Clarke Chapman is a British engineering firm based in
Gateshead, which was formerly listed on the
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange based in London, England. the total market value of all companies trading on the LSE stood at US$3.42 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Paul's Cath ...
.
History
The company was founded in 1864 in
Gateshead by
William Clarke (1831–1890).
In 1865 Clarke took in a partner, Abel Chapman,
and the two of them developed the business into one of the largest manufacturers of cranes and other mechanical handling equipment in the world. In 1870 two further partners joined the firm, Joseph Watson and Joseph Gurney. The firm became known as Clarke, Chapman and Gurney. Joseph Gurney retired from the firm in 1882. The firm subsequently formed a partnership with John Furneaux and Charles Parsons, and became known as Clarke, Chapman, Parsons, and Company. Parsons left the firm in 1889.
By 1907 the firm manufactured an extensive range of ship's auxiliary machinery, mining plant, water tube boilers, and pumps. Clarke Chapman became the main supplier of auxiliary equipment to the British shipbuilding industry before the First World War.
James Woodeson became chairman in 1949 and remained in that role for the next 28 years.
In 1969 Clarke Chapman acquired
Sir William Arrol & Co., a leading bridge-builder.
In 1970 Clarke Chapman acquired
John Thompson, a leading boiler making business based in
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands of England. Located around 12 miles (20 km) north of Birmingham, it forms the northwestern part of the West Midlands conurbation, with the towns of ...
.
In 1974 Clarke Chapman acquired the
UK interests of
International Combustion, a diverse group of heavy engineering businesses.
The company merged with
Reyrolle Parsons in 1977 to form
Northern Engineering Industries plc
[NZR Cranes](_blank)
which itself was acquired by
Rolls-Royce plc in 1989.
The business continues today as part of Langley Holdings Limited which acquired it from
Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to:
* Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct
Automobiles
* Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...
in 2000.
Ships using Clarke Chapman mechanical handling equipment include the
RFA ''Wave Knight'' and the
RFA ''Wave Ruler'' completed in 2000 and 2001 respectively.
Operations
The company trades under the names of Cowans Sheldon (railway cranes), RB Cranes (construction cranes),
Stothert & Pitt (port cranes) and Wellman Booth (steel plant cranes).
See also
*
C.A. Parsons and Company
*
A. Reyrolle & Company
References
External links
Official sitePartial list of the firm's early product literature*
*
{{Electricity generation in North East England
Boilers
Companies based in Tyne and Wear
British companies established in 1864
Engineering companies of the United Kingdom
1864 establishments in England
Manufacturing companies established in 1864