Titanic Steel Co

of New Islington, Ancoats, Manchester.

Established by Bott and Hackney

Note: For a more detailed account of the company's history, see Samuel John Hackney: Biographical Notes.

1887 Partnership dissolved. '...the Partnership heretofore subsisting between the undersigned, Joseph Elton Bott and Samuel John Hackney, trading under the style or firm of the Titanic Steel Co., as Steel Founders, at Pott-street, New Islington, Manchester has been dissolved ...'

1887 'TITANIC STEEL CO., New Islington.— Orders executed as usual by S. J. Hackney.

1887 Manchester Exhibition: 'The Titanic Steel Company, of New Islington, Manchester, show a large assortment of small and moderate-sized castings made by their patent process, by which they claim to be able to produce steel castings as ductile and malleable as wrought iron. Some of the specimens of their ordinary castings are shown which have been forged into knife blades and various edge tools, ground and finished to prove that the material is not only ductile but is capable of being hardened when required. Other very thin and complex castings indicate that the material is very fluid when melted. As with all new schemes in connection with iron and steel manufacture, this process has been perfected from a very large number of costly and difficult experiments. Much trouble was experienced at first in annealing the castings, and for a considerable time many did not turn out satisfactorily, but now that the firm has gained a greater experience in this by no means easy process, their castings appear to supply the want of cheap small castings with a higher tensile strength than ordinary cast iron. Many of the specimens exhibited have undergone very rough treatment under the hammer while cold without showing any signs of cracking. Many of the crossheads and forked connecting-rods on the small engines and pumps which are exhibited by various makers in the Exhibition, are made of this material.'

1889 Advert: 'ELEVATOR BUCKETS, cast Steel 10 by 6 by 5 : 8lbs each : cheap.— Titanic Steel Co, Islington, Manchester.'

1889 Advert: 'STEEL Wheels, Cranks, Foundry Ladles, Nuts, Castings 1oz to 8cwt— Titanic Steel Co, Step Bridge, Islington.;

1890 Advert: 'BESSAMER [sic] SCRAP, Old Rails, Shaft Ends, Broken Tools, &c. WANTED, for melting.—Titanic Steel Co., New Islington, Man.'

1892 'TITANIC STEEL COMPANY LIMITED. This company was registered on the 13th inst., with a capital of £12,000, in £5 shares, to acquire and carry on the business of mechanical and electrical engineers, &c, carried on by Mr. S. J. Hackney under the style of the Titanic Steel Company, at Pott-street, New Islington, Manchester, and to enter into an agreement with Mr. S. J. Hackney for that purpose. The subscribers [each with one share] are:—
W. Nelson, Ancoats Glass Works, Manchester
J. Woodward, 4, St. Anns-square, Manchester, engineer
W. Sisson, 49 Shakespeare-street, Manchester
S. J. Hackney, New Islington, Manchester, steel founder
W. Thomson, 26, Victoria-street, Manchester, solicitor
J. Phillips, 15, Teneriffe-street, Higher Broughton, Manchester
A. Wade, 23, Cross-street, Manchester, estate agent
The number of directors is not to be less than three, nor more than seven : the first to be nominated by the subscribers ; qualification, 20 shares ; remuneration to be fixed at the general meeting, bnt none is to be given unless 10 per cent has been paid on the shares allotted; S. J. Hackney is the first managing director. Registered by Messrs. Jordan and Sons, 120. Chancery-lane, W.C.'

1893 The Titanic Steel Company wound up. '...That the Company be wound-up voluntarily under the provisions of the Companies Acts, 1862 to 1890; and that Samuel John Hackney, of Step Bridge, New Islington, Manchester, be and he is hereby appointed Liquidator...'

1894 Advert: 'WHEELS, &c, that are Wanted never to break down made at Titanic Steel Co., New Islington, Manchester.'

Location

The 1893 O.S. map shows a 'Steel Wks' at the north end of Pott Street, east side, just before the road curved round to meet Union Street. Nearby, a footbridge (Step Bridge) crossed the Rochdale Canal to meet Prussia Street.

The 1928 Goad's Insurance Plans show that the site was occupied by a wire mill and a 'Chemical Fac', by which time the northern end of Pott Street had been renamed St Vincent Street.

See here for information about the site of the steelworks.

See Also

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