William Bracewell

William Bracewell & Co, Burnley Iron Works, Burnley, Lancashire

Iron and brass founders, engineers and millwrights. Makers of steam engines and steam hammers.

Initially the firm was a partnership between William Bracewell, William Metcalf Bracewell and Price Griffiths, who continued the business established by James Marsland. The partnership was dissolved in 1864 and William Bracewell took sole control.

From the 1860s the engines were designed by William Pickup.

Mine winding and drainage engines built in the 1870s.

1887 Assets bought by a new company - the Burnley Ironworks Co.

G Shackleton lists fourteen steam engines made for local (Pendle) textile mills between 1862 and 1886.

1887 Sale Notice

'Burnley — Valuable Land, Extensive Engineering Works and Foundry, Modern Weaving Sheds, Dwelling-house, and other Property, situate in the centre of Burnley, for Sale.
1886.—8. 4,929.—In the Chancery of the County Palatine of Lancaster, Manchester District.—"Bracewell v. Smith."
By Messrs. EDWARD RUSHTON & SON (before Hubert Winstanley, Esq., the Registrar of the Manchester District), at the Bull Hotel, in Burnley, on Monday, the 16th day of May, 1887, at three o'clock in the afternoon, subject to conditions of sale to be then and there produced :

'Lot 1. ALL that LOT of LAND, comprising an area of 9,651 6-9 square yards or thereabouts, with frontages to King-street, George-street, and Canal-street, Burnley, together with the valuable old-established and extensive Engineering Works erected thereon, and the whole of the Plant, Machinery, and Tools therein, and the newly erected modern Power-loom Weaving Shed known as the King-street shed; the Boiler-house and Chimney connected therewith, the Double-flued Lancashire Steam Boiler, 30ft. 7ft.; Set of Fuel Economisers, 72 pipes; and the whole of the polished shafting, steam, gas and water piping therein. The buildings connected with the engineering works (a portion of which are quite new) comprise very lofty foundry, containing floor area of about 894 square yards; smithy and dressing shop, one lofty storey, containing a floor area of about 975 square yards; fitting and turning shop, floor space of 1,875 square yards ; several ranges of buildings forming offices, shuttle works, iron store, storerooms, pattern rooms, joiners' shops, brass foundry, newly erected stone building forming erecting shops and engineering works, three lofty storeys; engine-house, and numerous other buildings. The plant and machinery include 51 single, double, and treble geared self-acting and hand lathes, of various descriptions and sizes, on gap and straight beds; two flywheel lathes, eight planing and four slotting machines, shaping, drilling, screwing, shearing, roller, fluting, wheel cutting, and other machines, seven donkey engines, 17 powerful hand cranes, overhead steam and hand travelling cranes, wrought-iron cupolas, with hoist, &c, Baker's pressure blower, three moulding machines, Ryder's four-hammer forging machine, three steam hammers, 10 smith's hearths, band sawing machine, self-acting saw bench, six brass furnaces, loam mill, and the whole of the shafting, gearing, and piping throughout, an inventory which can seen and a copy thereof obtained at the offices of the auctioneers and solicitors herein named at any time during business hours within one week prior to the sale. The extensive assortment of valuable patterns, loose articles, stock-in-trade, and work progress will have to be taken a valuation, to be made by the auctioneers prior to the sale. The works are situate in the centre of Burnley, and were founded by the late Messrs. Marsland and afterwards carried on by the late Mr. William Bracewell, and are now in full operation. This lot is copyhold of inheritance of the manor of Ightenhill. Part thereof is subject to the annual ground rent of £5 17s. 6d. and the and provisions of an indenture of the 30th January, 1793, and another part thereof is subject to the annual ground rent of £13 5s. and the covenants and provisions of an indenture of the 12th November, 1823. The King-street shed above-mentioned is in the occupation of William Bracewell and Sons, and the rest of the lot is in the occupation of the vendors. Providing this lot is not sold as whole, then the land and premises will be divided and sold as lots 3 and 4.

