Lang Bridges

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

We are researching our family and on a census we have one of our people down as a worker at a tin plate works. I am pretty sure that Lang Bridges was a brass foundry but does anyone know if they worked tin plate too?

[MoreJoe]

I was always under the impression that Lang Bridge (the person) was a cotton goods manufacturer and calico printer. The company that bore his name went on to make cotton goods machinery etc. Maybe some of the local historians can provide a fuller picture.

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

Thanks for the reply. Looking into it further we discover he worked at Park Shed Mill, at the bottom of Stanley Street, the old Associated Dairies site. His occupation is down as Tin Plate Worker, which is a mystery because Park Shed was a weaving shed.

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Lang_Bridge

[pifco]

I only ever knew Lang Bridges factory at the corner of Exchange Street and Stevenson St. as an engineering works. Of the people who worked there that I knew 2 were blacksmiths, 1 was a millright, 1 was an outfitter and 1 a driver.

[Gremlin]

I Know Lang Bridge was a foundry in 1966, I delivered foundry sand there a few times. The fine sand was lipped through the door in the wall on Fairfield street.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Morecambe Ex Pat

We are researching our family and on a census we have one of our people down as a worker at a tin plate works. I am pretty sure that Lang Bridges was a brass foundry but does anyone know if they worked tin plate too?

I served my apprentiship as a Pattern Maker Lang Bridges, from 1945 to 1952, Langs would make any thing for any body, it was said to me many times, serve your time at Langs and you can get a job any where in the World
Yes they did have a Tinner Shop, my grand father worked there at one time, many in the tinners knew me, and gave me the time of day.
Langs had many departments, starting on the right hand side at the main gate Tinsmiths, Paint Shop, Steel erecting Shop & Stores, Packing Dept, Joiners Shop, Pattern Makers, Brass Finishers & Flanging Shop, then part of Foundry Yard, on your way back to the front gates, Foundry Yard & Furnaces, Core Shop, Brass Moulding Shop, double bays, Iron Foundry & Plate Moulders, Turning Shop. Fitting Shop & Machineing Shop, Black Smiths. Iron & Steel Stores, Electricians, Garage for gaffers car, General Offices & Weigh Bridge, on the lower floor under the Joiners to Brass Finishers the Tool Makers & the Works Canteen, also various cellars to store used patterns. During the last war Langs did a lot of Munitions Work. and in the middle of the main drag thro the works was a 20ft squ wooden hut, where the shell inspectors worked, we called it the bomb hut, it was just being wound down when I started, after that we stored used patterns on its roof.

Hope that settles your query,

[Retlaw]

Some years back I saw an article in the newspaper from a firm of Solicitors in Manchester regarding a claim being made thro them for an asbestos injury, I wrote to them attaching a detailed drawing or the layout of Langs, and where the asbestos danger came from, Langs did a lot of work repairing machinery parts for an asbestos firm, I pinpointed wher these were unloaded and that sometimes we pattern makers had to scrape the stuff off to find the part numbers. I also asked the for the name of their client, and if possible give them my name and address, I would like to meet up with them. Turned out to be my mate, a year younger than me who was an apprentice pattern maker at Langs when I was, he came for a visit just a few weeks before he died.

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

Thanks Retlaw, that's brilliant.

Did they do any 'engineering' work at Park Shed or was that just a weaving shed?

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Morecambe Ex Pat

Thanks Retlaw, that's brilliant.

Did they do any 'engineering' work at Park Shed or was that just a weaving shed?

Ey up Morecambe. Park shed as far as i know was a weaving shed.
Back in those early days when the Langs and the Bridges started their enterprises, several of those familys were involved in mills and such, J.W. Brigdes in Church St was one of the clan as well, Once tried tracking them all in the Accy Census returns, but all I could find were children at the time, When I was at Langs the top dog was Joseph Green, he lost his brother Cecil in WW1, the other top man was J.B. Norton. best gaffer I ever worked for, he'd time of day for every one no matter how lowly your job, and he always greeted you by yuor first name, and he never turned an ex soldier away, if you had worn Khaki, you were in.