John Henderson Porter, Tividale, Birmingham 1824-1895

[RobT]

I have a question about the engineer John Henderson Porter (1824-1895) who,
located in Tividale, Birmingham, built important metal structures.
I have been attracted by the now disappeared 150 ft tall wrought iron Buda
Island lighthouse (1864-1961), at the mouth of river Ebro that could make a
good model. The locals called it the Iron Giant. I have the paper on the
project Porter read at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers of
Birmingham in 1861..
Another project by Porter in Spain is the Puente Colgante over the river
Pisuerga at Valladolid that's preserved as an historical site. Despite its
"Hanging Bridge" name its a bowstring bridge and a plate on it (attached)
gives credit to "John H. Porter of Ebro Works, Tividale Birmingham".
Did the name of Ebro Works came from the lighthouse fame? According to
Google an industrial area at Tividale is still named Ebro Works..



Written on behalf of a friend who lives in Spain
Where was the area Tividale in Birmingham?
Any help much appreciated
RobT

 

[Astoness]

tividale is 28 miles from birmingham


Tividale is a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, West Midlands. It straddles the borders of the towns of Dudley, Tipton, Oldbury.

 

[A Sparks]

tividale is 28 miles from birmingham


Tividale is a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, West Midlands. It straddles the borders of the towns of Dudley, Tipton, Oldbury.

Yes, I was a bit puzzled about that!

 

[mikejee]

In his earlier life he did have a firm in Birmingham, but the partnership was dissolved in 1854. The tividale company was apparently liquidated in 1866

 

[Vivienne14]

Some more info

Porter and Co, Ebro Works, Tividale existed from at least 1861 (previously known as The Phoenix Works Owned by Melrose and Hussey, ironfounders. This business failed in 1857)
1863 John Henderson Porter and Robert Porter, of Ebro Works were described as manufacturing engineers. In another press notice, they're described as manufacturing iron bridges, girders, lighthouses.
1863 a newspaper reference to the Ebro Works formerly known as the Phoenix Works - see earlier note
1877 Ebro Works was in the hands of Sheppard and Son and was sold in 1878
1899 Chas Wilcox Ltd had the Ebro Cycle Works, Tividale

 

[RobT]

Thank you to all that have replied much appreciated.

I have one last request from my friend in Spain,
probably not available but can anyone find photo of John Henderson Porter 1824-1895? (Note: NOT John Henderson)

 

[Vivienne14]

Not a photo, but a couple of items you may have seen, but I case you haven't....

Firstly, an extract from: a Brief Atlas of Lighthouses at the End of The World by Jose Luis Gonzalez Macias. So did Lucio Del Valle (paragraph 3) work for the Porters in Birmingham ? The lighthouse was erected to help vessels negotiate the shifting sands and sediments at the Ebro delta. The factory name must have come from the delta name.

Also attached is the Obituary of John Henderson Porter extracted from icevirtuallibrary.com. The 150 ft Buda Lighthouse was temporarily erected at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in Birmingham !