Vickers, Sons and Maxim
River Don Works, Sheffield and Barrow-in-Furness.
1897 Vickers, Sons and Co absorbed the Naval Construction and Armaments Co, and the Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Co, which would enable the company to build and equip the largest battleships[1]; the name of the company was changed to Vickers, Sons and Maxim[2]
1901 Vickers, Sons and Maxim took over the machine tool and motor car side of the Wolseley works, trading as the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Co. Herbert Austin was general manager.
1901 Registered the Electric and Ordnance Accessories Co to carry on special branches of the Vickers' Company's work.[3]
1900s Douglas Vickers, a director, estimated that 'over a few years, armour resistance has increased by 200% while the effectiveness of shells has increased by around 135%'
1902 In order to bolster its finances, William Beardmore and Co, steel manufacturers, armour plate, gun and ordnance makers, exchanged almost 60 per cent of its capital with that of Vickers, Sons and Maxim.
1902 April. Details and image of the F. R. Simms motor war car.[4]
1907 Constructed 3 turbine sets under licence from Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Co[5].
1907 Had a large interest in the Whitehead Torpedo Co[6]
1910 Construction at Barrow of a dirigible for Royal Navy using Hart fabric[7].
1910 At this time the company was the only one in UK that had constructed submarine boats[8]. It was also unique in being able to build a battleship, equip her with engines, fit her with armour, provide her with guns and shells, and launch her ready for service
1911 Name changed to Vickers[9] after Sir Hiram Maxim retired from the board.
See Also
- The Engineer 1906/11/16
- Biographies of Thomas Edward Vickers and Albert Vickers, ODNB