John and George Hollins
J & G Hollins of Ardwick Bridge Foundry, Tipping Street, Ardwick, Manchester
1822 'BURSTING OF AN ENGINE BOILER
On Friday se'ennight, about 2 o'clock, the neighbourhood of Downing Street, Ardwick, was alarmed by a tremendous explosion, which shook the houses to their foundations ; and, on examination, it was found that the boiler of a steam-engine belonging to J. and G. Hollins, brass founders, Tipping's Street, had blown up, and completely destroyed the boiler-house, scarcely leaving-one brick upon another. Several adjoining buildings, connected with the foundry, were seriously damaged, and a wall, about ten yards from the boiler, was thrown down. Very serious injury was also done to the windows, doors, roofs, and furniture of the houses, by the bricks, pipes, and pieces of iron, which were projected in every direction by the expansive force of the steam. Many bricks were driven into Downing, Street, a distance of at least 70 yards and several windows were broken in the houses erected by the late Mr Hulme, on the south-west side of Downing-Street, near the bridge. Amidst such a destruction of property, it is a consolation to find that there was no loss of lives, and that the personal injuries caused by the explosion are neither numerous nor of a dangerous nature.'[1]
1825 Listed in Baines's directory as iron and brass founders.
Same foundry? 1827 advert: 'To IRON-POUNDERS, MACHINE-MAKERS & Others.
TO BE LET, the eligible BUILDINGS, YARDS, &c., lately occupied as a Foundry, situate at Ardwick Bridge, Manchester, contiguous to Stockport, Ashton, and Hyde roads ; with a new 7 horse ENGINE, three cupolas and blowing apparatus, and four furnaces for smelting brass, all complete, and now ready for work. The foundry building is 87 feet by 23.- A MACHINE SHOP, suitable for power-looms, four stories in height, and measuring 63 feet by 27 feet; a STOVE, 16 feet by 9 feet; also, one YARD, 105 feet by 39 feet, and two smaller ones adjoining the same — Further particulars may be had, by applying to Mr. Edmund Buckley, Mather-street, Piccadilly, Manchester; who has also ON SALE, suitable for a colliery, an excellent 30 horse ENGINE, complete, with two boilers, cistern, etc. etc. (One concern.) [2]