Murder in Lincoln Cathedral

Lincoln and its Cathedral have been the background for many strange and bloody events, but the one described here is probably one of the most tragic.

William de Bramfield was a subdean at Lincoln Cathedral, he would carry out the duties of a Dean in the Dean’s absence, and according to an unknown chronicler William was “a good and a just man”.

On 25th September 1205 William was kneeling in prayer in St Peter's Chapel on the south side of the lesser Transept in the Cathedral when he was attacked and killed by another subdean who was jealous of his position as one of the Dean’s favourites.

St Peter’s Chapel
The Location of the Murder

There are two stories about the fate of the murderer: one states that William’s servants cut down and hacked at the murderer and threw his body out of the Cathedral, the other states that the murderer was tied to the tail of a horse, dragged to Canwick Hill and there hanged. There was a gibbet near the top of Canwick Hill where criminals who committed their crimes in the City were hanged. The name of the murderer is not known.

King John arrived in Lincoln on the 3rd October 1205, he visited Lincoln Castle but it is not known whether he had any interest in the murder.

Lincoln Cathedral Close

The Cathedral Close was the wealthiest area of medieval Lincoln encouraging “cutpurses”, thieves and murderers to frequent the area at night preying on the people of the Close.

​Medieval Lincoln was divided into three districts: the City, the Bail and the Close*; each was a locally independent self-governing place. The Close is the area surrounding the Cathedral, housing the priests and officials of the Cathedral, together with their servants and those involved in the operation of the Cathedral and the Close. It is believed that the Close came into being at the time of the building of the Cathedral.

*Beaumont Fee was also a self-governing area outside the jurisdiction of the City.

The Dean and Chapter (under the instruction of Oliver, bishop of Lincoln) were granted licenses to crenellate the Close, “for their (the clergy) better safety from night attacks in passing from their houses to the said church”. The first licence was issued on 8th May 1285 for a 12-foot wall (the licence was repeated in 1316) the second was issued in 1318 to raise the wall and add turrets.  The licences required the gates to be open during the day

The Close Wall on Winnowsty Lane

The boundary wall of the Close was intact in 1722 with three of the four towers and is still standing in many places.

The first Lincoln houses to have numbers were in the Close, the “Number Houses”, built after the mid 18th century and somewhat modernised and altered since.

There are over 80 buildings in the Close, most of which are in the ownership of the Cathedral, many of the buildings are of Grade 1, 2 or 2* significance. These are some of the most important:

The main entrance to the Close was Exchequergate, all the gates were double, with a courtyard between the sets of gates, except for Pottergate and Greestone gate, where the incline precluded the use of two gates.

Bishop Alnwick's Tower, 
The Bishop's Palace.

The Bishop’s Palace, a grand medieval series of buildings largely destroyed by the Parliamentarians during the Civil War. Standing on the south side of the Cathedral it is a manifestation of the power and wealth of Lincoln’s medieval bishops.

The Chancellory, on Priorygate opposite the Cathedral, is easily recognised by the grand oriel window on the first floor, it is believed to be Lincoln’s oldest brick building.

The Choristers House, stands near to Priory Gate Arch. Built in 1661 it was converted into 3 residences in 1887

The Deanery, built by Dean, later Bishop, Gravesend in 1254. By the 19th century this building was in a poor state of repair and was replaced on the same site in the mid-1840s.

The Subdeanery stands to the south side of the Exchequer Gate. a medieval building, re-fronted in 1873 by J.L.Pearson.  A mosaic and hypocaust was discovered on the site in the 18th century.

Cantilupe Chantry stands opposite the south east door of the Cathedral.  Founded by Nicholas, Lord Cantilupe for a college of priests, to say mass for the souls of the founder and his relations at an altar.

The Vicars’ Court, the entrance is on Greestone Lane, above the stairs.  It was built as a ‘college’ for 20 Vicars Choral¹.  It was originally formed into a quadrangle but many of the other buildings have been removed, Thought to have been erected during the reign of Edward I, but much altered since.

The Vicars’ Stables or Tithe Barn stands below the Vicars’ Court and is a long two storey building built by Bishop Alnwick and John Breton in the 1440s.  Lately used for storage and as a dining hall for the former Girls’ High School on Lindum Road.

