Beardmore, William, & Co Ltd, general

Sectors:

  • Transport equipment production Airframe production & repair
  • Mechanical engineering Armaments & ammunition production exc warships, aircraft, cannon, hand guns and cartridges, swords, etc
  • Fabricated metal products manufacture Armour plate production industry
  • Basic metals production Iron, steel & related alloys production
  • Fabricated metal products manufacture Metal forging, pressing, stamping, rolling, slitting, etc
  • Transport equipment production Motor vehicle production
  • Transport equipment production Railway locomotive, rolling stock & components production & repair
  • Transport equipment production Shipbuilding & repairing exc small craft

Notes:

Traced origins to a steel forging business at Parkhead, Glasgow - for long known as Parkhead Forge - in which the Beardmore family had an interest from 1861. In 1887 (Sir) William Beardmore, 1856-1936, was sole partner, taking over on the retirement of his uncle. Under him the business expanded rapidly to become a leading British engineering and armaments manufacturer. 1890 started to make armour plate and in c1900 started ship construction at Dalmuir via acquisition of the shipbuilding interests of Robert Napier & Co. Incorporated 1902 when Vickers Son & Maxim Ltd took a substantial interest. 1905 acquired Mossend Steelworks. Built aero-engines and aircraft, 1914-29, and acquired railway locomotive builder, Alley MacLellan Ltd of Sentinel Works, in 1918. Established Beardmore Motors Ltd in 1920 to build motor vehicles until 1929. By 1918 a major UK business but from mid 1920s in difficulties when gradually reduced through sales and closures and rationalisation and joint ventures with competitors largely under the watch of the Bank of England. Some parts acquired by Lithgows Ltd. Business largely extinct by 1940, the remnants at Parkhead being nationalised in 1951 and later acquired by Thos Firth & John Brown Ltd. The Beardmore name given up in 1975

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