Two Prolific Monmouthshire Foundries

Local foundries and ironworks are largely gone now. They produced a wide range of items, generally marked with their name.
This page has examples of all manner of drain and manholes, builder plates and signs, gate and fence posts plus other castings with their inscriptions.

W A Baker & Co Ltd, Westgate Foundry, East Dock Road, Newport, Monmouthshire

'W A Baker & Co Ltd' were established in 1880 and was re-constituted as 'W A Baker & Co 1910 Ltd' in 1910, They became part of the 'Whitehead Iron and Steel Co Ltd' in 1938. Their earliest site was on the corner of Skinner Street and Upper Dock Road. Around 1905 they had moved to the Central Ironworks site on Emlyn Street. A new foundry was built in East Dock Road during WW2 followed by a major expansion and refurbishment. In 1957 Bakers became part of the US firm, 'Black Clawson', and the works was demolished in 2006, the site being housing and the 'Blaina Wharf' pub.

The Skinner Street works, c1905	The Skinner Street works, c1905	The Central ironworks, Granville Street	Thw Westgate Foundry, 1949
Bakers Skinner Street works, 1899	Bakers Central Ironworks, 1917	Bakers Westgate Ironworks, 1949
'W A Baker & Co 1910 Ltd No 3032 Newport Mon'	'Bakers Newport no 3349L'	'Bakers No 3392 Newport Mon'	'Bakers Newport'
'W A Baker & Co Ld Newport Mon'	'Bakers Newport'	'W A Baker & Co Ld Newport Sewers Newport Mon'	'Bakers NCW Newport'
'NMGC W A Baker'	'Bakers Newport'	'Bakers Newport'	'Newport Sewers W A Baker & Co 1910 Ld'

Broads Foundry, Pontymister, Monmouthshire

Pontymister ironworks were established in 1801, being connected to the canal and Sirhowy Tramroad by a branch tramroad across the River Ebbw. Unfortunately the works appear to have seriously unsuccessful, going from bankrupcy to bankrupcy. It became much more successful as a tinplate works from 1845 and the tramway became a railway in 1850 with the mainline. Another bankrupcy hit the works in 1896 after an acrimonious strike, a merger with the adjacent Pontymister foundry and more changes to ownership followed. The building of the Llanwern steelworks ended steel production in 1962.

Birds Commercial Motors demolished the works in 1962 then carried on using the site as a scrapyard, scrapping over 200 steam locomotives, until 1969 after which they used part of the area as a plant depot.

Broads of London were successful builders merchants founded in 1882 at Paddington Dock, with their foundry at Hanwell, West London. The West London site was valuable housing land and not the best place for an iron foundry, so they built a new foundry on part of Birds site in Pontymister, opening in 1970. Over 30 years later Broads Foundry closed in 2004. I don't know if there is any way of telling the two foundries work apart, some articles include 'London' in the casting, others of an identical pattern don't. 'Broads Manufacturing Co (Holdings) Ltd' changed its name to 'Brickhouse Dudley Manufacturing Ltd' in 1979.

'Broads'	'Broads London'	'Broads London'	'Broad & Co Ltd London'
'Broad & Co Ltd London'	'Broad & Co Ltd London'	'Broad & Co Ld London'	'Broad & Co Ltd Paddington'
'Broads Fuel Oil Intake London'	'Broads Agripper Cover London'	'Broads PO Patent no 932719'	'Broads PO PO'
'Broads PO PO'	'Broads Telephone' and 'PO'	'Broads Metro'	'Broads Trucast No3 London'

The Numbered patterns

'Broads 12A London'	'Broads 16D Broads'	'Broad & Co Ltd 16H London'	'Broads London No 20T'
'Broads 24 London'	'Broad & Co Ltd London 42A'	'Broads 42A Broads'	'Broads 42C Broads'
'Brickhouse Dudley 42E'	'Brickhouse Dudley 5353 5355'	'Broads No 70B WVSB Sewers Patent no 932719'	'Broads 78B Broads'
'Broads No 97'	'Broads 117 D2' drain cover	'Broads 129B Broads'	'Broads London 140 Meter'
'Broads 182 Broads'	'Broads 185A Broads'	'7740'	'7740 YWA' and '7740 SV'
'Broads 7821 UK'	'Broad 7952 FH London'	'8041'

The 'Ner-Roc' range

'Broads London Ner Roc'

'Broads 38A London Ner Roc'

'Broads 38A London Ner Roc'

'Broads SW 38B London Ner Roc'

The 'Silent Knight' range

'Broads 5011 Silent Knight'	'Broads 5035 Silent Knight'	'Broads 70B Silent Knight'	'Broads 70C Silent Knight'
'Broads Silent Knight 70C GPO'	'73E/D Broads Silent.Knight'	'Broads FOUL Silent Knight'	'Broads PO Silent Knight'
'Broads SW Silent Knight'	'Broads WVSB Silent Knight'

Builders plates

Many iron bridges, other structures and machinery carry their makers plate, some dated, some not.