¹ In medieval times the most important people of the Cathedral were the Canons. often living elsewhere they appointed so-called ‘Vicars Choral’ to deputise for them 

Pottergate, the south gate of the Close.  The gate gets its name from the belief it was built on a Roman pottery.  Over the years it has become a traffic island, first on the west side to relieve traffic congestion in the late 19th century, in the 1930s because corporation buses were too high to pass under.

How Did Lincoln's Streets Get Their Names?

A selection of Lincoln's streets with a description of where their names came from. With the exception of "Historic Streets", this covers the period from about 1830 to 1930. Some of the streets have been lost, indicated with an asterisk (*)

Estate next to Hartsholme Park centred upon Bucknall Avenue
under construction, Boultham Moor, from the south-east, 1951.

Use Ctrl+F to search for street names

Click this link to view Lincoln on the 1912 Ordnance Survey map, zoom in and out using +/- at the top left of the screen

Commercial

​Bank Street, the Location of the first Lincoln savings bank., which opened in 1816.
​*Corporation Lane, Here was the Corporation brewhouse.  Located south side of Saltergate about 10 metres west of Bank Street.
*Napoleon Place, Location of the first Lincoln Co-operative Society store.
Tanners’ Lane, The lane of the tanners
*Witham Street, ​Fish Market opened here in 1850, to the west of Corporation Lane

Entertainment

​Bullring Terrace, Bull-baiting took place here until the early 19th century. Now Danes Terrace
​​Drury Lane, Home of Lincoln's first theatre 
The Park, Site of Besom Park (pleasure garden) 18th c

Historic Streets

​Baggeholme Road, Prev Baggeholme Lane. From medieval Beggarsholme, a market covering a large part of eastern Lincoln north of the river
Bailgate, name from the bailey of the castle. One of the oldest streets in Lincoln, roughly follows the route of the Roman Ermine Street.
Beaumont Fee, Prev Old Hungate. Beaumont Fee was a self-governing area of Lincoln until the 1830s​
Broadgate, Previously: Broad St. Built 15th/16th century to relieve crowded streets of Lincoln. Built on the Roman Ditch
​Butchery Street, ​Prev St Lawrence Lane. The Butchery was a market for butchers which stood where the Ye Olde Crown is. Now Clasketgate.
Clasketgate, Claxlet Gate (1326). Knights’ Templars were held in the Claxlet gatehouse that fronted onto Broadgate, awaiting trial after the dissolution of their order.
Cornhill, On site of St Johns Churchyard. Corn market here since 16th century.
Coultham Street, Existed since 1698 Coltham, a Lincolnshire Family
*Coultham Terrace, Coltham, a Lincolnshire Family
Croft Street, Built on St Hughs Croft. previously Croft Lane
Cross O' Cliff Hill, The Cross On the Hill, Cross was once at the top of the South Common where civic dignitaries would greet royal visitors before leading them into Lincoln.
Drapery, The, ​Where cloth was made, prev known as the Parmentaria, now ​St Martins Lane
East Bight, ​Probably dates back to Romans, prev Tom a Bit Lane, Tommabeck Lane
Friars Lane, ​Near site of Dominican priory.
​Grantham Street, Previously Grantham Lane and Brauncegate. The Grantham family's house was near or at the Cardinal's Hat
Guildhall Street, ​Previously Baxtergate (the street of the bakers), Newland Street
High Street, previously Briggate and Micklegate
​Hungate, ​"The street of the dogs (hounds)". It is thought hunting dogs were kennelled here
Long Leys Road, ​"Long strips of meadow"
​Lucy Tower Street, ​Previously Poor Alley. The name refers to the castle tower visible from the street
Michaelgate, ​Near St Michael on the Mount Church, prev medieval Parchemingate (The Parchment makers.) and later Fish Hill (the fish market was in the grounds of the old County Hospital)
Mint Lane, ​Mint Lane joined the High Street until renamed Mint Street and extended to Newland
​Mint Street, It is believed the Lincoln Mint was on this street
​Motherby Hill,​ Previously Motherby Footgate
​Nettleham Road, an ancient road known as Nettelhamgate in 12th/13th centuries
Newland, Land reclaimed c 14th century
Newport, ​Citizens dispossessed by the building of the castle were moved to this area in the 11th century. Roman Hermin or Ermine Street
​Pottergate, ​"The street of the potters", prior to the building of New Road (later Lindum Road), Pottergate led from Clasketgate
Rampart, The, ​​a raised causeway 9 feet above the surrounding marshy land from St Mary’s Street to Bargate, a bridge first built by the Romans to cross the low-lying marshland.

