Hill Top Foundry

Wednesbury was once well known for two industries, tube making and edge tools, both of which played a part in the early history of Hill Top Foundry. One of the country’s leading edge tool makers, Edward Elwell, based at Wednesbury Forge, had an uncle, also named Edward Elwell, who established the West Bromwich branch of the family, and founded the original factory on the site. Edward’s factory consisted of an ironworks and foundry which produced cast iron holloware.

Around 1850 the 30 acre site was acquired by five people who were partners in a new tube-making company. One of them, Thomas Foster had previously worked for James Russell at the Crown Tube Works, on the High Bullen. He left after Russell’s death in 1849. Two of the partners with the surname Brown put up most of the capital. One of the other partners named Cuxon ran the business with Thomas Foster. The factory became known as the "The Old Patent Tube Works". Some of the locals called it "Anchor Works" because of the company’s anchor logo which was prominently displayed on the front of the building. Others knew it as “Browns” after the name of the two brothers who had supplied much of the capital.

The tube works in 1862.

Part of the original frontage of Anchor Works at the Black Country Living Museum.

The business initially seems to have been quite successful, but in 1875 it failed, possibly due to the depression at the time, or possibly, as tradition has it, that while Foster was away in France commissioning a new tube mill, Cuxon mismanaged the business. Whatever the cause, Foster was left to repay the firm’s debts. It took him 8 years to pay-off the creditors.

An advert from 1949.

The factory was then acquired by John Russell, James Russell’s son, who had moved from his factory at Church Hill to Crown Works after his father’s death. Crown Works was found to be totally unsuitable, and so the decision was taken to demolish it and move to new premises.

The company temporarily transferred the business to their Walsall factory, and the old Wellcroft Street works at Wednesbury. They also opened a new tube works at Runcorn, and built a new Crown Tube Works on the Hill Top site. The new venture was unsuccessful and the company sold out to Stewarts and Lloyds in 1929.

By the late 1930s the Hill Top Foundry Company Limited had been formed. It took over the old Anchor Works, and produced castings in iron, brass, and aluminium.

In more recent times the factory became part of Associated Electrical Industries (AEI), which was taken over by GEC in 1967. Many of the castings produced at the time were for AEI and GEC products, such as motors, generators, and transformers.

A letterhead from 1978.

It still survives today as Newby Industries Limited, producing high quality castings, and specialising in rapid prototyping. Two other businesses now occupy parts of the Smith Road site. They are Top Tubes Limited, and Sunlight, a supplier of workwear.