'Lot 2. All that PLOT of LAND, situate Burnley aforesaid, with entrance from George-street, bounded by towing path of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the Burnley Ironworks, and comprising an area of 4,674 8-9 square yards or thereabouts; together with the newly-erected Modern Power-loom Weaving Shed and Manufacturing Premises, known as George-street Shed, erected thereon, and the Steam-power Shafting and Piping therein. The buildings are of stone, and comprise lofty and well-lighted weaving shed, now containing 840 power-looms, driven with belts in separate belt race, and having a floor area about 3,319 square yards; boiler-house, circular brick-built chimney, engine-house, three-storey building forming cloth warehouse, beaming, twisting, winding, and warping rooms; ditto forming yarn warehouse, tape-sizing and winding rooms; two-storey building forming watch-house and office, entrance gates, well-paved yards, and other buildings. The steam power includes two Lancashire steam boilers, each 30ft. by 7ft. 6in., fitted with mechanical stokers, Green's patent fuel economisers, 120 pipes; fine horizontal compound tandem steam-engines, with cylinders 24in. and 42in. diameter, arranged for strap driving; polished wrought-iron shafting, with straps, pulleys, and fittings : steam, gas. and water piping throughout, power-geared hoist, fixtures, &c. The entire premises are of recent construction, and were erected regardless of cost, and are fitted for working in the most economical manner. This lot is copyhold of inheritance of the manor of Ightenhill. This lot is in the occupation of Messrs. Bracewell and Sons.

'Lot 3. All that PLOT of LAND, comprising an area of 4,386 5-9 square yards or thereabouts; together with the buildings forming the part of the Burnley Ironworks used as a fitting and turning shop, described in Lot 1, and the King-street Weaving Shed erected thereon, and the steam boiler, fuel economisers, shafting and piping in and upon the King-street Weaving Shed and premises. The plant included in this lot will be fully described in an inventory which can be seen and copy thereof obtained at the offices of the auctioneers and solicitors hereinafter named at any time during business hours within one week prior to the day sale, and the patterns, loose articles, stock-in-trade and work now in progress shall taken valuation to be made by the auctioneers prior to the sale. This lot is copyhold of inheritance of manor of Ightenhill, and part of it is subject to the said annual ground rent of £13 5s., and the covenants and provisions the indenture of the 12th November, 1823, referred to in the particulars of lot 1, and another part (together with a part of lot 4) subject to the rent of £5 17s. 6d. and the covenants and provisions of the indenture of the 30th January, 1793, also referred to in the particulars of lot It is intended to charge the last-mentioned rent exclusively on this lot, and the purchaser will required to indemnify the purchaser of lot 4 against payment of such rent.

'Lot 4. All that PLOT of LAND, comprising area of 5,265 1-9 square yards or thereabouts, together with the Buildings forming part of the Burnley Ironworks erected thereon, and the whole of the Plant, Machinery, and Tools used in connection with the same works. In this lot are included all the buildings adapted for modern engineering works, foundry, smithy, Ac, connected with the engineering works described in lot 1, except the fitting and turning shop, which will be included in lot 3, the business of the Burnley Ironworks could be continued on this lot on a smaller scale. An inventory of the plant included in this lot can be seen and a copy thereof obtained at the offices of the auctioneers and solicitors, hereinafter named, at any time during business hours within one week prior to the sale. The patterns, loose articles, stock-in-trade, and work iv progress shall be taken at valuation, to made the auctioneers prior to the sale. This lot is copyhold of inheritance of the manor of Ightenhill, and will be sold subject to the covenants and provisions (other than those relating to the payment of the ground rent of £5 17s. 6d.) of the indenture the 30th January, 1793, mentioned the particulars of lot 3.

'Lot 5. All that PLOT of LAND, containing area 2,548 square yards or thereabouts, situate fronting King-street, and bounded partly by the river Calder, Burnley aforesaid, large portion of which is vacant: together with the Stone Buildings Premises erected thereon, and used as stables, cart sheds, and pattern stores; and also the dwelling-house thereon, 'this lot held of the manor of Ightenhill; parts of are held for estates of inheritance, subject to the annual ground rents of £7 and £4 5s., and to the covenants and provisions of indentures dated respectively the 16th October, 1829, and the October, 1832; the remainder is held for the unexpired residue of a term of 2,000 years .....—Printed particulars and plans may be had from the Auctioneers, Exchange Salerooms, Blackburn, and ......'

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