J. and T. Sherratt

John Sherratt and Thomas Sherratt of Salford Iron Works and of Heaton Boiler Works, Stockport

Successors to Bateman and Sherratt

1814 Ironfounders

1821 John and Thomas Sherratt listed as iron founders of Hardman street.

A beam engine at Jesse Shirley's flint mill in Hanley is thought to have been made by Sherratt

1822 'Steam Engine at the Bottom of a Coal-Pit'. 'An engine pit of 147½ ft deep has been sunk upon the Black Mine in Newton near Stockport by Bateman and Sherratt upon the estate of F. D. Astley.' The engine was erected at bottom of the pit in an engine House 30 ft long, 30 ft high, 10ft wide. The 28 HP engine was of 5 ft stroke and had a beam 16 ft long and flywheel 16 ft diameter. The boiler was 25 ft long, 6.5 ft wide. The engine worked an inclined plane 333 yds long at an average angle of 37 degrees, using an endless chain of about 5 tons in weight. Engine made by J & T Sherratt 'and set up under the immediate inspection of Bateman & Sherratt's agent, Mr J Wilde of Dukinfield' . Note: In view of the hazards, it seems curious having a coal-fired boiler in a deep mine, although some mines did use furnaces to create a draught for ventilation purposes. Nothing further has been found about this installation. It is noted that there was a disaster at the mine due to a fire damp explosion in 1842. The boiler furnaces were not implicated..

1823 'Subterraneous Festivities.—-On Saturday week, Mrs. Astley, of Duckinfield Lodge, gave an elegant dejeune at the bottom of Messrs. Bateman and Sheratt's engine-pit, upon the Black Mine, in Newton. The object of this subterraneous visit was to view the wonderful machinery erected 450 feet below the surface of the earth, for the purpose of winding coal from a still deeper level, of more than 500 feet. A number of ladies were invited, but when the muster was made at the top of the pit, only one (Miss Taylor, of Moston) could be found sufficiently adventurous to accompany the fair hostess to her appointed breakfast-room. Mr. James Wilde, who, as agent to Messrs. Bateman and Sheratt, has superintended the excavations below for the reception of engine of 28 horse power, and the inclined plane into the lower levels, and whose skill and perseverance cannot be too highly appreciated, received the party, consisting of twelve, and had so disposed a number of torches, as to render the high vaults and deep recesses of the works clearly discernible. The party returned after excellent collation of cold viands and wine, having drunk "To the memory of the late Mr. Sheratt, whose great mechanical abilities first brought the mine into consideration," followed by the song of " Should auld acquaintance be forgot?" highly gratified with the boldness which had planned the undertaking, and with the success which appears to attend it.'

1825 Advertisement. 'COTTON MILL. BE LET, for a Term of Years, A COTTON MILL, 26 yards long, 13 yards wide, 8 stories high, and a room in the attic; with a Steam Engine of 36 horses power, the Main Shafts, and Steam Pipes for heating the rooms. The above Fire-proof, and situate in Brown-street, Salford, within five minutes walk of the Manchester Exchange For particulars inquire of J. and T. Sherratt, Salford Iron Works.'

1829 A 3 HP engine by Sherratt was included in the sale of the silk mill at Dale Street, Congleton.'

1832 'MOST DISTRESSING FATAL ACCIDENT.—We have seldom had to record a more melancholy instance of loss of human life, .... The unfortunate individuals who have been so suddenly hurried into eternity, are John Rae, a workman of Mr. Charles Wood. Junr, cotton spinner, of the Lower Heys Mill, Titherington, and John Pinkerton, a mechanic in the employ of Messrs. J. and T. Sherratt, ironfounders, Salford, and the circumstatices attending their death are as follow. Mr. Wood has been fixing up a new 60 horse power engine, made by Messrs. Sherratt and for some short time several of Messrs. Sherratt's men have been employed in fixing it, under the superintendance of an able and trustworthy servant, the father of the unfortunate man Pinkerton. The work was so far completed, as to admit of the engine being set to work on Saturday noon, when it was found that the fly wheel grated against some part of the interior of an iron casing, fixed in the earth, and which was placed there for the wheel to work in, and to protect it from the water which oozed through the foundation of the engine house. The engine was of course, immediately stopped by the elder Pinkerton, on the top centre, and under the idea that every thing was perfectly safe, directed that some of the men should descend into the wheel race, and ascertain where the collision took place. lt may be as well to mention here, that the iron casing or trough is only 14 inches broad, and about 5 feet deep. The two unfortunate men Rae and Pinkerton immediately stepped upon one of the arms of the wheel with a view of descending into the trough, when contrary to all calculation, their weight set the wheel in motion, and down they went into the trough along with it. The wheel made but half a revolution before it was again stopped, and brought Rae up on the opposite side, with scarcely an unfractured bone in his body. He gave one sigh as he arose, and his took his departure from this world. Pinkerton was let below, and he was heard to call out in an agonizing tone, for his comrade Alick, to come down and help him. Mr. Wood immediately despatched messengers for medical men, and some persons were sent down into the trough with ropes, to hoist up the body of poor Pinkerton, as gently as the circnmstances would allow. His lodgings being close at hand he was conveyed there, dreadfully fractured and bruised, but perfectly conscious of his situation. Messrs. Dickinson, Braithwaite, and Birchinall, surgeons were instantly in attendance, but it was found that he had sustained a dreadful fracture of the pelvis, which besides his other bruises, was sufficient to cause his death. Their assistance, of course, was unavailing, and the poor fellow died in about a quarter of an hour after his extrication from the wheel race. The feelings of the agonized father during this period may be judged, but we cannot describe them. He was overwhelmed in grief. No blame, however, seems to attach to him, though the engine was under his superintendance. He has been for many years in the service of Messrs. Sherratt's, and has always been considered a very talented man in his business. He had, as he supposed, closed the valves of the engine, but whether they had been thoroughly closed it is impossible now to say, the probability is that such was not the case, and the slightest degree of opening would be sufficient to give the impetus to the wheel, aided as itcwas, by the weight of men. Being a new engine it is probable that with every care, the valves might not have been sufficiently chose. An inquest was held on the bodies of the unfortunate men, before Mr. Hollins, coroner, at the Blue Bell, Titherington, on Monday morning, when, after a careful examination of the witnesses who were present on the awful occasion, the Jury returned a verdict, to the effect, that their death was attributable accident alone, and that no blame whatever attached to any idividual. Pinkerton was a young unmarried man, of excellent character and highly prized by his employer, as a most valuable and faithful servant ; Rae was married but had no children. Their bodies were interred in Christ Church Yard, on Tuesday, and their funeral was attended by Mr. Wood and his principal workmen.'

