Bedford
Britannia Iron Works
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In 1813, John Howard, returned to his native Bedford and set up business as an ironmonger. By 1828 he needed to enlarge his business and purchased land in Bromham Road.
At the inaugural meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society in 1839 he exhibited an iron wheel plough, which became the prototype of the present form of English iron ploughs. John Howard retired from the foundry in 1851 leaving his sons James and Frederick as his successors and in the following year the firm commenced the manufacture of steam ploughs.
In 1857 work began on the building of new premises in Kempston Road within easy reach of the towns two railway lines with the work being completed in 1859 and the factory being named Britannia Works.
The business closed in 1932 with some 500 workers loosing their jobs. The works were put up for sale and was purchased by the Swiss firm of George Fischer. The foundry was completely modernised and started production in 1933 under the new name of The Britannia Iron and Steel Works.
By 1950 the work force had increased to 750 and peaked at just over 1,000 in the 1960s. In 1971 the company name was changed to George Fischer Castings Limited to reflect a more up to date company image. By 1992 the large site had made running the foundry uneconomical and the foundry was closed in 1993.
By 2003 the buildings were being demolished and the site was being developed for housing although the landmark gatehouse was saved and remains in place. At the time of the opening in 1859 the gatehouse was likened by the press as the portal of some symbolic castle of indolence on some luxurious place of learning, anything indeed but a temple of industry
Sources
- The Newspaper Cuttings Collection, Local Studies Library, Bedford Central Library
- WOODS, S. Pumps and Ploughs In Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol.21 1987 pp.89-97.
- Memories of Bedford 1999.
Britannia Iron Works by Bedfordshire Libraries, 2012
Page last updated: 22nd January 2014