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Centenary celebrations

With the new century now only six months away plans for millennium celebrations are well underway.

Two local businesses which will have special cause to celebrate are NSK-RHP (formerly Ransome and Marles) at the foot of Beacon Hill and Ingersoll-Dresser Pumps (formerly Worthington-Simpsons) at Balderton.

For both companies it will be 100 years since they began operations at their factories in the Newark area.

And it was back in June and July 1899 that construction work at the new factories first began.

Both Ransomes and Simpsons were already well established and successful in London before moving to Newark and it is quite a coincidence that they should have both chosen, independently, to relocate to Nottinghamshire at the same time.

For Ransomes the move was precipitated by the expiration of the lease on their headquarters (the Stanley Works at Chelsea), while for Simpsons it was simply a case of their existing works (the Engine Works at Grosvenor Road, Pimlico) being too small for the level of business they were attracting.

Ransomes had been founded in 1855 and specialised in wood-working machinery (steam and hand-operated) and machinery for making casks - the change to ball and roller bearings came much later.

James Simpson and Co, meanwhile, established as long ago as 1790, had built up a strong reputation for its steam pumping engines and compressors.

Both companies had first investigated sites at Grantham, and, in the case of Ransomes, Lincoln as well, but both eventually found Newark was most suited to their needs.

Rumours of Ransomes and Simpsons' interest in the town had been rife since late 1898, but it was in its first edition of January 1899 that the Advertiser was able to confirm that: "The New Year opens for Newark with expectations and prospects of unusual interest (as) negotiations are proceeding for the sale of a piece of land at the foot of Beacon Hill (to) Messrs. A. Ransome and Co. It is also stated on good authority that Messrs.

Simpson, another influential firm of engineers, will establish works in Bowbridge Road." By late June, 1899, the paper reported that the foundations for Ransomes were already being dug and that the first building to be constructed would be a fitting shop 400ft long and 90ft wide.

The main contractor was local man Mr W. Smith and the paper pointed out that the buildings themselves had been designed by Mr James Ransome (son of the founder).

A couple of weeks later it was the turn of Simpsons when on July 5, 1899, the Advertiser reported: "Today the first sod will be turned on the site of the new works on Bowbridge Road.

We are glad to say that again a townsman (Mr C. Baines) will be employed in constructing the works. We are evidently on the eve of a new era in Newark." The two works progressed in tandem, with local artist Edward Renard being commissioned to record the changing scene.

The top picture (Simpsons), published in the Advertiser in December, 1899, shows the pillars of the main factory shed awaiting its 60ft span roof.

The lean-to building at the side was the engine and boiler house, while to the left is the cooling tower with condenser house. Between the columns and the chimney is a pattern shop 100ft by 43ft.

The chimney itself was 100ft high and 20ft square at the base, standing on a rock foundation. Rain water from the roofs of the pattern shops was directed to run into a tank of 100,000 gallons for use in the boilers.

The company offices (inset) covered an area 75ft by 40ft and consisted of a general office, drawing office, store, strong room and blue room for blue-printing.

Progress at Ransomes was no less forthcoming and Edward Renard's view of progress at their works (below) was published in March, 1900. The principal feature shown is the machine shop - 391ft by 90ft - containing three cranes (ten, six and three ton).

Behind was the foundry, 153ft by 108ft where the castings were to be made. To the left is the engine house containing two 300hp gas engines, next to which was the company's own gas producing plant.

The engines were used to drive dynamos which would create electricity to power all machinery in the works. The main offices (also pictured) were built of Cafferata brick with Ancaster stone dressings and a Westmoreland slate roof.

By December, 1899, work at Simpsons was so far advanced as to induce the management to stage a huge celebratory dinner at the Town Hall for all the workmen engaged on the project.

"There was no formal programme after the meal," reported the Advertiser: "but several short speeches were introduced amid numerous songs.

"Mr Percy Simpson himself led the musical section of the evening singing Tommy Atkins, following it up with an encore of My Old Dutch." Ransomes held their celebratory dinner a little later at the Corn Exchange in July 1900.

"The sides of the building were made bright with flags and Mr Alan Ransome had the pleasure of presiding over as memorable and happy a gathering as we have ever seen.

The after dinner part of the programme was admirably arranged, and there were plenty of songs with good hearty choruses in which all could participate."

As Ransomes and Simpsons neared completion, attention in the town turned to the large numbers of additional houses that would be needed to accommodate the workforce.

Simpsons, when it first opened, employed about 150 men (rising to 500 by 1905) and much of what is now New Balderton was established for them and their families.

Some workers at Ransomes were accommodated in nearby Stanley Street (named after Ransome's factory, the Stanley Works), whilst elsewhere, the Advertiser noted, new housing was being erected in Appletongate, Beacon Hill Road and Charles Street.

The paper was most pleased to remark on the impetus these new factories had given to the building trade and concluded: "The advent of two such important firms will make the close of the 19th Century a very memorable period in the development of the town."

ABOVE: Edward Renard's picture of progress at Alan Ransome and Co's works at the foot of Beacon Hill in March 1900.

BOTTOM: James Simpson and Co's works under construction at Lowfield, Balderton, as pictured in December, 1899, by Edward Renard.

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