William Douglas and Sons
Makers of food processing equipment, of Douglas Wharf, Putney, London, SW.
1888 Company founded by William Douglas and his 3 sons.
1900 of 29, Farringdon-rd., E.C. Regd. Feb. 6, 189.9, Cap. 250,000; in 21 ohs. 38,607 shs. taken up, 38,600 shs. issued as paid, 21 called on 7, £7 paid. Purchase consideration, £39,886 2s. Old. Dirs., W. Douglas, T. Douglas, J. Douglas, L. M. Douglas.
Applied shale oil techniques to lower the temperature of lard
1898 Company purchased premises at Putney.
1914 Engineers, merchants and manufacturers of food appliances. Specialities: everything in connection with the slaughtering of animals and preparation and preservation of pork and meat, Douglas-Conroy refrigerating machinery, egg testing and milk cooling machinery and appliances. Employees 100. [1]
1920s Developed refrigeration equipment
WWII Built cold store for the Ministry of Food and ice plants for the War Office
Post-War: developed business based on the Douglas Pump, an accurate metering device, which led to formation of Bulk Handling Division
1959 The engineering part of the business was acquired by Baker, Perkins Ltd who had previously purchased equipment from Douglas. The spices and food ingredients part of the business remained separate.
1961 Merged with Alfred Porter and Co Ltd, makers of packaged chilled liquid units used for air conditioning, which had rights to sell the Trane compressor which was of interest to Douglas.
1964 Formation of Douglas Rownson Ltd together with Rownson (Conveyors).
1965 Moved to Basingstoke
See Also
Sources of Information
- History of William Douglas [1]