Rose Downs & Thompson Ltd

Sectors:

  • Fabricated metal products manufacture Cannon, gun & shot founding inc cannon balls
  • Fabricated metal products manufacture Metal casting
  • Mechanical engineering Oil extraction inc seed crushing machinery production

Notes:

Established 1777 by John Todd, 1763-1838, as a foundry which cast, inter alia, cannons and mill and ship fittings. 1803 joined by Duncan Campbell, 1754-1833, who was later sole proprietor and whose family owned the business for over a century. From c1824 known as Campbell & Ibbotson. 1859 James Downs, 1830-1904, joined as manager and was to hugely influence the business, leading it to specialisation in making oil/seed crushing mill machinery and thereby serving local industry. By 1871 known as Rose & Downs and as Rose Downs & Thompson from 1874. 1893 incorporated. Developed a major international business in oil extraction machinery. From 1947 closely associated with Power Gas Corp Ltd and later owned by Davy Ashmore Group. 1988 acquired by De Smet Group

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