Exhibit at Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre
On view at Tiverton Museum
On view at Tiverton Museum
On view at Tiverton Museum
On view at Tiverton Museum
On view at Tiverton Museum
Exhibit at Oakham Treasures.
Blackstone and Co of Rutland Engineering Works (Rutland Ironworks), Stamford
- 1837 Henry Smith (1815 - 1859) founded the engineering works which was to grow into the largest employer in Stamford. The company produced oil engines and agricultural machinery and was known as Henry Smith and Co and based in the Sheep Market.
- 1842 The company moved to new premises known as Rutland Terrace Ironworks.
- 1853 T. W. Ashby joined the company and the business was known as Smith and Ashby.
- The works expanded again with premises in the Tithe Yard.
- 1857 Henry Smith retired and the company became T. W. Ashby and Co.
- 1865 Commenced making portable engines.
- 1868 G. E. Jeffery joined the company and it was known as Ashby and Jeffery.
- 1870 ?? Luke joined the business and it became Ashby, Jeffery and Luke.
- 1876 Luke and Ashby retired and a year later Edward Christopher Blackstone joined the company and it became Jeffery and Blackstone of Rutland Ironworks.
- 1882 Jeffery sold his interest in the business.
- 1887 Moved to new works.
- 1887 Exhibited the 'Viator' engine at the Newcastle Show.
- 1889 It became a limited company and changed its name to Blackstone and Co.
- 1890 June. Royal Agricultural Society’s Disintegrator and Grist Mill Trials. [1]
- 1894 June. Royal Agricultural Society's Show. Mower, root cutter, turnwrest plough and fly brush or dresser. [2]
- 1896 Commenced the manufacture of the 'Reliance' oil engine previously made by Carter Brothers of Billingshurst.
- 1900 Paris Exhibition. Description of gas and oil engines shown. [3]
- 1911 Smithfield Club Show. Exhibited portable and stationary oil engines, swath turners, a horse rake and turnip cutters. [4]
- 1914 Specialities: Haymaking and Agricultural Machinery, Vertical Stone Mills for grinding corn and other substances.[5]
- 1919 Became part of AGE.
- 1920 Showed a caterpillar type oil-driven tractor that started from cold on paraffin. It had a 25 hp engine with three-speeds and a reverse and could be used for driving stationary machinery. They also showed sixteen sizes of their crude oil engine with one of 75bhp. There were also a combined swath turner, tedder and side rake. All these were at the Darlington Agricultural Show. [6]
- 1920 At Darlington Royal Agricultural Show exhibited a tractor. [7]
- 1931 Blackstone's entered into a mutual agreement with Ruston and Hornsby (Lincoln & Grantham) not to produce engines which would duplicate each other's range.
- 1936 Blackstone's was acquired by R. A. Lister and Co.
- 1937 Oil-engine manufacturers. [8]
- 1939 A working arrangement agreed with Brush Electrical Engineering Co whereby the Brush horizontally opposed diesel engines would be sold exclusively by Blackstone and Co; these complemented the existing Blackstone engines, extending the range which covered 3 h.p to 2000 h.p.[9]
- 1945 More than 206,000 Petrol, oil and gas engines produced since 1896. Display at Anson Engine Museum.
- 1961 Manufacturers of diesel engines, electrical generating sets and agricultural machinery. 1,250 employees. [10]
Sources of Information
- Steam Engine Builders of Lincolnshire by Ronald H. Clark. Published 1955 by Goose and Son
- ↑ The Engineer of 27th June 1890. p521
- ↑ The Engineer of 29th June 1894 p562
- ↑ The Engineer of 16th November 1900 p487
- ↑ The Engineer of 8th December 1911 p594
- ↑ 1914 Whitakers Red Book
- ↑ The Engineer of 9th July 1920
- ↑ The Engineer of 16th July 1920
- ↑ 1937 The Aeroplane Directory of the Aviation and Allied Industries
- ↑ The Times, 17 February 1939
- ↑ 1961 Dun and Bradstreet KBE