-
Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.
We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
Gabriel & Co brassfounders
- Thread starter Astonian
- Start date
Jean
it would have been around the old costa green and the back end of woodcock street baths and coming from the old dartmouth street
many , many years ago long before any redevelopments and the building of the aston universite in would have been the fortys and fifty,s
astonian;;
it would have been around the old costa green and the back end of woodcock street baths and coming from the old dartmouth street
many , many years ago long before any redevelopments and the building of the aston universite in would have been the fortys and fifty,s
astonian;;
Astonianin
Gabriel & Co Ltd were at 4-5 AB Row. In 1921 they were brassfounders, but by 1950 they are listed as making stainless steel castings. They are now at tyseley ( https://www.gabrielco.com/ ) and the following is from their website:
In 1884, Percy Gabriel purchased a small brass foundry business in A.B. Row, Birmingham for the sum of £235 and began trading as Gabriel and Co with 13 employees.
In the 1930's came the discovery of stainless steel. Gabriel became one of the first companies to manufacture castings in the new material, which replaced previous ones made in brass.
With the gradual expanding of the company, Gabriels began to specialise in the manufacture of fittings for tramways, buses and railways. In addition to public transport companies in the United Kingdom, the company also began to export to Africa, Asia and South America.
After 112 years at its former Birmingham city centre site, in 1996, the company moved to new larger 28,000 square feet premises in Tyseley and invested in a new £300,000 foundry
mike
Gabriel & Co Ltd were at 4-5 AB Row. In 1921 they were brassfounders, but by 1950 they are listed as making stainless steel castings. They are now at tyseley ( https://www.gabrielco.com/ ) and the following is from their website:
In 1884, Percy Gabriel purchased a small brass foundry business in A.B. Row, Birmingham for the sum of £235 and began trading as Gabriel and Co with 13 employees.
In the 1930's came the discovery of stainless steel. Gabriel became one of the first companies to manufacture castings in the new material, which replaced previous ones made in brass.
With the gradual expanding of the company, Gabriels began to specialise in the manufacture of fittings for tramways, buses and railways. In addition to public transport companies in the United Kingdom, the company also began to export to Africa, Asia and South America.
After 112 years at its former Birmingham city centre site, in 1996, the company moved to new larger 28,000 square feet premises in Tyseley and invested in a new £300,000 foundry
mike
HI MIKE
MANY THANKS FOR THAT VALUABLE INFORMATION AND FOR GIVING ME THE HISTORY OF THE FIRM I KNEW THERE WAS ONE THERE BUT FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY I JUST COULD NOT THINK OF THE NAME I Knew IT HAD BEEN THERE FOR YEARS WHEN I WAS A KID AND ALWAYS LOOKED IN AND SEEN THE BIG BLACK SMOKE I CERTAINLY
WOULD NOT TO HAVE WORKED THERE WHEN I WAS A NIPPER I WOULD GO PAST THERE TO CUT DOWN TO NEW CANNAL STREET NO 1 GRAND FATHERS COFFEE SHOP
THE ONE HE BOUGHT OFF HIGGINGS BUT GETTING BACK ON TRACK ITS AMAZING TO LEARN THAT THAT ARE STILL IN BUSINESS AND THEY ARE EVEN LARGER NOW THAN EVER BEFORE THIS SPITE THIS CRUNCH I STARTED TO WORK AT RANDLE BROS. ABIT DOWN THE ROAD FROM THEM JUST ON THE CORNER OF THE OLD DARTHMOUTH RD
AS A ELECTRO PLATER CHROME IN FACT THE OLD CANNAL USED TO RUN ALONG THE BACK WHEN I WAS A WHIPPER SNAPPER THERE THE FACTORY HAD GREAT BIG WHOPPING HOLES IN THE WALL OF A NIGHT TIME ANY BODY COULD HAVE STEPPED INSIDE THE FACTORY WITH OUT CLIMBING IN
ONCE AGAIN MIKE MANY THANKS FOR THE REPLY OF THE VALUABLE INFOMATION
BEST WISHES ASTONIAN ,;;
