Wrought Iron Brands
This section relates to wrought iron makers' brands and trademarks which were often stamped on wrought iron sections and plates.
The mark often comprised a symbol and words or initial letters. In the entries below, an attempt is made to describe the mark, for example 'crown X Y'.
Many makers used a crown symbol. This has no significance.
Makers and their marks
George Adams and Son, Mars Ironworks, Priestfields, Wolverhampton: MARS
John Bagnall and Sons: crown I B
Baldwins of Wolverhampton: see Baldwins entry for their numerous brand names.
W. Barrows and Sons of Bloomfield and Tipton: Brand B.B.H. reflected the earlier company name, Bradley, Barrows and Hall.
Birchills Hall Iron Co, Walsall: picture of a globe superimposed on a horizontal scroll; B.I.C. above SWAN above SPC above BILSTON
Bradley of Stourbridge: Crown above letters S B.
Colley and Co, Hope Works, West Bromwich: crown C.S.
Madeley Court Works: S.C. followed by lion.
Robert Crawshay, Cyfarthfa Ironworks: W.C.
New British Iron Co: Letters NB and IC above a lion.
Brown and Freer (late Hunt and Brown) of Leys Iron Works, near Stourbridge: crown above letters HB, and picture of a phoenix above 'BEST HB'.
Chillington Iron Co: CC crown, LB crown, CHILLINGTON
Darlaston Steel and Iron Co: Picture of a cockerel; No. 1 'CHAMPION'; No.2 'L crown DARLASTON'; No.3 'SAMUEL MILLS'; No.4 G.F. crown G.F.; No.5 LLOYD'S DARLASTON; No.6 LLOYD'S CHARCOAL; No.7 L crown STEEL; No.8 (diamond with X inside) STEEL
Earl of Dudley's Round Oak Works: Brand: a crown surrounded by the letters L W (alongside top of crown) and R O (below crown).
Samuel Groucutt and Sons, Bilston: crown above SG&S
Robert Heath and Sons, Biddulph Valley, Norton and Ravensdale: R. H. crown & BIDDULPH; R. D. crown & RAVENSDALE
Henry Hall, Old Level Works, Brierley Hill: crown LEVEL crown; HALL'S BB crown
Isaac Jenks of Minerva Works and Beaver Works, Wolverhampton. MINERVA; BEAVER. Note: they also made steel branded JENKS.
Kinnersley and Co of Clough Hall Iron Works, Kidsgrove: TK to left of crown.
Lanesfield Iron Works, Wolverhampton (William G. Merriman): W.G.M. crown above Staffordshire knot, STAFFORDSHIRE
William Lee and Co, Gospel Oak Works: anchor with G to left and O to right.
Lee and Bolton, Hyde Iron Works, Stourbridge: crown L&B; crown and plough
Lloyds and Co, Middlesbrough: LINTHORPE
Joseph Foster Lloyd and Co, Bradley Bridge Charcoal, Malleable & Bessemer Pig Iron Co: Brands - picture of a goat and NE PLUS ULTRA, H.L.M., BRADLEY BRIDGE CHARCOAL, COLD BLAST; VULTURE
Midland Iron Co, Rotherham: crown above MIC
William Millington and Co: WM Co surmounted by a dove, or SH crown.
Molineux and Co, Bull's Bridge Iron Works, Morley: picture of bull's head and BRAND W.M. & Co.
Moore and Manby, Dudley: crown above M.& M.; picture of a tiger; crown above SAXON
Parkgate Iron Co, Rotherham: PARKGATE followed by two crowns.
Pearson and Knowles Coal and Iron Co, Warrington: crown above B F for bars and plates, crown above W I W for sheets and hoops.
Rylands Brothers: Reversed R and B above W in an ellipse; WIW in a rectangle (rolled fencing wire)
Shelton Iron, Steel and Coal Co: SHELTON followed by a crown and GRANVILLE followed by a crown.
Snedshill Iron Co: HS crown BEST, above SNEDSHILL
W. and J. S. Sparrow and Sons, Bilston: SPARROW XXX
John Spencer, Coatbridge: PHOENIX
Swan, Coates and Co: CARGO FLEET
Tredegar Iron Co:T.I. CO
William Whitwell and Co, Thornaby Works, Stockton: Mallard lion W W & Co CLEVELAND; THORNABY
Wilden Ironworks, Stourport (see also Baldwins): Brand BALDWIN-WILDEN with various suffixes; UNICORN (Charcoal Tin); ARLEY (crown) Tin; STOUR (Coke tin).
Phillip Williams and Sons, Oak Works, Wednesbury: Picture of bishop's mitre above letters WO.
See Also
Sources of Information
- 'Rivington's Building Construction' by By Percy Major Smith, p.294ff.
- Griffith's Guide to the Iron Trade of Great Britain, 1873 (new edition 1967)