South of Ireland Wheel Co

of Cappoquin, Co. Waterford, and of Gloucester and London, England

The company name has been abbreviated here, as the firm was known under the following names:-

South of Ireland Wheel & Carriage Co
South of Ireland Wheel & Waggon Co
South of Ireland Wheel & Sawmills Co.

1870 Lismore Farming Society - Annual Exhibition: 'The Messrs Keane and Co, of Cappoquin, exhibited some wheels made at their new machine works....'

1871 'THE DUNGARVAN ROAD STEAMER.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMAN,
Steam Saw Mills and Wheel Works, Cappoquin, March 27, 1871.
SIR - In your paper of the 24th inst, in a paragraph relating to the Dungarvan road steamer, you state that the waggons have been constructed in Waterford. This is not the case, as they were built by us at our works here, and are we believe the first ever made in Ireland. By inserting this you will much oblige your obedient servants,
RICHARD F. KANE and Co.'

Note: Although the name Richard F. Kane appeared in the newspaper, it seems that the proprietor was Sir Richard Francis Keane of Cappoquin. See '1891' report below.

1880 'Even those districts comparatively the most prosperous feel the pinch of the general depression. Lucky is it for the locality which is benefited by the residence in it of an active and spirited landed proprietor, willing and able to furnish employment. Such men as Mr. Keane, of Cappoquin, who has established a wagon and wheel manufactory which gives constant employment to about a hundred men, is a perfect godsend to a whole district of country, and the more so as that gentleman is an energetic and improving farmer.'

1881 'IRISH MANUFACTURE. THE SOUTH OF IRELAND WAGON AND WHEEL CO. (LIMITED), CAPPOQUIN, Are Makers of Wood Wheels of every description for Carriages, Carts, Wagons, &c. Detailed Price List on application to the Works.'

1885 Advertisement regarding the London Branch: Edwin P. Gwynne ....Instructed to sell the entire Stock and Plant of the London branch of the South of Ireland Wheel Works, on the premises, Brandon Road and York Road N., comprising iron tanks, shoeing plates, a 6ft. sinking platform, drilling machine, bending machine, anvils, vices of all sizes, iron mandril, quantity of tools, grindstone, forge bellows, benches, weighing machine, sets of manufactured wheels, timber, crank axle delivery cart, …..

1890 'DISSOLUTION OF PARTNERSHIP. THE Partnership hitherto existing between Edward Francis Bird, Henrik Wulff, and Moses Hayes, all of the City of Gloucester, under the firm of Bird, Wulff and Co., at Gloucester, and The South of Ireland Wheel and Saw Mills Co., Cappoquin, county Waterford, is hereby dissolved by mutual consent; the said Moses Hayes retiring, while the businesses will be carried on under the same firms or styles as heretofore, viz., Bird, Wulff, and Co., at Gloucester, and The South of Ireland Wheel and Saw Mills Co., at Cappoquin, county Waterford, and all outstanding debts will be paid and received by the remaining partners, E. F. Bird and H. Wulff. (Signed) EDWARD FRANCIS BIRD. HENRIK WULFF. MOSES HAYES. Witness—Fred. W. Smith. Gloucester, 28th January, 1890.'

1890 Prospectus - extracts:-

THE SOUTH OF IRELAND WHEEL AND SAW MILLS COMPANY (LIMITED). Placing of shares Directors: Benjamin Deane? and F. H. Keane of Cappoquin, Howard Francis Bird, Gloucester, England, John Noonan, Main street, Lismore.....

'PROSPECTUS. The Company has been formed for the purpose of purchasing and acquiring the interest of the Vendors in the property known as as the South of Ireland Wheel and Saw Mills Company, as a Going Concern, together with entire of the Machinery. Plant, Stock-in-Trade and Goodwill therein.

'The premises, which are held under long lease, consist of a large and capacious factory suitable for the manufacture of wheels, floats, drays, carts, barrows, joinery of all kinds, poultry and egg boxes, tool and brush handles, etc, with extensive saw mills, all in complete working order, engine and boiler house and out offices, large and commodious coal shed (capable of containing ? Tons of coal), large grain store, with ample cellarage (formerly used as a mill, with large waterwheel end ample water power), manager's dwellinghouse, also extensive and well-ventilated buildings suitable for seasoning of wheel making timber and for storage of grain, artificial feeding stuff etc., etc. All these premises are substantial and well built, not requiring any immediate outlay, with ample ground attached; they are situate on the banks of the river Blackwater, and have sole right to a quay frontage (with deep water) of 150 feet- vessels of 150 - 200 tons burden can discharge their cargoes if required, quite close to the quay, lighters (of which there are two in excellent order and condition) with a large and powerful crane belonging to the concern being at hand for the purpose. The lighters, however, are rarely used, the great bulk of the cargoes imported being as a rule delivered to the customers from the ship’s side.....

