Sandycroft Foundry Co
of Sandycroft, on the River Dee, Hawarden, near Chester.
The Sandycroft Foundry and Ship Yards, later called the Sandycroft Foundry and Engine Co Ltd.,
Activities at Sandycroft Quay - Overview
A small shipyard developed around a small inlet known as Fowl Pool Gutter during the mid 19th century.
Initially the business was operated by the Rigbys of Hawarden - Rigby and Hancock and W. and J. Rigby
1839 'Partnership dissolved between William and John Rigby, iron founders, Hawarden and Sandycroft, 27 May.'[1]
By the mid 19th century a foundry had developed on the eastern side of the inlet.
c.1855 The size of a vessel built in the yard was, in effect, beyond the capacity of the inlet for launching. At this time Thomas Cram gave up the business of the Sandycroft Foundry and Ship Yards and others took charge of the construction of the Royal Charter.
1862 The site was taken over by John Taylor.
1874 the company became Bricknell (sic), Taylor and Co.
By 1885 the foundry was jointly managed by Arthur Channing Bicknell and Frank Taylor
c.1890 The company's name was changed to the Sandycroft Foundry and Engine Works Company Ltd.
1921 Louis John Hunt, Electrical Engineer, of Sandycroft Foundry, and the SANDYCROFT FOUNDRY COMPANY Limited, of Sandycroft Foundry, Sandycroft (near Chester), in the county of Flint, applied to extend the terms of a patent of 1906[2]
1925 The works closed due to lack of orders. [3]
Events and Examples of Products
1824 'The St. David Steam Packet. — This beautiful vessel, which as our readers are aware, is built expressly for the purpose of facilitating our communication with Wales, is to proceed down the river to Sandycroft, by tomorrow afternoon's tide, in order to receive on board her powerful engine, prepared by Messrs. Rigby and Hancock. It is likely that the novel sight will attract the presence of a good number of spectators. We understand The St. David will commence her errands of convenience between our port and the Welsh coast, before Chester races.'[4]
1839 'Partnership dissolved between William and John Rigby, iron founders, Hawarden and Sandycroft, 27 May.'[5]
1855 Laid down the screw steamer Royal Charter
c.1855 Thomas Cram's business failed.
1855 Advertisement listing items to be sold by auction at the Sandycroft Foundry and Shipyards sale of stock-in-trade. Items included several unfinished marine engines [6]
1856 Advertisement: 'SANDYCROFT IRON FOUNDRY AND SHIP-YARD, ON THE RIVER DEE.
Sale of the whole of the extensive and very complete IRON FOUNDRY, SHIP-BUILDING YARDS, DOCK WHARFS, LANDS, and PREMISES, on the River Dee, five miles from the city of Chester, with a Branch from the Works to the Chester and Holyhead Railway ; together with the valuable ENGINES, MACHINERY, and PLANT thereon, all in the best condition, with immediate Possession.
MESSRS. CHURTON respectfully announce that they have been instructed to SUBMIT to SALE by AUCTION, at the Auction Mart, in the city of Chester, on Friday next the 29th day of August, at twelve o'clock at noon (unless previously disposed of by private Contract), in one lot, and subject to such conditions as will be then produced —the LEASE of all those well-known and extensive Premises, called the SANDYCROFT IRON WORKS and SHIP-YARDS, capable of executing works of great magnitude with several Acres of LAND immediately adjoining, possessing a great extent of river frontage, and a Branch to the Chester and Holyhead Railway.
These Works, for many years carried on by Messrs. W. and J. Rigby, and since by Mr. Cram, occupy a very considerable area, and have recently had most important additions made to them in the erection of an extensive Iron Foundry and Workshops. . .
The Plant and Machinery, which will be included in the sale, comprises two steam-engines, of fourteen and ten horse power respectively, with the requisite boilers, and ranges of driving gear; powerful boring and surface lathe, 12 feet diameter ; several slide and other lathes of various sizes ; drilling, slotting, planing, boring, and screwing machines, mostly by Whitworth, and other eminent makers; crab winches, shear-legs of great strength, punching and shearing presses, bending rolls, boiler and rivet-maker, furnaces, forges, melting furnaces, travelling and other cranes, and every other requisite for carrying on these extensive Works, the whole of which are in the best condition, and ready for immediate use.
