Parkhouse Iron Co.
Sites & Monuments Record
| Bleachfield, Falkirk | SMR 712 | NS 881 805 |
Timeline
1876: Lands and house of Parkhouse acquired on long lease from Mrs Gunn, per Patrick Rankine, for a new foundry. The company consisted of William Mitchell (late of the Burnbank Foundry Co), William Graham (several years representative to Messrs Cameron and Robertson of Kirkintilloch), and William Hosie (patternmaker). First cast on 3rd June. Blast provided by a No. 4 Root’s patent rotary blower driven by a horizontal high pressure 14 inch cylinder by Macuie & Baird of Stirling.
1880s: Made ranges, registers and Berlin black stoves, including Dow’s patent cooking ranges, named after the manager. W Graham left to establish the Callendar Iron Co and the other partners moved on leaving Mitchell as the sole proprietor.
1888: William Mitchell died. Councillor Whytock, manager.
1897: Extension to existing moulding shop followed the following year by a new moulding shop.
1900-1910: Additions in this period included a moulding shop and a pattern shop.
1902: The trustees of the late William Mitchell sold and transferred the business to Robert Orr and Alexander Wingate Miller, the partners of the firm James Miller, Son & Co and the Abbots Foundry Co.
1904-1911: The business amalgamated with that of Abbots Foundry Co and the site was used for prefabrication of concrete units.
1932: Some of the old foundry buildings were converted into workshops for the use of unemployed men in the “Parkhouse Foundry Scheme”. Initially this involved some 150 men in five workshops. To counter the Depression they formed the Falkirk Mutual Service Club, giving 6d subscription and 1d per week thereafter to a central fund to be paid to the unemployed.
Workforce
- 1879: 100
- 1901: 100
Falkirk Local History Society 