Distington Hematite Iron Co
of Distington Works, Cumberland
1878 First sod cut in Sept for the building of a new iron works, which will have 3 furnaces.[1] The company at this stage was generally referred to as the Distington Iron Company.
Based on the names on the lease of the site, the partners at this stage were:- William McCowan of Hurlford, Ayrshire, iron master; Thomas Wellwood of Harrington, iron master; Peter Sturrock of Kilmarnock, coal master; James Hendrie of Kilwinning, iron founder; Hugh Wright of Altiery, Wigtownshire, gentleman; John Smith of Kilwinning, iron founder; James Bunten of Kilmarnock, merchant; John Moncur of Kilmarnock, cashier; and John Logan of Troon, ship broker.[2]
1879 First steel produced Dec 1879.[3]
1881 Mr James Wilson, formerly of Askam Iron Works, appointed manager of Distington Iron Works.[4]
1881 Distington Hematite Iron Company Limited (Company No 16146) was registered on 8 December, with capital of £60,000, to acquire, develop and work Distington Iron Works. [5]
1883 Directory Entry - Distington Hæmatite Iron Company Limited; Wm McCowan, managing director; John Moncur secretary. "Works erected in 1879. They consist of 2 furnaces and are capable of turning out between 600 and 700 tons of iron weekly." [6]
1909 Explosion of four boilers out of a range of eleven. See photo.[7]
1918 Entire share capital of Distington Hematite Iron Company Limited acquired by United Steel Companies at a price of £2 per £1 share.[8] Described as having three furnaces dedicating to producing low phosphorous iron.
1930 Winding up. "At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Distington Hematite Iron Company Limited, duly convened, and held at 16, Great George-street, Westminster, London, S.W. 1, on Tuesday, the 9th day of December, 1930, the following Special Resolutions were duly passed, viz.:— Special Resolutions. 1. " That the Company be wound up voluntarily." 2. " That Hubert Peter Morrison, of 17, Westbourne-road, Sheffield, be and he is hereby appointed Liquidator for the purposes of such winding-up." W. Benton Jones, Chairman."[9] Winding up was completed by Jun 1931.
1933 United Steel registered a new private company with the name Distington Hematite Iron Company Limited and a nominal capital of £100.[10] Still existed in 1941...
Note; Hematite can also be spelt Haematite or Hæmatite
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Midland & Northern Coal & Iron Trades Gazette - 11 Sep 1878
- ↑ Lease of site for iron and steel works in the parishes of Distington and Workington, 31 Jul 1879, Cumbria Archive ref DCU/6/201
- ↑ Newcastle Journal - 15 Dec 1879
- ↑ Soulby's Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer - 3 Nov 1881
- ↑ Midland & Northern Coal & Iron Trades Gazette - 21 Dec 1881 and The Stock Exchange Year Book 1908
- ↑ Bulmer's Directory of West Cumberland 1883
- ↑ 'The Distington Multiple Boiler Explosion and other Multiple Boiler Explosions' by Edward George Hiller, National Boiler and General Insurance Co Ltd
- ↑ Whitehaven Advertiser and Cleator Moor and Egremont Observer - 13 Jul 1918 and Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 2 Jan 1919
- ↑ London Gazette - 16 Dec 1830
- ↑ Sheffield Independent - 10 Feb 1933