Vulcan Iron Works

[suttontrust]

A friend insists that her grandfather owned the Vulcan iron Works in Hull, but I can find no evidence for this.  He was William Henry Smith, b.1863, and in 1901 he was still in Doncaster.  In the directories of the 1890s the iron works were in Wincolmlee and Scott Street, and were owned by Tindall and later, at the start of the 20th century, were owned by Tindall, Earle and Hutchinson.  I know I need to do more work in the local studies library and the record office, but that's not easy at the moment and I wondered if anyone had any knowledge of the company.

[oly]

Hello sutontrust,

Perhaps it was the Sheffield Vulcan Works, is it worth a look in the Whites Sheffield Directories

A Vulcan made of stainless steel now sits on a roundabout in the Tinsley Park Area near where one of the Vulcan works was situated.

http://www.historicaldirectories.org/   has a good online search facility.

Regards Oly

[suttontrust]

Hi, Oly.  It was definitely Hull.  We know where it was, and perhaps Smith worked there rather than owning the firm.

[Wincolmlee]

Hi Suttontrust,
It was definately in Hull- corner Scott Street and Catherine Street (near Wincolmlee).
See link below for pictures taken by myself in the mid-80's.  I have a copy of a 19th Century engraving of what is obviously the same building but labelled as the "Vulcan Iron Works".  I'll dig out and post.

http://sculcoates.mysite.orange.co.uk

(see "Around Scott Street" and "Further Views")

Wincolmlee

[Wincolmlee]

Engraving of Vulcan Iron Works attached (unfortunately in negative due to scanner difficulties).  The view shown is the Scott Street frontage.

[suttontrust]

That's terrific, many thanks.

[Rena]

You might have already found this information, which shows the owners of the building, but in case you haven't I've pasted a web page url below which is on the Hull Museum website and shows this:

Location on Display:
    Streetlife Museum - Streetscene
Accession No:
    KINCM:2006.14841.9
Brief Description:
    Wrought Iron lamp post on an large iron box base, with a hinged door on both sides and 'H Smith & Co, Electrical Engineers, Vulcan Iron Works, Hull' on a plaque, with small arms near top, six sided lamp with decorative top and finial


http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/museumcollections/collections/search-results/display.php?irn=63305&SearchSubmit_x=1&accessionnumber=&keywords=on&keywordsorig=&placeorig=&titleorig=&ImagesOnly=yes&Sender=List&Page=181

[suttontrust]

Thanks so much.  If it was the same Smith (and that may be a big "if") then my friend was right.

[Rena]

The A2A manorial website shows that the Vulcan Iron Works was divided into lots for sale in 1904.
Maybe he bought one lot?  Hull history centre has the records:-

Plan of the Vulcan Iron Works, Wincomlee, in lots for sale  DBR/1785  1904>>

For interest:  <<Vulcan Iron Works was the name of several iron foundries in England during the Industrial Revolution. Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and smithery, was a popular namesake for these foundries.>>