Lancashire Steel Co
of Gorton, Manchester
Note: This was a different company from Lancashire Steel Corporation
1863 Investors sought for a proposed new business. The company would develop a 10 acres (4.0 ha) site at Gorton, Manchester, with buildings, blast furnaces, steam hammers, rolling mills and other facilities necessary to produce steel using the relatively new Bessemer process.
1864 Advertising as manufacturers of cast steel and files, and as the only manufacturer of "Preston's Patent Self-Acting Machines for Forging and Cutting Files". Based at Lime Bank Street, Ardwick. This address is shown as the Patent File Machine and File Manufacturing Co, of which Francis Preston was manager. See also Ardwick Spindle Works.
1866 William Lomas, 28, a steam hammer driver, died after being scalded following the explosion of a steam valve[1]
1867 Directors were: John Hall, chairman; James Fletcher; Thomas Barton, Junior; Thomas Hodson; John Isaac Mawson; and Thomas C. Ogden.
1867 Advertisement: THE LANCASHIRE STEEL COMPANY LIMITED. — (IN LIQUIDATION) — TO BE SOLD by Private Contract, the Whole of this Company's BESSEMER STEEL WORKS, situate in Gorton, Manchester, comprising the Land and Buildings thereon, Plant, Machinery, Tools, Fixtures, Implements, and Utensils. The LAND on which these works are erected is freehold, and adjoins and communicates with the main line of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway. It contains 50,415 square yards, or about 10½ acres, and the yearly chief rent payable thereon is £246 12s. 6d. The BUILDINGS comprise converting houses, steam hammer, and rolling mill sheds, with all their requisite furnaces, smith's, turning, and fitting shops, engine and boiler houses, and extensive range of offices. The PLANT and MACHINERY comprise two 6-ton converters, with their hydraulic cranes, ingot moulds, and all other requisite apparatus; two horizontal steam engines, 100-horse power each, with blowing cylinders complete, by Galloway and Sons'; five horizontal boilers, Galloway and Sons' patent; two horizontal double-flued boilers, by Peel, Williams and Peel; one 8-ton steam hammer, Musgrave, late Condy's patent; one 5-ton, same make; one 2-ton, same make ; one 4-ton, by Massey; one 20-cwt., by Nasmyth, all fitted with the necessary cranes, by Wren and Company; plate and rail rolling mills, by Walker, Eaton and Co, driven by two steam engines, one made by Goodfellow of 100-horse power, and the other by Musgrave and Sons of 150-horse power; one steam saw for rail cutting, one rail planing machine, one shearing machine, and the necessary lathes, planing, drilling, and shaping machines, with the other requisites for the fitting shops; also 20 pair of rolls for rails, made to the sections used by the principal railway companies. The STOCK on HAND comprises Swedish and Hematite pig iron of the best brands, ingots and rail blooms, rolled and hammered Bessemer steel bars, steel scrap, &c. The stock will be sold apart from tbe buildings and plant at a valuation. The LANCASHIRE STEEL WORKS are of recent erection, and fitted-up with all modern improvements used in the manufacture of Bessemer steel, and are capable of converting 150 tons of Bessemer steel per week. The plant and machinery, made by the best makers, are quite new, having only been at work about two years. The land on which the works are erected has very materially increased in value, is enclosed throughout, and affords space for considerable extensions. The Liquidators will be glad to receive tenders for the foregoing property, specifying amount and terms of payment, prior to November 12th proximo. For further information to intending purchasers the Liquidators have prepared a statement of the cost and outlay actually incurred on the plant and buildings, which, together with other particulars, may be obtained at their Works, or at the Office, 108, King-street. Parties being desirous of tendering may bee admitted to inspect the works on application to the Manager, Mr. John Dewhurst, at the works; to the Liquidators. 108, King-street; or to Messrs. Slater and Barling, solicitors, Norfolk-street, Manchester. FRANK H. JEWSBURY, THOS. BROWNING, Liquidators.
1867 A separate advert announces: THE LANCASHIRE STEEL COMPANY LIMITED-(IN LIQUIDATION)- TO BE SOLD by Private Contract, the Whole of this Company's PATENT FILE WORKS, situate in Lime Bank-street, Ashton Old road, Manchester, comprising the Land and Buildings thereon, Plant, Machinery, Tools, Patents, Stock-in-Trade, Fixtures. Implements, and Utensils. The LAND on which these works are erected is freehold, and situate in Lime Bank street, Ashton Old-road. It contains 2,959 square yards, and the yearly chief rent payable thereon is £49 3s. 4d. The BUILDINGS which have been specially constructed for a file manufactory, comprise engine and boiler houses, forging and annealing rooms, grinding hand, and machine cutting shops, hardening store, and packing rooms, mechanics' shops, and offices. The PLANT and MACHINERY comprise forging machines (Ryder's principle), with the necessary hearths and appliances; rolling and shaping machine, annealing furnaces, grinding stones, fitted with Oddy and Oldfields' patent frictional gearing, one American patent file grinding machine, fully supplied with carriages and pattern plates, &c,, for grinding every kind of flat and hand files, from 10in, to 18in. The MACHINE CUTTING ROOM is fitted up with 23 patent file cutting machines (Preston's latest patent), constructed to cut files from 8in. to 24in. Flat, hand, equalling, slotting, square, three-square, and round, blunt and tapers, half round, and mill saws, &c., and may be applied to almost every description of file. The HAND CUTTING ROOMS contain 68 cutting blocks, with anvils and necessary fittings. The hardening rooms contain five lead baths, furnaces, water cisterns, brushing benches, brushing machines, and all other appliances. The packing and store rooms contain ample accommodation for examining, testing, packing &C. storing files, are supplied with benches and shelving, weighing machine, hoists, loading crane, and every convenience for receiving and delivering goods. The Steam Engine (high pressure) by Gadd and Hill, is 25-horse power. The STOCK on HAND consists of steel of various descriptions; files in different stages of manufacture, and an extensive and well assorted stock of finished files. The Patents under which the company work are their exclusive property, and by the application of Preston's latest patent (also the company's property) have been considerably enhanced in value. These patents will be sold with the plant, and transferred to the purchasers. The PATENT FILE WORKS were erected in 1861, are most compact in their arrangements, fitted up with every modern improvement, and are capable of manufacturing 800 dozen of files per week. The land on which they are erected has very materially increased in value, is enclosed throughout, and affords space for considerable extensions. The disposal of this property affords a most favourable opportunity to parties engaged in the file trade to secure an established business and carry on a profitable manufacture. Owing to the superior quality of this company's files, all prejudice against machine-cut files formerly existing have been surmounted, as also the opposition of the trade union, and there is now in the company's employ a body of skilled and experienced hands. Further particulars may be obtained at the Works, or at the Office of the Liquidators; and tenders are requested to be sent in by the 12th November next. Parties being desirous of tendering for purchase, may be admitted to inspect the works on application to the Manager Mr R. C Ross on the premises; to the Liquidators, 108, King-street; or to Messrs. Slater and Barling, solicitors, Norfolk-street, Manchester. FRANK H. JEWSBURY, THOS. BROWNING, Liquidators. [2]
The Wikipedia entry states that the site and plant were bought in 1871 by Bolckow, Vaughan and Co, who produced steel there using the Bessemer process for a time until the building of their steelworks at Eston (commenced 1874, completed 1877). The works were subsequently sold to the MS&LR so that it could manufacture its own rails. The MS&LR had installed two converters at its works in 1872.