George Forrester and Co
George Forrester and Company of Vauxhall Foundry, Liverpool
See George Forrester
1827-1890 Listed in Liverpool directories as ironfounders
1834 Commenced building locomotives but ceased in 1847
The works manager was Alexander Allan until 1840 when he left to take charge of the workshops of the Grand Junction Railway at Edge Hill.
1847 The largest order was for fifteen 2-4-0s for the South Eastern Railway. These were of the Stephenson "long boiler" pattern.
1849 Partnership change. '...the undersigned, at Liverpool, as Engineers and Ironfounders, under the firm of George Forrester and Company, is dissolved, as on and from the 1st day of May instant. All debts due to and by the concern will be received and paid by the undersigned, Walter Fergus Mc Gregor. Signed: Samuel Sandbach, Henry R. Sandbach, Walter F. MacGregor,...'[1]
1851 Cornish engine for Liverpool Waterworks (Green Lane Station)
1852 Oscillating marine engine of 45 hp
1857 Mention of 'Walter Fergus MacGregor, Andrew Wylie, and Anthony Bower, all of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Engineers, carrying on business under the firm of George Forrester and Co.,'[2]
1866 Refitting the SS Great Eastern to provide first-class accommodation for 3500 passengers, and making new boilers, very similar to the old ones, but with better provision for cleaning. [3]
1867 Designed the steam-steering gear which was retrofitted to the SS Great Eastern[4]
1867 Built a steel steam launch for the SS Great Eastern[5]
1881 Made the hauling engine and triple reduction gearing for the Honolulu Marine Railway (a slipway for the repair of ships up to 1500 tons displacement and 180 ft long). Special chains with long links were made by Henry Wood and Co of Liverpool.[6]
1892 Liquidation of the company.[7]
Six-column beam engine at the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board workshops in Birkenhead, photographed by George Watkins in 1935.
Location of Vauxhall Foundry
The 1890 O.S. map[8] shows 'Vauxhall Foundry (Disused)' with its entrance on Vauxhall Road, and bounded on the north by Banastre Street, on the south by Midghall Street, and on the east by Stockdale Street and by low quality housing. A branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal terminated a short distance from the NE corner of the foundry. Everything of interest has been cleared, and only Midghall St. and Vauxhall Rd. remain.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The London Gazette Publication date:25 May 1849 Issue:20981Page:1735
- ↑ [1] Gazette Issue 22065 published on the 20 November 1857.
- ↑ [2] Engineering, 16 Nov 1866, p.369
- ↑ The Engineer
- ↑ The Engineer 1867/03/08
- ↑ [3] 'Engineering' 27 Jan 1888 pp94-5
- ↑ [4] [5] Gazette Issue 26309 published on the 22 July 1892
- ↑ The Godfrey Edition Old Ordnance Survey Maps: Liverpool (North) 1890 Lancashire Sheet 106.10, '1893 Edition'
- British Steam Locomotive Builders by James W. Lowe. Published in 1975. ISBN 0-905100-816
- The Imperial Journal 1852 Vol I. p641
- The Steam Engine in Industry by George Watkins in two volumes. Moorland Publishing. 1978. ISBN 0-903485-65-6
- 'Stationary Steam Engines of Great Britain, Volume 4: Wales, Cheshire & Shropshire', by George Watkins, Landmark Publishing Ltd
- Stationary Steam Engines of Great Britain by George Watkins. Vol 10