A Building Society, which possesses some Land in the immediate neighbourhood of these Works, are prepared to erect any number of Cottages which may be required.
The above Premises are held by Lease from Sir S. R. Glynne, Bart., for a term, of which thirty years are unexpired.
Particulars with lithographic plans may be had, with any further information, by applying to Messrs. Bloxam and Ellison, Solicitors, No. 1, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London; Messrs. Potts and Roberts, Solicitors, Chester; or to the Auctioneers, Chester and Whitchurch, Shropshire. N.B.—Sandycroft is distant (via Queen's Ferry) five miles from the Sutton Station on the Birkenhead Railway.'[7]
1877-82 They built five railway locomotives
1886 'RESURFACING WOOD PAVING. Some experiments have recently been carried out in Manchester with the view of testing a machine for cutting and resurfacing roadways laid with wood paving after they have become unevenly worn by traffic or by settlement. The machine is the invention of Mr Arthur C. Bicknell, of the Sandycroft Foundry Company, Chester. In appearance it is not unlike an ordinary traction engine, propelling itself, and carrying in front of it large, revolving, horizontal head fitted with cutters, and driven by friction gearing. In the experiment referred to a number old wooden blocks which had been taken up from a worn-out road, and were full of stones and grit, were relaid in concrete, and fitted in with cement and sand, the usual method of making a road. A week was then allowed for the cement to be thoroughly set before the cutting-machine was applied. The surface was then taken off, the cuts varying from half an inch to three inches in depth. The deeper the cut the better the machine appeared to work, the cutters getting below the grit and stones on the surface. The speed at which the cutting head advanced was about 1ft. per minute. It would appear desirable that further experiments should be carried out on worn road instead of on a batch of worn blocks reset. This would be a fair test of the invention, which, if proved successful, might aid in prolonging the life of wood-laid roads between renewals, and thus reduce the frequency of stoppages in thoroughfares so paved.'[8]
1891 Advert. Listed as The Sandycroft Foundry and Engine Works Co. [9]
1898 Thames-Hauraki pump commissioned at Bella Street Pumphouse, Thames, New Zealand, for draining gold mines. Most of the engine was scrapped, but the external bell crank is intact, and the crankshaft to drive it was found buried in a pit when the pumphouse was being restored as the Museum of Technology. The original overhead crane, made by James Spencer and Co of Hollinwood, is still in situ, and this has the date 1896, so presumably the Sandycroft steam pumping machinery construction commenced at that time.
1900 Incorporated as a private limited company.
1907 Large tandem drum winding engine for an overseas mine. Cylinders 30" bore, 6 ft stroke. Mine shaft sloped at a approximately 60 degrees to the horizontal [10] See illustrations.
1908 Death of Frank Taylor head of Sandycroft Foundry Co, machinery manufacturers[11].
1911 5500 HP Corliss Winding engine for mines in Southern India. [12]. Cylinders 42" bore, 7 ft stroke. Mineshaft depth 3700 ft, winding speed 3000 ft/min. [13] See illustrations.
1914 Manufacturers of mining and electrical machinery. [14]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Perry’s Bankrupt Gazette, 8 June 1839
- ↑ London Gazette 2 September 1921
- ↑ [1] 'Ports and Harbours in North-east Wales'
- ↑ Chester Courant, Tuesday 6th April 1824
- ↑ Perry’s Bankrupt Gazette, 8 June 1839
- ↑ Birmingham Gazette - Monday 15th October 1855
- ↑ Birmingham Gazette, 25th August 1856
- ↑ Hartlepool Mail, 7th January 1886
- ↑ 1891 Post Office London Trades Directory
- ↑ 'The Engineer' 1st of November 1907
- ↑ The Times, Dec 29, 1908
- ↑ The Engineer of 27th October 1911 p438
- ↑ 'Engineering' 27th October 1911
- ↑ 1914 Whitakers Red Book