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Birmingham Ships' Lens Company

L

Last Chance

proper brummie kid
Hi,
Can anyone place a company named Birmingham Ships' Lens? I've googled it to death and nothing remotely like this surfaces.
From the information I have, BSL was bought up by Chance Brothers (understandable given that they were the largest lighthouse builders in the world), but this is just a single mention in Sir Hugh Chance's memoirs. I'm guessing BSL was taken over in the early 20th century, possibly after WWI when the country was on it's collective knees.
Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks,
David E
 
Last Chance said:
Hi,
Can anyone place a company named Birmingham Ships' Lens? I've googled it to death and nothing remotely like this surfaces.
From the information I have, BSL was bought up by Chance Brothers (understandable given that they were the largest lighthouse builders in the world), but this is just a single mention in Sir Hugh Chance's memoirs. I'm guessing BSL was taken over in the early 20th century, possibly after WWI when the country was on it's collective knees.
Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks,
David E
Click to expand...
From 1915 Kelly's

cnance.jpg
 
Thanks Lyn. That is one option I have yet to explore. My subscription to britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk expired some time ago, so it's limited as to what is available. I will try Birmingham Libraries archive.
 
Doesn’t seem to be any mention of Birmingham ships’ Lens Co in Press, looking for lighthouse connections.
 
Pedrocut said:
Do we know the date of the takeover ?
Click to expand...
Thanks for trying. I don't. I'm guessing it was around 1900 onwards, but that's just a hunch. The other thought was that it was just after WWI when many companies were suffering.

I have also checked Birmingham Library's 19th century newspaper archive, but nothing shows up.
 
I may have made progress. Following a hint on another forum I tracked down a website here:

http://www.thepirateslair.com/10-25-birmingham-engineering-mast-head.html

where about halfway down this awful web page a photo clearly shows a plaque for Birmingham Engineering Co. Ltd.

Sadly, there is no mention in the Birmingham Libraries archive, but there is a single mention on gracesguide.co.uk where the company is listed in the 1904 Automotor Journal, but annoyingly without any further detail.

If anyone can help further with Birmingham Engineering Co. Ltd I would view it with great interest.
 
1947 Birmingham Engineering Co. Ltd.
63 Pershore Street, Precision-made photographic enlargers, dark room equipment.
 
They seem to exist for a long period of time. Pre WW1 they are just described as engineers, and are at Hooper St. In 1921 they are in Essy row, with works in Sherlock St. In 1932 they are not listed under that name. so I would assume t e1947 firm is a different firm
 
Thanks both. Sorry for the delay in replying.

I must admit it is confusing. I suspect that the dates of 1915 and 1947 correlate to the same business - it would have been highly odd (back then) to adopt another firm's name in case it became associated with all the baggage. However, I can't explain its absence in 1932.

I have since made a little progress myself and discovered the following (my words for my book):

A customer of Chance’s called Birmingham Engineering Co. Ltd based at 63 Pershore Street, which made the lantern housings for the drum lenses, was faced with the prospect of selling off a large accumulated stock of lanterns immediately after the war. This problem was met swiftly by repurposing the housings, by modifying them for domestic use, polishing them to a high degree, and selling them to the public. A country-wide advertising campaign appears to have solved the problem.[1]

LANTERNS, polished copper and brass, modified for domestic use, now available. —Send for list from the Manufacturers, Birmingham Engineering Co.. Ltd., 63. Pershore st., Birmingham. 5

There were similar adverts placed in other local newspapers around the country.

So it is clear that Birmingham Engineering Co. Ltd was still producing these lantern housings during the war.

[1] Western Morning News, 7th May 1946; various others
 
When I saw the long list of companies in the 1946 Kellys at 63 Pershore St, I thought it must have just been an office
Kellys 1946 Pershore St.jpg
But looking at the 1950s map, , behind the frontage there seems to be a number of separate constructions, so perhaps not just an office.

map 1950s showing 63 Pershore St.jpg

The firm is still listed as a lamp manufacurer at that address in the 1950 Kellys, but by 1955 it is there listed as a gauge manufacturer
 
This thread reminded me of a visit to the Lizard lighthouse in Cornwall many years ago. I remember the member of staff who was telling us about it said something about the light and Birmingham.

I have just checked on Wiki and see that the optics were made by Chances - you may already know this but it might be of interest.


en.m.wikipedia.org

Lizard Lighthouse - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org
 
@mikejee
That's very helpful, thanks, but I wonder if those buildings at the rear are actually houses? The reason is that there's no No.59, 61, 65 or 67, so could there have been access from Pershore St. I wonder? If so, then I think this was between 63 & 69 (the crossed box).

@A Sparks
Chance Bros. was the largest lighthouse builder in the world by 1953 when that Division closed (due to Pilkington's takeover). With my ongoing research, several lighthouses will be mentioned in my book. My archive of material is massive: I have about 31,500 files totalling nearly 114GB on my system. Given that CB was founded in 1822 (not 1824 as is commonly believed) and closed in 1981, that's a lot of data for a 159-year period.

In fact, I call it a "book", but with over 630,000 words written it looks as though it'll be around 10 volumes ...
 
The crossed box is the entry to the yard behind in which were the buildings you refer to. The address of those would have been 63, as that was the address of the frontage. I do not think they were houses , as they look more like workshops or offices, which would have presumably housed some of the firms listed at that address. If they had wanted to differentiate themselves from no 63, they would have been described as either "Back 63" or possibly court XX.
You work seems impressive. I look forward to being able to read it
 
Thanks Mike.

The intention is to release volume 1 as a PDF (up to 1836). This volume is close to being released after is has been peer reviewed, then it will be freely downloadable.

What I do with the other nine volumes is debatable. At, say, £250 per set, it's impractical to expect many people buying it, apart from institutions and Chance family members. So I may release them all into the public domain, with specially printed editions in a box set and it will then be announced on forums such as this one.

That's approximately 20 years of work ...
 
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