Forrester, W. & J. & Co. Ltd.
Sites & Monuments Record
| 346 Main St, Larbert (opposite the Plough Hotel) | NS 868 828 |
Timeline
c1885: Founded.
1900: William & James Forrester – plumbers, brassfounders and gas fitters. Nailfield, adjoining the Howe Mission Hall.
1929: William Forrester retired (died 1935).
1933: James Forrester died.
1935, Aug: A workman breaking up scrap metal was badly injured when a piece of gun-metal exploded when hit by a hammer. Minor damage was caused to the building. Exports to New Zealand and South Africa.
The company had patents for compression joints which began to replace the use of solder and profited from the housing boom. Ships’ and yachts’ fittings provided a steady market.
1937: Erected two oil-fire furnaces in the moulding shop.
1939: Turned to war production.
1950: Taken over by Drysdale Bros, bronze founders & engineers.
1982: Installed three new CNC machines, one an FM 38 machining centre.
1984: “Copper based alloys cast, max. wt. 15kg. High quality repetition work. Specialising in shell moulding (6kg max.). Aluminium also cast… Employment range 16-50.”
Drysdale Brothers are a leading UK Bronze Foundry. We specialise in complex finish-machined, pressure-tight castings, produced in Gunmetal, Aluminium Bronze and a full range of non-ferrous alloys. Today (2021) the company uses computer-aided design and simulation, rapid prototyping and tooling, Hunter automated production and CNC machining and pressure testing.
Still in business.
Falkirk Local History Society 