Thomas Parker, Limited

After leaving the E.C.C., Thomas decided to form his own electrical manufacturing company and Thomas Parker, Limited was the result. The idea to start the company came from a number of enthusiastic ex-Elwell Parker employees, who greatly respected Thomas, both as an employer and an engineer. They formed the engineering backbone of the company and also invested in the company.

The first directors appointed on 10th May 1894, were:

Charles Tertius Mander, Mayor of Wolverhampton.
Thomas Graham, proprietor of the Express & Star newspaper.
William Thomas, manufacturer.
Thomas Parker.

The Express & Star of Wednesday, 23rd May, 1894 reported that a prospectus for Thomas Parker, Limited had appeared in the advertising columns and that the company was formed to carry on the business of manufacturing plant for electric lighting, electric transmission of power, electric railways, electric tramways, electro-chemical, electro- metallurgical, and such other purposes as are incidental or conducive to any of the above objects, and new developments and improvements in electrical and general engineering.

The location of the works.

Thomas Parker acquired the freehold of about seven acres of land on which to build the works. It was on Wednesfield Road, Wolverhampton, within a few yards of the Great Western, London and North Western and Midland Railway stations.

Railway connections were sanctioned by Wolverhampton Corporation, for a level crossing from the site of the works towards the Midland and Great Western Railway stations. The offices and works were within three minutes walk of the three railway stations.

Thomas entered into a contract with the company, dated 11^th May, 1894, to act as managing director for a period of ten years. A capital of £75,000, in 7,500 shares of £10 each, was required, of which 4,500 were quickly taken up, and the balance of 3,000 shares were offered for subscription. The Mayor of Wolverhampton, Alderman C.T. Mander, J.P., was chairman of the board of directors. The temporary registered offices of the company were at Albany Chambers, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton.

The company's factory can be seen on the extreme left. At the time the photograph was taken the works were occupied by Joshua Bigwood & Sons Limited. Courtesy of Bill Howe.

At the beginning of June tenders for the erection of the works were allotted and sent out, and building work commenced on 26^th June. The buildings were erected by Mr. H. Lovatt, builder of Wolverhampton. 

The first statutory meeting of the shareholders was held on 17th August, 1894. The minutes book, records, that in answer to a shareholder's question, Mr. Charles Mander, the Chairman, said The purchase of the Eickemeyer Dynamo Winding Patents had been completed, and the legal proceedings commenced by the Electric Construction Company remained as they were, but this board was considering the question of granting the E.C.C. the use of these patents on terms to be agreed. The Chairman also reported that the erection of the works was rapidly approaching completion and that there was every prospect of the company at once entering upon a large and remunerative business.

An advert from 1898.

The Eickemeyer Patents mentioned by the Chairman were extremely important in the manufacture of armatures for dynamos and motors, and permission to use them was essential to the E.C.C., who hotly disputed Thomas Parker, Limited's right to the patents.

An old drum armature dynamo showing the maze of wires at each end of the armature.

The old style of drum armature dynamo had a great bundle of wires crossing and re-crossing at both ends, forming a complex maze, which was difficult and time consuming to wire-up, and difficult to sort out under fault conditions. This problem was resolved by Eickemeyer in about 1890. He developed an assembly technique in which the windings were initially made on a former and then neatly slotted into the armature. He patented the process, but it was not generally adopted until about 1898.

On 28^th May, the Express & Star reported that the Eickemeyer patents must be considered a valuable property in the electrical world, judging by the struggle to possess them. The proprietors, through their agents and power of attorney, say that they are disposing them to Thomas Parker Limited, and nobody else. The Electric Construction Company Limited, are taking the means to establish their right to a license to use the patents. 

The E.C.C. published a letter regarding the patents, in the Midland Evening News, on 22^nd May , 1894 (some of the wording is a little strange):

The Eickemeyer Company published their reply in the Express & Star on Friday, May 25th, 1894:

The E.C.C. responded with a letter in the Midland Evening News:

The following day a further letter appeared in the Express & Star:

The dispute was eventually resolved and the E.C.C. paid £2,000 to Thomas Parker, Limited, for the right to use the patents.