E Finch & Co Ltd, Chepstow

E Finch & Co Ltd began life building the Chepstow railway bridge for I K Brunel in 1852. It developed into a varied engineering company, notably shipbuilding. The company was sold in 1916 eventually becoming the Fairfield Mabey engineering works. Their builders plates had the year changed as time moved on.

'E Finch & Co Limtd 1877'	'E Finch & Co Limtd 1887'	'E Finch & Co Limtd 1892'	'E Finch & Co Chepstow 1898
'E Finch & Co Limtd 1899'	'E Finch & Co Limtd 1899'	'E Finch & Co Limtd 1902'	'E Finch & Co Limtd 1906'
'E Finch & Co Limtd 1908'	'E Finch & Co Limtd 1910'

Other Builders Plates

'Isca Foundry Co Newport Mon'

'C Jordan Engineer 1870'

'C Jordan Engineer 1870'

Manhole Covers

A to Z of Welsh Makers, Councils or Companies

'Barry D C'	'Blank - totally'	'BUDC Sewer'	'BUDC Sewer'
'Curran Cardiff'	'Dynevor Eng C Neath NRDC'	'J Edwards Llandrindod'	'EVUDC Storm Water'
'Glyn Eng Works Pontypool'	'Goulds Foundries Cardiff Barry & Newport'	'Ham Baker & Co Ltd Keymac WVS Westminster SW'	'Hayes Maesteg'
'Herbert & Young CRDC Meter Coleford Glos'	'Howell & Son Aberayron'	'HW & Co PM'	'Jordans Ltd Newport Mon'
'Lawrence & Co Taffs Well'	'Lewis & Co Merthyr'	'Lewis & David Port Talbot'	'Llantwit Foundry, Llantwit Vardre'
'J Lloyd Stephens Talybont-on-Usk'	'R W Moon Contractor Newport Mon'	'J M Morris Welshpool'	'J M Morris Welshpool'
'MUDC Brown Blackwood'	'MUDC Rock Pattern'
'Nash Foundry'	'J E Nott Co Ltd Brecon'	'NRDC Tondu Eng Works'
'Pontypool Foundry & Eng Co Ld'	'Pontypool Foundry & Eng Co Ld'	'Pontypool Foundry & Eng Co Ltd'	'J G Proger & Sons Cardiff'
'RDC ...YTE & Co', Trehafod	'R T & B Stormwater', Ebbw Vale	'RUDC Sewer'
'Sandbrook & Dawe Ltd'	'Sheppard & Sons Bridgend S Wales'	'T Spittle Ld Newport Mon'	'T Spittle Ltd Newport Mon'
'Titan Foundry Limited Cardiff'	'TF' from Treforest Foundry	'TUDC Sewer'	'Tondu Eng Works Surface Water MAUDC'
'Tondu Eng Works'	'Victoria Foundry Ebbw Vale'	'Henry Ward Williams'	'Henry Ward Williams 1913'
'WVSB'	'WVSB'	'P T Woodruff Machen Foundry'	'P T Woodruff Machen'

Stop Cocks, Valves and Hydrants

Smaller items including Stop Cock covers, Valve covers and Fire Hydrant covers

'ADW Stop Tap'	'Bakers NCW Newport'	'Broads 7821 UK'	'CCWW ST'
'GWB Water Stop Tap'	'Ham Baker & Co Ltd Patent NCW Westminster'	'Henry Ward Williams Ironfounder Abertillery Mon 1920s Storm Water'	'Herbert & Young NSMWB Meter Coleford Glos'
'Jones Gas Patent'		'MAUDC Gas'
'Newport Foundry Co Rock Wharf Water Tap'	'NMGC W A Baker'	'NSMWB Water Stop Tap'
'J J Partrage Newport'	'Sandbrook & Dawe Pontypool'	'SEBWB Water'	'T Spittle Ld NCW FH Newport Mon'
'TFWB Stop Tap'	'TUDC'	'Water Brooklyns Ruthin'	'Water Works'

Drain Covers and Gratings

'Bailey Graham Ironfounders Newport'	'D Evans Llandaff 1901'	'D Evans Llandaff Penarth Sewers'	'D Evans Llandaff Cardiff Sewers'
'Edwin Hampton Abergaveny'	'W Lewis & Co Merthyr'	'M Morgan Abercarn', Type 1	'M Morgan Abercarn', Type 2

Railway, Canal and Road Signs

Railway Signs in Wales

ANDR boundary post	BMR lift notice	BTC gate notice	GWR bridge restriction plate
GWR bridge warning notice	GWR boundary post from 1886	GWR signal box notice	GWR milepost, Cefn Cribbwr
GWR marker post, Cefn Cribbwr	LMSR sign at Govilon	LMSR sign at Govilon
LNWR sign at Govilon	LNWR milepost at Llanfoist

Canal Signs

B & A Canal milepost '35'

Monmouthshire Canal milepost '7'

Monmouthshire Canal milepost '5¾'

Road Signs

'Roads Act 1920' prohibited notice

'Bryn Morgan Terrace 1871'

'Gelli Isaf'

