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Old 30-08-2011, 07:47   #3
rivetlad
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Re: Wanted information on john blake ltd of oxford street, accrington

Irishman John Blake-INVENTOR OF THE RAM PUMP
When during the 1830s, the illiterate and penniless Irish migrants, John Blake and his wife Bridget arrived looking for work in the bustling cotton town of Accrington, fortunately they were both quickly taken on in the Carding Room of one of the numerous local mills. Times were bad, with job security non-existant. The young couple, parents to several young children that required feeding and clothing , due to the ups and downs of the Lancashire cotton trade frequently found themselves having to look not only for work, but also for lodgings all around the district.
However, despite the Blake family's dire day to day living--so typical of the time, good fortune later came their way when their eldest son, also named John,, having the utmost desire to better his own and his family's living conditions, established a small engineering works workshop in the town, the main product being the manufacture of a simple yet highly effective water pump of his own design. Eventually, this ingenious and efficient water pump would become nationally renowned; thus " BLAKE'S HYDRAMS were manufactured in Accrington until 1970.
The above are only the basic jottings for my forthcoming magazine article; for its completion I require more information together with copies of historical photographs of John Blake's works and the Hydram water pumps. Can anyone assist me?
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