Registration of the New Company

The company was registered with a capital of £75,000 divided into 7,500 shares of £10 each, on Tuesday, 13th November, 1894. Its object was to carry on business as electrical and mechanical engineers, and electricians, and as manufacturers of electrical appliances and apparatus of all descriptions. There were to be not less than three, nor more than seven directors; qualification, £1,000.

One of the company's dynamos.

The new works

The new works were officially opened on Monday, 10th December, 1894. There were erecting, fitting, pattern, and machine shops, and a foundry for brass and ironwork. The building at the left of the entrance was set apart for the erecting, fitting and machine departments. It had four 150ft. long bays, two with a span of 32ft., and two with a span of 42ft. 6 inches, all complete with travelling cranes. The iron columns which carried the roof also supported the rails for the travelling cranes.

In the first bay were the main engines for driving the whole of the works, and for testing the machinery before it was sent out. The steam for the engines was supplied by two large Babcock & Wilcox boilers. In the second bay were the larger tools, general erecting and testing machinery. The third bay was the machine shop, with lathes, milling machines, drilling machines, and general tools used for carrying out work of any size. The fourth bay was for light brass work, winding armatures, and other portions of machinery. 

The foundry building was 120ft. by 40ft., and was complete with a ten ton, electrically fitted, travelling crane. There was a large cupola placed in a convenient position, with a covered stage, and a hoist for taking up pig iron, coke etc.

The pattern shop was 80ft. by 40ft. with a concrete floor, over which wood blocks were laid. It was heated by steam radiators. Mr. A.P. Brevitt, of Wolverhampton, was the architect, and Mr. Henry Lovatt, the builder. Messrs. Heenan and Froude, of Manchester, have supplied the iron work, and Messrs. McTear & Co. of Belfast, the roofs.

Official Opening

The ceremony of setting the machinery in motion was performed by the Mayoress, Mrs. C.T. Mander, in the presence of a large and representative gathering. Amongst those present were the Mayor, Alderman C.T. Mander, Mr. T. Parker, Mr. T. Graham, Mr. W. Thomas, directors, Mr. T. Bantock; Aldermen Saunders, F.D. Gibbons, S.T. Mander, J. Annan; Councillors Craddock, Lewis, Williams, Jenks, McBean; Messrs. J. Evans, G. Armstrong, R. Shaw, T. Holcroft, H. Holcroft, B. Bantock, S. Watkins, T. Wilson, L.T. Smith, W. Lees, J.T. Homer, W. Bradford, A.P. Brevitt (architect), H. Lovatt (builder), H.G. Powell, M. Wilkie (secretary), W.W. Walker, J. Brotherton, J. Mould, H. Lea (Messrs. Lea and Thornbury). J.E. Underhill, J.W. Sankey, J.H. Woodward, E.S.G. Rees, C.H. Iles, W. Armistead (the last 4 named gentlemen are members of staff); Dr. Totherick, the Revs. Dr. C.A. Berry, C. Pockney, T.G. Haughton, Mrs. Graham, Mrs. Burnup, and Mrs. Parker.

After an inspection of the machinery by most of those present, Mr. Parker called upon the Mayoress to set the machinery in motion, which she did amid loud cheering from spectators and work people.

Thomas Parker

Mr. Parker presented the Mayoress with a deerskin blotter, inscribed by the four directors; C.T. Mander, T. Graham, T. Parker, and W. Thomas. The company then adjourned to the pattern shop. Speeches were given by Mr. T. Bantock, Mr. C.T. Mander, Mr. T. Graham and Mr. Brevitt.

Mr. Parker said that he was glad to see Mr. Bantock present and to know that the Mayor was by his side, upon whom he looked as a tower of strength in connection with that undertaking. The site upon which those buildings had been erected was a field in July last. The idea of starting those works was fixed upon by the gentlemen who formed his staff, who about nine years ago came to Wolverhampton as pupils to him at the works of Elwell-Parker, Limited, and had grown with and taken a large part in carrying out the works that made the name of Elwell-Parker known throughout the world.