MANY THANKS FOR THAT VALUABLE INFORMATION AND FOR GIVING ME THE HISTORY OF THE FIRM I KNEW THERE WAS ONE THERE BUT FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY I JUST COULD NOT THINK OF THE NAME I Knew IT HAD BEEN THERE FOR YEARS WHEN I WAS A KID AND ALWAYS LOOKED IN AND SEEN THE BIG BLACK SMOKE I CERTAINLY
WOULD NOT TO HAVE WORKED THERE WHEN I WAS A NIPPER I WOULD GO PAST THERE TO CUT DOWN TO NEW CANNAL STREET NO 1 GRAND FATHERS COFFEE SHOP
THE ONE HE BOUGHT OFF HIGGINGS BUT GETTING BACK ON TRACK ITS AMAZING TO LEARN THAT THAT ARE STILL IN BUSINESS AND THEY ARE EVEN LARGER NOW THAN EVER BEFORE THIS SPITE THIS CRUNCH I STARTED TO WORK AT RANDLE BROS. ABIT DOWN THE ROAD FROM THEM JUST ON THE CORNER OF THE OLD DARTHMOUTH RD
AS A ELECTRO PLATER CHROME IN FACT THE OLD CANNAL USED TO RUN ALONG THE BACK WHEN I WAS A WHIPPER SNAPPER THERE THE FACTORY HAD GREAT BIG WHOPPING HOLES IN THE WALL OF A NIGHT TIME ANY BODY COULD HAVE STEPPED INSIDE THE FACTORY WITH OUT CLIMBING IN
ONCE AGAIN MIKE MANY THANKS FOR THE REPLY OF THE VALUABLE INFOMATION
BEST WISHES ASTONIAN ,;;
Lloyd
master brummie
Gabriels used to make those stainless handrails on Birmingham buses and trams, the metal used to be called 'German Silver' I believe. I've seen the opened up panel-less shells of pre-war buses that have stood in a scrapyard for over 20 years, and the handrails still shine.
https://www.gabrielco.com/index.html
https://www.gabrielco.com/index.html
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
“Next time you board a bus, coach or train, just notice how comfortable that textured handrail feels in your hand; it was probably made by Gabriel and Company of Birmingham. They were the first manufacturer to produce textured grip tubing for greater passenger safety, and is the UK's largest manufacturer of handrail systems for the passenger transport vehicle market. It is also one of Birmingham's old-established firms, having been founded in 1884 by Mr Charles Edward Percival Gabriel, known as Percy.”
Golden years of Birmingham (1999)
Radiorails
master brummie
This company supplied the doors, for those who remember the city's older trams, might recall the doors at each end which separated the motor man from the passengers. The doors were fitted with a unique anti-rattle device and a method of closure or opening, This was first introduced on the 637 class of 25 cars in 1923 and fitted to subsequent contracts are eventually fitted the older cars.
Lloyd
master brummie
The anti-rattle device was a brass cylinder that was screwed to the door jamb, with a small cylinder holding a spring-loaded brass roller. This roller ran along a brass plate fitted underneath the door window (which had the 'key' symbol of the Birmingham Municipal Bank etched into the glass!) and prevented the door from rattling on its mountings. I have one in my collection of ephemera somewhere!
Radiorails
master brummie
I remember the Birmingham Municipal Bank on the glass but wasn't sure that all cars had them.
Godber
master brummie
I remember Gabriel’s from back in the early to mid 90s, I did some repair work to an outside tank or hopper if I recall correctly. I never went inside but I think at the time they were involved in stainless steel castings. The place sticks in my mind because while I was perched precariously on top of said tank welding, I looked up to see a blimp flying slowly overhead.
Lloyd
master brummie
The Municipal Bank (as such) opened in October 1919, and some of the trams were older than that so it must have been a 'retrofit' in modern' speak! It is possible that not all cars had it, I have only photographs as memories.
Radiorails
master brummie
The symbol of BM Bank. It stood out a mile.
A thread on the bank:
Birmingham Municipal Bank
moms decided to get rid of some old hand bags(and i thought it was only me who kept things).this was in one,its my bham municipal bank book,i dont remember it.on may 24 th 1952 ,i deposited ten shillings and six pence,on the same day i took out nine shillings and six pence,(set the pattern for...
birminghamhistory.co.uk
