Dowty's

mobertol

mobertol

Pillar o' t' Community
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Has anyone got information on an engineering firm which I believe used to be in Clayton -called Dowty's? My Gt Grandfather sold a patent to them around the early 1930's. (I put the name in the Accyweb search box and see that there is a Dowty street somewhere in Accy).

Also if anyone knew anything about a mill/ factory that used to be in Atlas Street (top end of Clayton) which burned down, again in the early 1930's I believe. No name for this one unfortunately (might have been a weaving mill).

Thanks for any help:)
 
mobertol said:
Has anyone got information on an engineering firm which I believe used to be in Clayton -called Dowty's? My Gt Grandfather sold a patent to them around the early 1930's. (I put the name in the Accyweb search box and see that there is a Dowty street somewhere in Accy).

Also if anyone knew anything about a mill/ factory that used to be in Atlas Street (top end of Clayton) which burned down, again in the early 1930's I believe. No name for this one unfortunately (might have been a weaving mill).

Thanks for any help:)
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Are you sure its not Dowry St. There was engineering firm at the bottom of Dowry St.
 
Bernard Dawson said:
Are you sure its not Dowry St. There was engineering firm at the bottom of Dowry St.
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Is Dowry street in Clayton?
Dowty may be a copying error by my mum from old family letters - she said she thought it was an aircraft engineering firm -but I'm not sure as the patent was for a mining invention...
 
Just checked my notes and i've written Dowty's -unfortunately mum is away on holiday for 3 weeks so i can't get her to check the originals!
 
mobertol said:
Is Dowry street in Clayton?
Dowty may be a copying error by my mum from old family letters - she said she thought it was an aircraft engineering firm -but I'm not sure as the patent was for a mining invention...
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No its Accrington.Its just the Dowty and Dowry similarities.
 
Di, Dowry Street in Accrington runs off Whalley Road, just north of and parallel to Burnley Road.
 
I agree - Dowry. There is/was a firm called Dowty who made metal pit-props. Accrington library may have the patent. I have given them some over the years.There are no Dowtys in the 1951 directory in Accrington or Clayton. It should be possible to trace the patent if you can provide a name of whoever took it out in the first place.There are several patent libraries and perhaps an on-line search facility.
 
Dowty hydralic pit props and supports including automatic walking supports were made in Wigan and supplied to the N.C.B.all over the country, many installed at Hapton Valley Pit. Where we installed the latest support where one man operated eight walking supports while knelt safely under one.
 
I've a vague feeling that Dowty's was part of Blake Hydraulic Engineering, and indeed, if you Google it, there was a Dowty hydraulic pump.
 
Dowty or Dowty prop, the first British made hand operated hydraulic prop developed by Dowty Mining Equipment in 1946. By 1956 there were 400,000 hydraulic props and 200,000 yielding props in use. These were of tubular steel construction designed to be erected single handed and set by a pumping action using a pump handle. They were generally set to yield at about 15-20 tons bearing pressure.

Dowty

Pit Prop, 1950-1985
 
Bob Dobson said:
I agree - Dowry. There is/was a firm called Dowty who made metal pit-props. Accrington library may have the patent. I have given them some over the years.There are no Dowtys in the 1951 directory in Accrington or Clayton. It should be possible to trace the patent if you can provide a name of whoever took it out in the first place.There are several patent libraries and perhaps an on-line search facility.
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That's brilliant -thank you so much. Karma due -have given out too much today! If you've more info would be grateful -location etc...
This makes a lot of sense -the invention was an attachment for the insertion/removal of pit props either metal or wood -it was called the Croston slip wedge -I have the patent number too -my mum has all the original documentation at home in Tenerife. It won two certificates of merit at the mining exhibition in Manchester in 1925 and the International Exhibition of inventions in 1929 in Westminster. It's fascinating stuff to research -especially when it's someone from your own family. My Gt grandfather, Thomas Croston worked in the mines at Dickie Brig pit, Altham (Whinney Hill) and Hapton colliery from the age of 11 -working up to be a foreman in charge of the groups of men opening up new galleries and faces to be worked -dangerous job!
His life became a kind of crusade for safety in the mines and he wrote hundreds of letters over about 15 years (we have rough copies of them all in his journals plus copies he made of every reply and the original letters!) it was an obsession for him to get his invention adopted but he gave up in the early thirties after many disappointments and financial difficulties due to the depression and the burning down of a mill/factory in Atlas St. where he lost a massive investment. Shortly after he had a stroke, was paralysed and never spoke again....so sad. The last of his children living, my Gt Aunt Ruth has told us she never heard her father's voice!
This is all being worked into a story I'm writing so the more authentic detail I can find the better.
 
susie123 said:
Dowty or Dowty prop, the first British made hand operated hydraulic prop developed by Dowty Mining Equipment in 1946. By 1956 there were 400,000 hydraulic props and 200,000 yielding props in use. These were of tubular steel construction designed to be erected single handed and set by a pumping action using a pump handle. They were generally set to yield at about 15-20 tons bearing pressure.

Dowty

Pit Prop, 1950-1985
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Thanks for this Sue -the Dowty link supports what mum said about the Aircraft industry. The patent was sold early 30's which also ties in!:)
 
There is a mining society based in Earby - worth contacting. An Alan Davies, employed by Wigan Libraries I think, is an authority on all matters mining. I can put you in touch with a descendant of the Blakes if you PM me your email address. Burnley author/historian Jack Nadin may be worth speaking to, as he is very knowledgeable on local mining matters. He lives outside Padiham and Burnley library may forward an email to him . Alan Davies may be able to guide you to mining magazines. Dowty may have an archive.
 
Dowry Street i was brought up on,from the age of 5/6, The Engineering Firm on it was Whittakers, Me Dad worked yon until it closed. They also had a moulding shop were they cast parts fer the pits i think they were.
 
Bob Dobson said:
There is a mining society based in Earby - worth contacting. An Alan Davies, employed by Wigan Libraries I think, is an authority on all matters mining. I can put you in touch with a descendant of the Blakes if you PM me your email address. Burnley author/historian Jack Nadin may be worth speaking to, as he is very knowledgeable on local mining matters. He lives outside Padiham and Burnley library may forward an email to him . Alan Davies may be able to guide you to mining magazines. Dowty may have an archive.
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Thanks Bob -my mum is over visiting my Aunt in Up Holland -near Wigan, at the moment -I'll send her the patent number and get her to go into the library to speak to Mr Davies if she has time -interesting coincidence that she is there now -could prove useful!

You are a mine of information! No pun intended;):D

Think my reserves of karma are already booked for the next couple of days now...
 
claytonx said:
Dowty hydralic pit props and supports including automatic walking supports were made in Wigan and supplied to the N.C.B.all over the country, many installed at Hapton Valley Pit. Where we installed the latest support where one man operated eight walking supports while knelt safely under one.
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Were you a miner then Roy? Didn't know that...

I have been trying to describe what it was actually like to work underground - there are a few anecdotes in my Gt Aunts letters - apparently my ancestor used to take tins of creamed rice pudding down with him and heat them on the steam engine which ran the conveyor taking the tubs of coal to the shaft -very crafty!

Being a bit claustrophobic I can't imagine what it was like, though I have genned up on the daily routine etc. I expect there was quite a cameraderie built up among the men - working in confined spaces and particular conditions.
 
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