They could see they were making great strides. They had obtained some important patent rights, and he thought the works would be a standing monument to their chairman, the Mayor, during his Mayoralty.

Thomas was friendly with the Mander family and on a visit to Wightwick Manor in 1895, he suggested that electric lighting should be installed in the house. The family agreed and the work was carried out by Thomas Parker, Limited, in 1895 / 96. The installation consisted of a steam driven generator, which supplied 100 volts D.C. for the lamps. A set of lead-acid batteries was added at a later date.

Read a contemporary account of Thomas  Parker, Limited

Second Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the directors and shareholders for 1895 was held at the works on Wednesday, 31st July, 1895. The Mayor, Mr. C.T. Mander, presided and amongst those present were Mr. T. Parker, Managing Director, W. Thomas, Richard Armistead, Giles Atherton, representing Rudolf Eickemeyer, Armistead jnr., Woodward, Iles, J.E. Underhill, Rees, M. Wilkie, and H.P. Smith.

In June 1894 they started with a workforce of just 3 men and now they were employing 268. They should be able to wipe off their debt at the bank and spend more money on buildings, machinery and tools.

The works might look a trifle straggling, but they had been so laid out as to bring in a siding from either the Great Western or the Midland. The balance sheet was a small one, but it showed a good beginning. Today they were making a dividend, and he thought the shareholders would agree with him that they had established a good business, they were an accepted fact in the electrical world, their goods were selling, and that altogether they had done even better than anticipated under the circumstances. A year hence, and he expected they would go away from the annual meeting thoroughly well satisfied.

The Order Book

Thomas Parker, Limited, like most other similar concerns at the time relied on orders from municipal authorities. The £24,000 mentioned in the 1895 Chairman's report included an order from Wolverhampton Council for dynamos etc. for their new power station and electrical distribution system.

Read about Wolverhampton's first power station.

A Disappointing  Future

The annual meetings always took place at the registered offices in Wednesfield Road. Although the directors looked forward to a successful future, it was not to be, as can be seen from the dividend records:

At the 7th annual meeting, on Monday, 8th July, 1901, the Chairman said that there was no need for much comment on his part and they proposed to pay a dividend of 10 percent, to which he did not think the shareholders would object. Mr. Elton, a shareholder, observed that the company had made £3,000 less profit than last year, and £3,000 less than the year before, making it £6,000 in two years. In the same period, some thousands more debentures had been borrowed. If that was a small company, and they went on at the same rate, they would soon be in the hands of the debenture owners alone.

In 1897 / 98 the company made the generators for the Folkstone Electricity works, which opened in 1898. They produced 3,000 volts D.C., which was stepped-down at sub-stations, using rotary converters. The system operated until 1923.

On 2^nd August, 1899, the Express & Star reported that Mr. T. Parker, the founder of the business, had relinquished the position of managing director, but retained his seat on the Board of Directors. In addition the company had retained his special services in the way of advice, by appointing him consulting electrical engineer. Also in 1899 Thomas developed a method of manufacturing Chlorate of Soda using a version of his "Wednesfield Furnace".

Large scale electricity distribution became a reality in South Staffordshire with the formation of the Midland Electric Corporation in June 1897. Thomas Parker was the creative genius behind the venture and the Corporation’s chairman was Wolverhampton engineer, J.F. Allbright. In 1898 it was granted Provisional Orders to supply a number of the local towns, including Bilston, Brierley Hill, Cradley Heath, Darlaston, Kingswinford, Old Hill, Tipton, Wednesbury and Willenhall. The M.E.C. was the first company to get Statuary powers to distribute electricity over such a large and varied area. A power station was built on 14 acres of land at Ocker Hill to supply the power. It was near to a coal mine and by the side of the Birmingham Canal Navigation. Sub stations were built at Bilston, Brierley Hill, Darlaston, Old Hill, Tipton and Wednesbury. Some local councils including Tipton and Wednesbury decided to distribute the power themselves, whereas others left it to the Corporation.