Mitchell, Shackleton and Co
of Vulcan Works, Patricroft, near Manchester.
Manufacturers and suppliers of steel forgings for the gas and oil engine industry in Great Britain.
1900 Business started by Edwin Shackleton and Ernest Mitchell in partnership[1].
1907 Private company formed
1920 Company incorporated under the same name. One of the leading suppliers of crankshafts
1935 See Mitchell, Shackleton and Co:1935 Review
1936 Public company formed to take over the private company of the same name. Also specialists in machine made forgings and stampings, chiefly for the motor and allied trades. The founders would continue as joint managing directors for at least 5 years[2].
1937 Crankshafts and forgings.
1960 Mr Francis J. Somers appointed a director
1962 Proposal to merge with Walter Somers, another forgemaster. Mitchell, Shackleton and Co would offer their shares to Somers's shareholders[3].
1963 Take-over offer accepted - Mitchell Somers formed.
1967 Formed new subsidiary, Pressure Dynamics, with F. Towler (previously of Towler Brothers) on the board[4].
1970 Also owned H. Fordsmith. Mitchell Somers was typically referred to as Worcestershire-based.
1973 Sold some parts of Pressure Dynamics to Towler Hydraulics part of the Thorn group.
1974 Pressure Dynamics liquidated.
1975 Jessel Securities held 11% of the shares in Mitchell Somers.
1975 Johnson and Firth Brown held 25% of the shares in Mitchell Somers
1977 Acquired Wolverhampton Die-Casting Co.
1978 Mitchell Somers bought 21% of the shares of F. H. Tomkins[5] but sold them in 1983.
1980 Purchase of assets from John Farbon and Co, dealers in certain household goods. Acquired Tritube Ltd.
1985 Sold Wolverhampton Die-Casting Co to Cookson after continued losses.