'.... The plant and machinery, which is in first rate condition, consists of  ? (nominal) horse power horizontal engine, with expansion, gear attached, two Cornish boilers, vertical saw, frame, saw benches, dowel machines, mortising and slotting machines, boring and turning machines, lathes,&c, &c, in fact all the necessary machinery with the tools and appliances suitable for carrying on the business of wheel making on a largely extended scale.

'No expense has been spared on this machinery and plant (which indeed may be said to be new). It is all of modern and approved make.....The Company will have the advantage of securing the services as managing-director of Mr F H Keane, proprietor of the Cappoquin Foundry, whose experience and ability are well known, and who has consented to act in the capacity of managing director of the Concern for a term of five years from the date of its formation, ....

'A provisional agreement dated the 14th day of August, 1890, has been entered into with Edward F. Bird and Henrick Wulff for the purchase of the works, &c, and for carrying out the arrangements referred to. .....

1890 The above businesses went into receivership.. 'FAILURE OF A GLOUCESTER FIRM. A meeting of the creditors of Messrs. E. P. Bird and H. Wulff, merchants and commission agents, the Docks, Gloucester, was held at the Bell Hotel on Tuesday. The debtors were also described as The South of Ireland Wheel and Sawmills Company, lately at Cappoquin, county Waterford, timber exporters, wheelwrights, colliery agents, and general merchants. .....The Official Receiver said .... He believed Mr. Bradley had been over to Cappoquin, and he had advised the debtors to file their petition. Mr. Bradley said that was the only thing that could be done. It was pity Mr. Bird did not call his creditors together earlier. When he got there he found the business practically at a standstill, and there was therefore nothing but for the estate to go into bankruptcy. In reply to questions, be said there was a sawmill and a coal trade. As far as he could judge, if both the coal trade and the sawmill had been properly carried on they would have paid. The gentleman who had had charge of the business seemed to have acted as though money was no object, timber being bought wholesale ; to realising a profit on it that was mere imagination. During the latter part of the time no doubt the expenses were greater than any profit that was mode. The gentleman in charge in the first instance was Mr. Hayes ; the party in charge afterwards was Mr. Wulff ; but as far as he could judge the evil was created by the first gentleman. There was no capital afterwards to work the business properly, otherwise there was large coal business there that might have turned out profitable. But when he was there there was no coal, which was the best part of the business, and it was just the very time when coal was wanted. At the time he was there 4s. a ton profit might have been made. Without fear of contradiction he could say that sales to the extent of three or four thousand tons might have been effected at a profit of 3s. ton. Instead of coal going to the firm he found it was being shipped to their opponents. The explanation given was that it could not be bought then. But he thought that it ought to have been stated at the first meeting, because he went over to Cappoquin with the idea of getting rid of the business as a going concern. But when he found that was the state of things it was hopeless. He made out there was profit in the month of July on the timber branch of the business of £40, and £10 on the coal. From £100 to ? could have been made on the coal easily. A nice business might have been worked up if it had been properly handled ; but evidently capital had been lost in the first part of the trading. The debtors were questioned, and gave explanations, and recriminations passed between Mr. Wulff and Mr. Hayes. The Official Receiver suggested that the meeting should proceed to appoint a trustee, as he believed there was no intention of making any offer. He presumed the first resolution would be, as was usual in such cases, that the debtors be adjudged bankrupt. This was agreed to. The next question was who should be appointed trustee. Mr. Jones suggested that Mr. Bradley should be appointed. Mr. Bradley spoke of the desirability of getting the landlord to take to the place. If the things had to be sold it would be a poor lookout for dividend. ......

