Hardman and Holden

September 1909.

December 1910.

August 1912.

February 1913.

April 1913.

February 1914.

of Manox House, Coleshill Street, Miles Platting, Manchester.

1870 Josiah Hardman and John James Holden acquired the chemical works of Nicholas Varley in Miles Platting.

1881 'EXPLOSION AT A CHEMICAL WORKS IN MILES PLATTING.
At a quarter to seven o clock this morning an explosion took place at the chemical works of Messrs. Hardman and Co., Varley-street, Miles Platting. The works are very extensive, being the largest of the kind in the North of England, and the portion of the works which the explosion took place, is that which tar distilling is carried on. It appears that the pitch (which is the residue the distilled tar) was being run from one of the stills down a channel underneath the ground into the pitch house on the opposite side of Varley-street, which was a brick structure, erected to receive the hot pitch from the stills, and in which the pitch was allowed to cool previous to its being run into another iron shed to solidify. The pitch from one of the stills was being run as usual into the pitch house this morning, when, without the slightest warning, the building named collapsed, forcing the street wall outwards. The contents of the house becoming suddenly exposed to the atmosphere, produced flame, and the whole of the works immediately adjoining were in danger of being burnt down. A couple of men who were passing a few seconds previous to the explosion just escaped being covered with the debris, and fortunately none of the workmen were at that time in the immediate vicinity. The works brigade promptly got to work with the hose pipes which are kept on the premises, and they were soon joined by the city brigade, under Assistant-superintendent Savage, to whom information had been sent, and the fire was subdued after about one hours exertions. The wall which was blown down immediately joins Messrs. Holland's cotton mill, and is situate in Lower Vickers-street. The traffic on the canal has not been at all interfered with, as was the case at fire some time ago, when a quantity of molten pitch ran into the canal and completely stopped navigation. The works formerly belonged to Messrs. Bouck and Co., Limited, and during their time several fires occurred in that portion of the works which was blown up this morning. Messrs. Hardman and Co. commenced business some fourteen months ago, and started with an unfortunate accident with one of their tar stills, but this is the first fire which they have had on the cooling premises. The portion of the works which have been destroyed are covered by insurance. The explosion and consequent conflagration is supposed to have been caused by the hot pitch coming suddenly in contact with the extremely cold state of the pitch house, the exterior of which was frozen.'

1882 Alfred George Perkin, younger son of William Henry Perkin became chemist at the alizarin works of Hardman and Holden in Manchester.

1887 Dissolution of the Partnership between Josiah Hardman, John James Holden, and George Henry Holden, at Newton Heath, near the city of Manchester, as Manufacturers of Alizarine and Carbonizers of Coal, under the style or firm of Hardman and Holdens, so far as concerned the said George Henry Holden, on the 30th day of November, 1887.

Acquired the premises of the bankrupt John Bethell and Co at Clayton

1888 William Henry Perkin became manager of the works.

1891 The Partnership, which had been continued by Josiah Hardman and John James Holden, was dissolved, by mutual consent, as from the 31st day of December 1891.

1892 Incorporated as a Limited Company to acquire the business of tar distillers and chemical manufacturers carried on in partnership by Josiah Hardman and John James Holden.

1897 Acquired the Manchester Oxide Co.

1899 'ALLEGED CHEMICAL NUISANCE. PROSECUTION AGAINST A MILES PLATTING FIRM.
A series of summonses have been taken out by the Health Committee of the Manchester Corporation against chemical manufacturers in the districts surrounding Manchester. They are for offences alleged to have been committed against section 114 of the Public Health Act of 1875.
The first of the series came on for hearing on Friday before Mr. Headlam at the City Police-court. This was by the Corporation against Messrs. Hardman, Holden, and Company, chemical manufacturers, of Miles Platting.
Mr. Rhodes, barrister, represented the Corporation of Manchester: and Mr. Sutton, barrister, appeared on behalf of the firm prosecuted.
Mr. Rhodes, his opening statement, said the works of the defendants in this case were situated in Miles Platting, bounded by Varley-street, James-street, and Canal-street. The defendants carried on various processes. These included the distillation of coal tar, the manufacture sulphate of ammonia from gas, the manufacture of sulphuric acid, the distillation of benzoline, and the manufacture of pyridine. It was very possible for effluvia to be given off in the manufacture of the chemicals named, which were injurious to the health of the people who inhabited the district in which it was carried on. Up to a year or 18 months ago there was a drain placed from the benzoline department, which was in the centre of the works, to the Manchester Oxide Company's works, into Shooter's Brook. About 12 or 18 months ago, however, this was coupled up with the main drainage system of Manchester, and was taken across an open piece of land in a direct line to Ridgeways-street. Complaints had been rife from the locality near the works. There had been no complaints from Ridgeways-street or from that direction until the drains from the two works were coupled up with the main sewer. Complaints were very bitter indeed. A long list of them from the street immediately adjacent complained of the strong effluvia that came into the houses from the grids. The smells seemed to be given off for a time, and then suddenly cease for an hour or two and come on again. In justice to the defendants it was only fair to state that a memorial had been presented, signed by a considerable number of the inhabitants in the district, in which it was stated that the inhabitants had not suffered in health from any alleged noxious fumes from the works. They consider that to prosecute the firm in question for creating poisonous fumes would be an arbitrary proceeding, and calculated to bring injury to the prosperity of the neighbourhood. The gases appeared to have a peculiar effect on the stone and woodwork in the neighbourhood, turning them blue.
The Rev. S. Nugent Perry, rector of St. Mark's Newton Heath; Mr. J. Cooper, of 125, Holland-street, Miles Platting; the Rev. D. E. Walker, Curate of St. Mark's Church, Miles Platting; and Mr. Wm. Thomson, a chemist, were examined in support of the statement of counsel.
The case was adjourned until Monday, July 24th, at 11 o'clock.'

Acquired C. J. Schofield

1903 Norman N. Holden joined the business

1908 Converted to a Private Company.

WWI Constructed and managed a toluol production plant at Trafford Park

1929 Tar distilling business disposed of.

1931 Commenced manufacture of ferrocyanide blue pigments, followed by a variety of other chemicals which were sold under the trade name of Manox.

1947 Converted into a Public Limited Company. Works in Canal Street, Miles Platting; Corbett Street, Clayton, and Brindle Heath, Pendleton.

1961 Acquired by Borax.

1961 Borax, through Hardmans, acquired J. M. Beckett and Son, pigment manufacturers, of Biddulph

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• Presumably connected with:

1892 Dissolution of the Partnership between Josiah Hardman and John James Holden, at Newton Heath, Clayton, and Bradford, near the city of Manchester, and at Furthergate, Blackburn, in the county of Lancaster, as Tar Distillers and Chemical Manufacturers, under the style or firm of Hardman and Co. as from the31st day of December 1891.

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