Rasen Lane, named after the family of that name, possibly the ancient Sextongate
Rosemary Lane, ​Previously Lime Lane and possibly Finkle Street

Silver Street, "The street of the Silversmiths", close to the supposed location of the medieval Lincoln mint.
Saltergate, ​"The street of the salters". Known as Saltergate in the 13th century
Stamp End, ​"The place by the weir or dam". Medieval road
​​Steep Hill, ​follows the route of Ermine Street, steepest part was previously Poultry Hill
Strait, ​"The narrow path or passage."
​St Leonards Lane, ​has existed since 14th C, St Leonard’s Church was on the site of the school
Tentercroft Street, A place where new cloth was tented (stretched)
Unity Square, Previously Pig Market and Jobbers Square
Water Lane, Previously Walkergate
Westgate, Previously St Paul’s Lane. St Paul’s Lane is now just the part that runs parallel with Bailgate
West Parade, Previously Clay Lane, Wong Lane
​Winnowsty Lane, Previously Wainewell St. 13th century, renamed Swine Sty Lane, early 19th c.  Winnowsty Lane once continued to Lindum Terrace (thought to be known as Wintergate) following the line of the lower part of Sewell Road, the rest of it has been lost due to quarrying. Wainwell Gate was part of Wragby Road as far as St Giles Avenue. The meaning of Winnowsty is "the path or Lane the leads to Wainwell". Wainwell means "Waggon Spring"

Pubs

​Anchor Street, Next to Anchor public house, previously the Blue Anchor p.h.
​Magpies Square, Magpies public house on north east side of Magpies bridge (now Thorngate bridge)
Shakespeare Street, Opposite the Shakespeare public house.
Swan Street, Previously White Swan Yard

Royal & Peerage

Alexandra Terrace,Princess Alexandra of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, married Edward, Prince of Wales in 1863.
Arthur Street, Prince Arthur, son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
*Baron Street, *Barton Street, Bentinck Street, *Clumber Street, ​*Duke Street, ​*Earl Street, Welbeck Street, Dukes of Portland - Bentinck family. Land previously owned by the Bentincks.
*Eleanor Street, *Eleanor Terrace, Queen Eleanor, first wife of Edward I, died at Harby in 1290. Her viscera were removed and placed in a tomb at Lincoln Cathedral. Her corpse was embalmed at St Katherine’s Priory.
Gaunt Street, John O' Gaunt's "Palace" was nearby

Local people

​Addison Drive, Dr Christopher Addison, the Minister of Health, formulated what became known as the Addison Act in 1919, to provide council housing.  St Giles was the first major housing estate in Lincoln.  He was born in Hogsthorpe in 1869.

Allison Road, (now Sewell Road) and Allison Street, John Allison, Lincoln merchant
Ashlin Grove, Peter Ashlin, evangelist.
Beevor Street, Elizabeth Beevor, wife of Rev C C Ellison
​Cannon Street, ​Bernard Cannon, Glue manufacturer and Mayor in 1880, Alderman. Lived in Lincoln for many years but born in Dublin.
​Carline Road, Richard Carline. Solicitor and Mayor 1847
Chaplin Street, Built on land owned by Henry Chaplin
​Charlesworth Street, Dr Edward Charlesworth, Lincoln Lunatic Asylum
Coulson Road, William Coulson, president of Lincoln Co-operative Society 1887 & 1892
​Curle Avenue, ​ Muriel Curle wife of Joseph Seward Ruston
Ellison Street, The family of canal and river lessees, and bankers. Lived at Boultham Hall