Miscellania

Other Ironmongery, particularly with names and makers

'Jesse Bailey Abercarn' lamp post	'Jesse Bailey Abercarn' lamp post	'BIW' from Blaina Ironworks	'Brymbo 1861' at Bridgnorth
Cefn Ila Gatepost	Cefn Ila cast-iron stove	'J & D Davies Rock Foundry'	'DLPR' Commemorative marker
'D Evans Eagle Foundry Llandaff 1913'	Gilwern Station gatepost	'Isca Foundry Co Newport Mon'	'Pontnewynydd Dolphin Galvanised ??'
'TFWB' pipeline marker	'TFWB' pipeline marker	'V&PRDC W Lewis & Co Merthyr'	'White & Co Pontymister'

The UK and Everywhere Else

Builders Plates

'Joseph Adamson & Co Ltd'	'Brown Marshalls & Co Builder'	'Griffin Foundry Co Makers Birmingham'
'Horsehay Co Ltd Shropshire 1914'	'The Horsehay Co Ld 1925'	Horsehay Co plate at Trehafod
Horsehay Co plate at Trehafod	'Lysaght Ld Engineers Bristol'	'J Mowle & Co Chester 1863'
'Ransomes & Rapier'	'Stothert & Pitt Engineers'	'James Watt & Co'

Manhole Covers

'Adams Ltd York'	'Adams Patent York & London'	'G W Allen & Son Makers Stroud'	'W T Burden Ltd Birmingham'
'Charlton Sheffield'	'J W Cunningham & Co 196 Blackfriars Road SE'	'W E Farrer Ltd Birmingham'	'William E Farrer Ltd London & Birmingham'
'Glenfield & Kennedy Limited FH BRDC Kilmarnock'	'GWR sewer'	'Ham Baker & Co Westminster'	'Ham Baker & Co Ltd Keymac WVS Westminster SW'
'Hayward Bros Union Street Borough'	'Hepworth Ductile 35 Kn'	'Herbert & Young Cinderford Glos'	'Herbert & Young CRDC Meter Coleford Glos'
'Hillman & Son Ironfounders Weston-S-Mare'	'J C Hulse & Co Ltd Telford Salop'	'G H Laud & Sons'	'Stanton and Staveley 600 Circular'
'J Stone & Co Ltd Deptford'	Unidentified manhole with wooden blocks

Some manhole covers from New Zealand

'A F Martin Ltd Palm Nth'	'Dispatch Garlick Greymouth'	Fisher Petone'	'Humes'
'Hynds'	'J Murphy Levin Ltd'	'LHCC Martins PN'	'Martins Palm Nth'
'Nelson Foundry'	'W C C'	'W C C Martins PN'	'W C C Sewer Martins Foundry 1998'

And a couple from Taiwan and Hong Kong

Alishan Forest, Taiwan

Tainan decorative cover, Taiwan

'HK DSD' and 'Ming Lee DC/95/08'

'PWDHK' and 'Ming Lee 26/HO/83'

Stop Cocks, Valves and Hydrants

'BRDC SV'	'BWW' Bath Water Works	'Guest Chrimes Rotherham'	'Ham Baker & Co Ltd'
'Ham Baker & Co Ltd Westminster'	'Ham Baker & Co Ltd Patent NCW Westminster'	'Herbert & Young NSMWB Meter Coleford Glos'	'NDWB', North Devon Water Board
'Monitoring Well www.StuartWells.co.uk'	'SCWW', Sheffield Corporation Water Works	'STW Water', Severn Trent Water	'STWA Water', Severn Trent Water Authority
'Thames Water'	J Tylor 'Waste Not' Valve Box	'W Visick & Sons Meter Devoran'	'Willey NDWB Meter London Exeter'

Drain Covers and Gratings

'Cinderford Teague & Chew Ltd'	'Dudley & Dowell Ltd Bradley Heath Staffs'	'Herbert & Young Cinderford Glos'	'Herbert & Young Cinderford Glos'
'Mather & Smith Ltd Ashford Kent'	'Willey & Co Ltd Exeter'	'Wilson & Co Engineers Frome'

Railway, Canal and Road Signs

Cork and Bandon Railway sign	'Greenwood & Batley No 1445'	GS & WR notice board, Llanelly Hill
LNWR boundary post	LYR sign at Abertwsswg	'Roads Act 1920' prohibited notice

Other Ironmongery, particularly with names and makers

'Acramans Bristol', Limpley Stoke	'Alexandra Roller' at Cefn Ila	'Joseph J Armfield Ringwood'	'Cables' at Trinant, Monmouthshire
'Jeffery Blackstone Stamford No 3'	'G Lewis & Son Kettering'	'Otago Foundry 1875 Dunedin'	'Pillatt Stapleford Nottingham'
'R R & W Miles Leominster'	'D W Windsor Herts England'	'Winwood Bristol' at Paulton, Som
Gatepost at Gilwern Station	Gatepost at Cefn Ila	Cast-iron stove at Cefn Ila

Acknowledgments, sources and further reading.

Thanks for sharing their photos to :- Janet Allinson, Kirsty Crew, Andy Croft, Martyn Davies, John Gale, Mani Gurung, Diana Harris, Michiel2005, Risca Museum, Ian Suddaby, Robin Williams, Rossographer