James Oakes and Co
of Alfreton Iron Works, Derbyshire
1800 Business established, presumably as Thomas Saxelbye and Company
1809 Dissolution of the partnership between Thomas Saxelbye, Nathaniel Edwards, and Richard Forester Forester, all of Derby, in the County of Derby, Iron-Masters, trading under the Firm of Thomas Saxelbye and Company, at the Alfreton Ironworks, situate at Riddings, in the Parish of Alsreton, in the said County of Derby, and also at Derby aforesaid, by mutual Consent, so far as related to or concerned the said Thomas Saxelbye, and that the said Thomas Saxelbye, with the Consent and Approbation of the said Nathaniel Edwards and Richard Forester Forester, did then assign and transfer all his Share and Interest in the said Copartnership Concern unto James Oakes, of Derby aforesaid, Gentleman, who was thereupon admitted and became a Partner in the Place and Stead of the said Thomas Saxelbye; the Business was carried on by James Oakes, Nathaniel Edwards, and Richard Forester Forester, under the Firm of Oakes, Edwards, and Forester[1]
1818 Dissolution of the Partnership between James Oakes, of Derby, Gentleman, Nathaniel Edwards, late of the same place, Gentleman, deceased, and Richard Forester Forester, Doctor of Physic, as Ironmasters and Copartners, at Riddings and Somercotes, in the County of Derby, under the firm of Oakes, Edwards, and Forester, so far as regarded the said Nathaniel Edwards, on the 14th day of January 1814 ; and as regarded the said Richard Forester Forester, on the 8th day of April 1817. The business will be continued under the firm of James Oakes and Company[2]
Later James's sons Thomas Oakes and Charles Henry Oakes ran the business
c.1850 Interests in gas brought them into contact with numerous provincial gas companies
1853-1854 Made shot for the Crimean War.
1870 Supplied the general ironwork for the retort fittings and mains at Beckton Gasworks
1887 The Riddings District Gas Bill made provisions for the acquisition of existing gasworks and gas undertaking of Messrs. James Oakes and Co.; and Powers to construct and maintain new works for the manufacture and storage of gas, &c., on certain lands; T. H. Oakes and C. H. Oakes were mentioned as being with the company[3]
1887 Supplied hanging valves for the Acton and Ealing Sewage Works
1903 W. R. Bates appointed to succeed Mr H. Brown as manager of the company.[4]
1914 The company owns coal mines, iron ore mines, sand quarries etc. Manufacturers of pig iron, gas and water pipes, cylinders, engineers' castings etc. Specialities: flange work for power stations and condensing plants, tar macadam for roads. Employees Iron Works 800, Colliery 3,000. [5]
1918 The Stanton Iron Works Co from Jan 1st 1919 acted as sole selling agents for the products of James Oakes and Co.[6]
1920 Stanton Iron Works Co took over the ironworks, foundries and ironstone properties of James Oakes and Co, leaving just the coal and clay properties.
1927 See Aberconway Chapter II for information on the company and its history
1931 James Oakes and Co (Riddings) Ltd acquired Lovatt Pottery; renamed it Lovatts Potteries Ltd. The new owner introduced a substantial programme of modernisation.
1959 Lovatts Potteries was taken over by Joseph Bourne and Son, otherwise known as Denby Pottery.
1972 Hepworth Ceramic Holdings bought James Oakes and Co maker of clay pipes, cable conduits and sulphuric acid [7].
1978 James Oakes and Co (Riddings) Ltd was in liquidation[8]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ London Gazette 27 May 1809
- ↑ London Gazette 24 Nov 1818
- ↑ The London Gazette 25 November 1887
- ↑ The Engineer 1903/06/19, p 634.
- ↑ 1914 Whitakers Red Book
- ↑ The Engineer 1918/12/20 p 543.
- ↑ The Times, 16 June 1972
- ↑ The London Gazette 6 April 1978