1891 'GLOUCESTER BANKRUPTCY COURT. Re Edward Francis Bird and Henrik Wulff.—
These debtors were described as general merchants and commission agents at Commercial-road, Gloucester, and as "The South of Ireland Wheel and Saw Mills Company" at Cappoquin, timber exporters, wheelwrights, colliery agents, and general merchants.
Mr. C. Taynton appeared for the trustee, Mr. J. Bradley, of Droitwich. Mr. Taynton read a letter from Mr. T. S. Ellis, surgeon, stating that Mr. Bird was unable to attend the court owing to severe illness.—The Registrar said that was not evidence, and Mr. Wulff, in answer to questions, said his late partner was seriously ill, as he was suffering from asthma, general debility, and bronchitis, and it was almost impossible to understand what he said. His illness had extended over a long time, he having been taken on Christmas Eve.
—It was decided to proceed with the examination of Mr. Wulff, whose evidence was somewhat difficult to follow at times, owing to his foreign accent. ; The joint statement of affairs showed unsecured liabilities, £5125 6s. 9d.; other liabilities ......
......In reply to questions put by the Official Receiver, Mr. Wulff said he joined Mr. Bird as partner nearly twenty years ago, when the business was carried on by Messrs. L. W. Beckman and Co., at which time there was ample capital in the firm. That firm was dissolved ten years ago, and he and Mr. Bird started the business on their own account. They had between them £400 or £500, of which 40 per cent. was Mr. Bird’s and 60 per cent, his (bankrupt’s). They acted as agents for the Droitwich Salt Company, and they carried on the salt business on their own account as coasting export agents. There was an interruption in the salt trade a short time ago owing to the salt works being bought up by a syndicate, and then their business fell off, and the remaining business was not sufficient for a livelihood for them. At that time Mr. M. Hayes, now a creditor, joined them, and they about two and a half years ago took on the Cappoquin business. Mr. Hayes joined them with the hope of introducing extra business.
Their attention was drawn to the Cappoquin business by Mr. Hayes. That business then belonged to Sir Richard Keane, and they rented under him. There was no business done at the works when they took it over, but they agreed to take a lease of the mill. The arrangements made as to capital was that Mr. Charles Bird, of Melbourne, who was on a visit to Ireland, should advance £500, and they had a right to overdraw their account at the bank to the extent of £300. The £500 was specifically for the Cappoquin business, but they soon discovered that the capital was not sufficient, and they consequently had £2000 from Mr. Bradley, manager of the Droitwich Salt Works, and £500 from Mr. John Soper.
Mr. Hayes undertook to manage the Cappoquin business, and went to reside there, but at the beginning he did not appear to know much about it, as it took time to develope it. They purchased a quantity of pit wood.
No financial difficulties arose until April or May, 1889, when they had the money from Mr. Bradley. At that time they discovered that they had more wood on the works than they really required. They thought they would be able to tide over their difficulties when they had the £2000 from Mr. Bradley, and that they would be enabled to continue on, and it was carried on afterwards under the management of Mr. Hayes. The latter purchased wood, and he (the bankrupt) looked after the men, and after a time he found that things were not prospering to such an extent as they had anticipated. He told Mr. Bird that he did not like the state of affairs at Cappoquin, and when Mr. Hayes came back at Christmas time bankrupt proved that his (Hayes’s) calculations were wrong, and after a time Mr. Hayes withdrew from the firm on condition that £l60 (he owing to the firm £60) was to be forgiven, and he was to have £60 out of the firm. Bankrupt afterwards took over the management of the Cappoquin works with the hope of reviving it, but he sustained a heavy loss there. They had a contract which would have resulted in a heavy loss if carried out, and he gave £100 to get rid of it.
In June last year an attempt was made to float the company to carry on the works by a gentleman in Dublin, but no bona fide shares for any amount were subscribed for, and none were allotted. Mr. Cumins, accountant, of Dublin, was engaged by the firm to float the company. That attempt failed, and they began to pressed in October, they being sued by Mr. Foley for £112, it being a dispute as to an alleged overcharge for wood delivered. They called a meeting of creditors at Gloucester on October 20, at which Mr. Bradley was appointed trustee. Mr. Bradley went to Ireland to investigate the affairs, and he (bankrupt) met him there, and a circular was afterwards written by Messrs. Taynton, Sons, and Siveter, to the effect that there was no hope of disposing of the business as a going concern, and recommending bankruptcy, and in consequence of that they filed a petition.
The books of the firm were kept by Mr. Bird, and they were in the habit of making out half-yearly balance-sheets, which he believed were kept, but that was only in connection with the Gloucester business. They used to send a list of the trade done at Cappoquin over to Gloucester every week, as the bookkeeping was done here, and the firm had full knowledge as to what was going on at Cappoquin. The balance sheets were made out on loose paper, and he believed they were preserved.
—In reply to the Registrar, the Bankrupt said action by Messrs. Curren was entered after they had filed their petition, but it was not defended. —The bankrupt was then examined by Mr. Hayes to whether the £500 put into the firm by Mr. Charles Bird was not for the purpose of working the business, but he said he did not know anything about it.—Mr. Hayes attempted to make a statement, but the Registrar checked him, and he stated that he wished it to go forth that he repudiated some of the statements made by the bankrupt —The further examination was then adjourned to the February Court on the application of the Official Receiver.'

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