Charles Richards and Sons

of Imperial Works, Darlaston, South Staffordshire. Telephone: 140, 141, 142, and 230. Telegraphic Address: "Richards, Darlaston"

In 1870 the firm of Charles Richards and Sons Ltd. was founded. The firm's founder was Charles Richards, who himself served an apprenticeship with a local nut and bolt manufacturer. With William Butler as partner, he began to make his own nuts and bolts at the Lion Works in Foster Street, with a staff of 40. Their main products were carriage nuts and bolts for railways and horse-drawn vehicles. Mr. Butler left the business, and was replaced by Mr. Wynn and the firm became known as Richards and Wynn. They produced a wide range of products:

bright and black engineer's bolts, coach bolts, nuts and set screws, collar screws, axle bolts, shoful, clarence and bed clips, boiler studs, shackle plates, "D" shackles, carriage bolts from Swedish iron, deck bolts, handmade hot pressed nuts, bolt ends and rivets, and telegraph iron work.

An advert from 1937.

As demand for the company's products increased, Oak Works and Phoenix Works were also acquired. Mr. Wynn retired and Charles Richards' four sons joined the company making it very much the family concern that it always was. 

In 1891 the Imperial Works were acquired at Darlaston Green and the company closed the original works and moved into their new factory, formerly part the Darlaston Steel & Iron Company. The site covered three acres and included stock and packing warehouses covering a space of 150ft. by 40ft., an oliver shop 200ft. long, and a large machine shop for making blanks.

The works also included an extensive blank warehouse, a screwing shop 140ft. by 80ft., blacksmith's shops, and forges etc. Modern machinery was used throughout the works including powerful engines to drive the machinery, varying from 20 to 60h.p.

Goods were transported by the adjacent canal and sidings from the nearby London & North Western Railway. Only the best raw materials were used including Swedish iron.

Charles Richards Jnr.

Charles Richards died in 1905 and was replaced by his son Charles who had outstanding business abilities. The company again dramatically expanded with a new factory on the Flatts Estate, where they produced nuts and bolts, repetition parts, and special turned bolts made from hot or cold forgings.

An advert from 1909.

An advert from 1922.

Some of the workers at Charles Richards on 9th January, 1933. Courtesy of Ian Stubbs. The names are believed to be as follows:

Back Row - left to right: Alfred Cadman, Joseph Ball, Fred Lamsdale, Cyril Fellows, Jack Page, Fred Parker, Sam Parker, Bernard Warden, and Herbert Dean.

Front Row - left to right: Will Randel, George Stanton, Arthur Day, Jack Oldfield, and George Evans.

An advert from the mid 1960s.

The various buildings eventually covered many acres and were equipped with the most modern tools and machinery possible, including a galvanising plant. Blade hot forged products and rail and telegraph fittings were added to the product range and sold world-wide. The company became one of the world's largest private nut and bolt makers and was also one of the largest employers in the area. After World War 2 Harry Richards ran the company and was followed by his son Phil. In the mid 1970s they were taken over by a South African company who disposed of Richards' assets and closed the Darlaston factory, which sadly brought 100 years of successful manufacturing to an end.

• 1937 British Industries Fair Advert for Bolts and Nuts; Black and Bright Bolts and Nuts of all descriptions; Telegraphic Ironwork; Railway Fastenings; Stampings, Rivets, Bright Drawn Steel Specialities, Steel Bars, etc., etc. Hi-Tensile Bolts, Staffordshire Knot Brand Carriage Bolts and Nuts. (Engineering/Metals/Quarry, Roads and Mining/Transport Section - Stand No. D.610)

• 1937 Bolt and nut manufacturers. "Hi-Strain" Bright Drawn Steels. "Ricardo" Bright Drawn Steels.

Sources of Information

• [1] Local History - A Brief History of Darlaston
• 1937 British Industries Fair Advert p648; and p406
• 1937 The Aeroplane Directory of the Aviation and Allied Industries