Day, Summers and Co of Southampton were makers of steam engines for marine use.
- Day, Summers and Co. were based in Northam, Southampton, England. Initially establishing its reputation as a builder of large mail steamers in the 1850s up to the 1870s when the North-east Coast and Clydeside yards took over the market. Day, Summers and Co. then moved into developing compound steam engines and built its business from there.
- 1890 Engine for River Itchen Floating Bridge 'Vessel No 8' at Woolston.
- 1870s The yard won orders from P&O for mail steamers, this was followed by similar orders from Royal Mail Line and then a series of re-engining orders. The yard then concentrated on building paddle steamers, coasters, yachts, Itchen floating chain bridges, Hythe ferries and sheerlegs.
- 1880s The yard forged a good reputation for its steam yachts.
- 1889 Obituary of Thomas Summers in 'The Engineer'. [1]
- 1900s The company became of limited liability status. The yard continued making a variety of small ships: tugs, steam coasters and paddle steamers.
- 1920 Took over the contract to build British Kromhout marine oil engines from Plenty and Co. [2]
- 1928 The yard continued with the above building programme until 1928 when it went into liquidation. It was taken over by Thornycroft.
- 1970s The yard became Vosper and Co in 1970.
- 1987 The company ceased trading.
Sources of Information
- Stationary Steam Engines of Great Britain by George Watkins. Vol 10
- British Shipbuilding Yards. 3 vols by Norman L. Middlemiss
- ↑ The Engineer of 26th April 1889 p352
- ↑ The Engineer of 5th March 1920 p260