N. Hingley & Sons Ltd

N. Hingley & Sons Ltd was a firm that originated in the Black Country region of the United Kingdom. It was founded by Noah Hingley (1796-1877) who started making chain near the village of Cradley. The firm moved to Netherton around 1852 where large scale chain and anchor manufacturing works were set up on the Dudley No.2 canal. One of the most famous products of the firm was the anchor of the RMS Titanic which on completion in 1911 was drawn through the streets of Netherton on a waggon drawn by 20 shire horses.

History

Hall's patent anchor: Hingley's became sole manufacturers of these anchors in 1891

Noah Hingley started making cable chain for ships at Cradley in the Black Country in 1820[1] after receiving an order from a Liverpool shipowner.[2] He formed the company N. Hingley & Sons in 1838.[3] Anchor production commenced in 1848. In 1850 it was stated that "Messrs. Noah Hingley & Sons are extensively engaged in the manufacturing of anchors, anvils, and chain and chain cables" at Cradley. [4] Around 1852 the firm moved to the village of Netherton creating large scale chain and anchor works on the banks of the Dudley No. 2 canal.

The firm subsequently acquired coal mines such as at Old Hill, Dudley Wood and Coombs Hill[5] and blast furnaces including: the Netherton Ironworks, The Harts Hill Iron Works and the Old Hill Furnaces.[3]

In 1863, the firm had 4 blast furnaces in the Dudley District.[6]

After Noah Hingley's death, the firm was run by his son Benjamin Hingley (1830-1905) before passing to Benjamin's nephew George Benjamin Hingley (1850-1918).[7]

The firm was reported as employing around 3,000 people in 1885.[2]

In 1890, the family firm N. Hingley and Sons became incorporated, becoming a limited company trading as N. Hingley and Sons Limited.[3]

The firm entered into an agreement in 1891 to become the sole manufacturer of the Hall's patent anchor.[3] Later versions of this anchor were supplied to the great ocean liners and battleships of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

In 1911, the company manufactured the anchors and chain for the ocean liner RMS Titanic. The largest of the anchors weighed 15.5 tons and on completion was drawn through the streets of Netherton on a wagon drawn by 20 shire horses.[8]

In 1918, control of the firm moved away from the Hingley family, when Cyril Lloyd became chairman of the board.[9] Lloyd served as chairman until 1958.[10]

In 1919 Percy Jump, an engineer from Sheffield joined the staff. By 1926 he was effectively works manager at the Netherton site.[10] Percy Jump was responsible for introducing precision forging into Hingley's which became very important for the firm after 1945.[10]

The company was bought out by F. H. Lloyd & Co. in 1966.

The Netherton works continued in production for around 20 more years. However, after a number of company reorganisations, take overs and sell-offs, the Netherton part of the business, then called Wright Hingley, finally closed in 1986. The site is now occupied by an industrial estate called the Washington Centre.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "N. Hingley and Sons". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 Trail, Thomas (1885). Chain Cables and Chains. London: Crosby Lockwood and Co. pp. 49–50.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Mallin, K (1998). Noah Hingley. published privately. ISBN 0-9510420-3-3.
  4. ↑ Post Office Directory of Birmingham, Staffordshire & Worcestershire. W. Kelly & Co. 1850. p. 431. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  5. ↑ Belford, Paul (2004). "Extra Special Best Best: Black Country iron puddling and wrought iron manufacture in the nineteenth century". Historical Metallurgy. 38 (1): 47–59.
  6. ↑ Henry Curwen Salmon, ed. (February 1863). "Mining, Quarrying and Metallurgical Review: Midland Counties". The Mining and Smelting Magazine. 3: 112.
  7. ↑ "N. Hingley & Sons Ltd, Washington Street, Netherton". blackcountryhistory.org. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "Photographs from the past". Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  9. ↑ "Cyril Edward Lloyd". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Mallin, K (1999). Noah Hingley 2 Manufacturer of Ships' Anchors and Cables and Forgemaster in the period 1919-1960; and thereafter. published privately.
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