1834 The Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company's newly built steam tug 'Rival' left the dock for the first time in September 1834. Built in the Company's yard in Runcorn, it was fitted with two engines 20 HP each, made by J & T Sherratt. They were placed in the boat under the immediate superintendence of the Company's engineer (Mersey & Irwell or Sherratt?) Mr Richard Phillips

1834 Advert: '..... by order of the assignees of Messrs. Whitehead and Fryer, bankrupts, on the premises at Barton Park Mills, in the township of Barton-upon-Irwell, near Eccles, about 7 miles from Manchester, near Foxhill-bank, upon the turnpike-road from Manchester to Warrington, on Thursday and 13th and 14th days March, 1834:
The whole of the very valuable COTTON SPINNING MACHINERY, ....a capital Steam-engine, of 16 horses' power, by Sherratts; two Steam-boilers, 20 horses' power each ....

1838 Advertisement for sale of plant and equipment of Salford Iron Works belonging to the late Messrs J & T Sherratt, Hardman Street and Brown Street, to be held on 11th & 12th June 1838. The advertisement listed many items, and a few will be highlighted here, namely:- A 'Pneumatic Engine' and a fine model of a pneumatic engine; 14 HP slide valve engine and 20 HP boiler; 10 HP hand gear engine and 24 HP boiler; boring mills; 22" stroke slotting machine; planing machines for work up to 21 ft and 9 ft long; various lathes with centre heights from 7" to 24"; cranes: one crab, one 'universal', 24 wood and iron cranes; Three air furnaces, two cupolas

1838 Advertisement: To be let land and buildings at Brown Street, lately in the occupation of J & T Sherratt as a boiler yard. Amenities included a good supply of river and spring water

A 20 HP engine by Sherratt was included in the sale of the Manchester cotton mill of Jean Baptiste Paul Chappe, advertised between 1840 and 1843.

1843 Advertisement for disposal at Fenton Park Colliery of equipment including a Sherratt pumping engine with 63" bore cylinder, 8 ft stroke and Sherratt winding engine with 32" bore cylinder

1845 'A POWERFUL STEAM ENGINE. FOR SALE, a powerful single acting PUMPING ENGINE, sixty-three inch cylinder, eight feet stroke, by Sherratt, of Manchester, one large wrought iron Boiler (dome shaped) with steam and feed pipes, Air Pump and Condenser, thirty cast iron Pump Trees, nine feet each, with clack doors and working barrels, cast iron Floor Beams, iron Plates, Balustrade Staircases, Winding Crab for raising cylinder cover and holding down pins, Capstan and Shears, and Bolts for the pump trees md pump rods. May be seen at the Broadfield Colliery, Fenton, Stoke-upon-Trent Apply to Mr. A. Barton (who will show the engine), for terms. Stoke-upon-Trent, March 14, 1845.'

1845 'TO BE SOLD, a PUMPING ENGINE, made by Messrs. J. and T. Sherratt, cylinder 48 inches, with an 8 feet stroke; also 66 yards of Pump Trees, 13 inches in diameter; and one working barrel of 12 5/8 inches, together with the Pump Rods, &c. &c. — For further particulars apply to the Dunkirk Coal Company, Dukinfield.'

1854 An advertisement for the sale of Springfield Lane Dye Works, adjoining Irwell and Dickinson Street, included a 40 HP condensing engine by J & T Sherratt

Employees

1834 Death Notice: '...on 19th inst Mr John Morrison, 51, loam moulder, in the employ of Messrs Sherratt at Salford Iron Works for upwards of 20 years. His conduct as a servant was exemplary. He was a sober, steady, honest useful and industrious man, and his loss is much regretted by all who knew him

1841 Death Notice: 'On the 20th inst., in his 55th year, Mr. John Isherwood, for many years traveller for the late firm Thomas Sherratt and Co., ironfounders, of Salford.'

See Also

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