for all types of machines and vehicles, including for the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. The aero-gear division moved to Meltham in 1940, supplying gears for the Hercules engines of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and for Spitfires. Browns established a tank gearbox division at Meltham and at Penistone produced armour plating for Churchill and Cromwell tanks, and steel casing for blockbuster bombs. An aircraft foundry was built at Penistone to make castings for aero-engines, and made cables for the oil pipeline system for the Normandy landings. In all the aero division produced over 500,000 gears and the gearbox division over 10,000 tank transmissions.

1944 Acquired Muir Machine Tool Co of Manchester and moved the machine tool division there.

1947 The company acquired Aston Martin for £20,000

1948 The company acquired Lagonda

1948 Founded subsidiary companies: David Brown Estates Ltd, David Brown Tractors Ltd, David Brown Tractors (Scotland) Ltd and David Brown Tractors (Eire) Ltd[16]

1951 The David Brown Corporation was formed as parent for all the companies.

Early 1950s, formed David Brown Construction Equipment

1955 The company acquired Tickford, builders of car bodies, and moved the car companies to their site.

1958 Concentrated on a single range of high-performance sports cars, the Aston Martin DB series; production of Lagondas ceased.

1959 The Aston Martin team, led by Stirling Moss, won at Le Mans.

1960 Ownership of the gear, foundry, and tool divisions was transferred to a new company, David Brown and Sons (Huddersfield) Ltd.

1960 Withdrew from sports car racing and grand prix racing, to concentrate on production cars for sale.

1961 Listed as David Brown Industries with 7,000 employees. Works at Huddersfield, London, Coventry, Manchester and Salford. Engineers and metal founders, manufacturers and dealers in gears, agricultural machines and implements, tractors and motor cars.[17]

1964 David Brown acquired controlling interest in Vosper from Minerals Separation[18].

1968 Largest gear hobbing machine made by David Brown Gear Industries.

Early 1970s the David Brown Corporation was in financial difficulties.

1971 David Brown was removed from executive control of the company

1972 Sold David Brown Tractors to Tenneco Inc[19]

1972 Both car companies were sold to Company Developments

1978 After Vosper Thornycroft was nationalized, Sir David Brown resigned from the chairmanship.

1990 The family disposed of its stake to the management

1993 Flotation of the David Brown Group as a public company.

1993 David Brown Group purchased Hamworthy Hydraulics and Hamworthy Transmissions from Hamworthy Engineering Co; the production facility of the Transmissions part of the business was moved to the main David Brown facility in Huddersfield.

1995 Hamworthy Hydraulics was renamed David Brown Hydraulics

1996 Purchased IFP, a manufacturer of valves and pumps, of Chicago, USA (the IFP pumps were originally manufactured by Hydreco and licensed to Hamworthy).

1998 David Brown was acquired by Textron Inc. in October.

2008 Clyde Blowers acquired Textron Fluid and Power Inc, including David Brown Hydraulics

The company, trading as David Brown Gear Systems Ltd, headquartered in Huddersfield, is now a leading supplier of heavy transmission systems for industrial, defence and marine applications.

2016 Merged with Santasalo to become David Brown Santasalo. Currently owned by Clyde Blowers Capital. See David Brown Santasalo website.

See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. ↑ Huddersfield Chronicle - Saturday 22 February 1868
  2. ↑ 1881 Census
  3. ↑ Huddersfield Chronicle - Saturday 02 September 1882
  4. ↑ Huddersfield Chronicle - Friday 17 April 1885
  5. ↑ Yorkshire Evening Post - Saturday 27 March 1897
  6. ↑ Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 13 April 1898
  7. ↑ Huddersfield Chronicle - Thursday 10 August 1899
  8. ↑ * Machine Tools by James Weir French in 2 vols. Published 1911 by Gresham
  9. ↑ [1] The London Gazette Publication date:8 March 1912 Issue:28588Page:1765
  10. ↑ * Mechanical World Year Book 1917. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p230-1
  11. ↑ * Mechanical World Year Book 1919. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p262-3
  12. ↑ * The Engineer 1920/09/03 p233
  13. ↑ Engineering 1930/05/02
  14. ↑ Engineering 1930/05/30
  15. ↑ * 1937 The Aeroplane Directory of the Aviation and Allied Industries
  16. ↑ The Times Mar 12, 1951
  17. ↑ 1961 Guide to Key British Enterprises: Motor, Motor-Cycle and Commercial Vehicle Manufacturers
  18. ↑ The Times, 22 May 1964
  19. ↑ The Times, 18 April 1973
  • Wikipedia
  • The Autocar of 5th April 1913 p
  • Mechanical World Year Book 1945. Published by Emmott and Co of Manchester. Advert p18
  • The Engineer of 5th January 1968 p10
  • The Engineer of 26th April 1968 p650
  • Biography of Sir David Brown [2]
  • David Brown Hydraulics [3]
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