Richard Johnson and Nephew
From GracesGuide
of Bradford Iron Works, Manchester, and Ambergate Wire Mills, near Derby, iron masters and wire drawers, makers of iron, steel and copper wire. [1]
1773 Company established by James Howard as a pin maker and wire drawer in Manchester,.
1804 Howard established a wire works on Long Millgate, which was later bought by John Johnson.
1818 Johnson moved the works to the corner of Hanging Ditch and Withy Grove.
1828 Moved to Edge Street, Shudehill. The business expanded to additional premises in Dale Street, and in Lees Street, Ancoats.
1838 John Johnson handed the business to his sons, Richard and William; the name was changed to Richard Johnson and Brother.
1848 the firm had 80 employees; products included finished goods including "every description of wove wire and wire work" as well as wire.
1851 Richard Johnson and Brother supplied the galvanised armouring wires for the cross-Channel telegraph cable that was used by the Submarine Telegraph Co in its second attempt to link England and France. This was the start of long-standing involvement in cable making.
1853 Moved to Bradford Iron Works, Manchester.
1854 Supplied large quantities of wire for the Niagara Suspension Bridge, which opened for service on March 18, 1855. This was to develop into another major line or work for the company.
1857 Supplied wire for the first trans-Atlantic cable R. S. Newall and Co at Birkenhead.
1860 Richard and William’s nephew, John Thewlis Johnson, began working for the firm; by 1864 he went to work for one of the company's major customers W. T. Henley, although continuing to spend time at Manchester and became a director in 1865 when the company name was changed to Richard Johnson and Nephew.
Johnson’s became the acknowledged experts on the galvanising of cable armouring wires, having performed experiments involving submerging galvanised steel plates in the Irish Channel, amongst others.
1904 W. T. Henley invited Johnson’s to produce all their copper wire, which provided a new line of business; copper wire, strip and commutator bars were supplied to various customers.
1914 Wire manufacturers. Specialities: copper, iron and steel wires of every description. Employees 1,500. [2]
1927 See Aberconway for information on the company and its history
WWII Johnson’s supplied galvanised wire for the PLUTO pipeline.
1973 Merger with Thomas Firth and John Brown Ltd, to be known as Johnson and Firth Brown Ltd.
- Plant photographs, mainly of Bradford Works, Manchester, including new Galvanising Department under construction, site and staff.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1947-1951 (1 volume)
- ↑ 1914 Whitakers Red Book
- The involvement of Johnson Brothers and Nephew in cable making: [[1]]