Dixon Street, Dixon Street named after my great x3 grandfather John Stanfield Dixon, maltster, corn merchant and St Botolphs mover-and-shaker, who lived round the corner at 76 High Street (still there with arched entranceway).  (Thank you Anonymous)
​*Fenton Place East & West, The Fenton family, James Fenton
Foster Street, ​William Foster, Miller & Engineer, the company he founded later designed and built the first operational military tank.
​Garmston Street, Elizabeth Garmston d.1798 left a sum of money for the poor or St Martin's parish.
Gibbeson Street, ​Richard Gibbeson, Mayor of Lincoln 1794
Gresham Street, ​William Gresham, Lincoln Sheriff, died 1857
​Hartley Street, George & Joseph Hartley, presidents of Lincoln Co-operative Society 1872 and 1878, houses built by Lincoln Co-operative Society.
​Hermit Street, ​Henry Chaplin's 1867 Derby winner, Chaplin stabled horses nearby
Hewson Road, William Hewson, president of Lincoln Co-operative Society 1897 & 1905
Hood Street, The Hood family of Nettleham Hall
Horton Street, a well-known Lincoln family of builders.
James Street, previously Vinegar Lane, renamed by Col James Bromhead who lived in Burgersh Chantry.
King Street, Named after William King, his house stood on the site of King Street in 1861.
​McInnes Street, Duncan McInnes, secretary of Lincoln Co-operative Society 1882-1903
​Melville Street, ​the Leslie-Melville family of Branston
Monson Street, Monson family of Burton by Lincoln
​Nelthorpe Street, ​Nelthorp family (no 'e' at the end of the surname)
Robey Street, Robert Robey of Robey & Co
Rudgard Lane, Lincoln Brewers and Maltsters, Corporation Aldermen.
Salthouse Lane, ​Samuel Salt, shoeing smith, "The house of the Salt family", not referring to the condiment.
​Scorer Street, William Scorer, architect and uncle to Hugh Segar "Sam" Scorer FRIBA FRSA.
​Sewells Road, ​Matthew Sewell, mayor of Lincoln in 1814, Previously Allison Road
​Sewells Walk, Matthew Sewell, mayor of Lincoln in 1814
Sibthorp Street, The Sibthorp family of Canwick
Tempest Street, The Tempest Family of Coleby.
Trollope Street, Arthur Trollope, Captain Commandant 1st Lincolnshire Volunteers, second cousin of Anthony Trollope, the novelist.
Winn Street, Thomas Winn, mayor 1830, d 1855
Wordsworth Street, Christopher Wordsworth, Bishop of Lincoln (1869-1885)

Military

*Beresford Street, William Beresford, Peninsular War General
Blenheim Road, Battle of Blenheim 1704
​Bunkers Hill, American Independence Battle of 1775 near Boston USA. The road was named long before the houses were built.
*Clinton Street, British general during American War of Independence
Colenso Terrace, Battle of the Second Boer War, Lincolnshire Regiment 1899
​Depot Street, a military depot nearby, was built in 1806 during the Napoleonic wars, contained 6000 arms and guarded by disabled men of the Royal Artillery. Later part of Dawbers brewery. Demolished early 20th C.
​*Hardinge Street, ​British General Napoleonic Wars
Jellicoe Avenue, Admiral of the Fleet John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, victor at the Battle of Jutland in WWI
​*Picton Street, British Lieutenant-General died at Battle of Waterloo
*Raglan Street, Lord Raglan, British Field Marshall at the Peninsular War, 100 Days War and Crimean War.

Miscellaneous

Boultham Avenue, Previously a private road to Boultham Hall
Cranwell Street, Cranwell House was nearby on High Street.
Freeschool Lane, ​Free School established at Greyfriars by Robert Monson in 1568. Road name dates from 1833
​Great Northern Terrace, Great Northern Railway. The land between Gt Northern Terrace and Pelham Street was previously owned by Francis Edmund Franklin
Lindum Road, ​Formerly New Road, was built in 1786, renamed by the Lighting and Paving Commissioners in 1831
​Lindum Terrace, ​Previously Hill Top Road, probably the medieval Wintergate
​Longdales Road, ​Long Dales is a very old name, the road is much more recent. 1872 a few houses built but most were built in the inter-war years
Mill Lane, ​Leading to Le Talls Mill on Princess Street
​Mill Road, Five of the nine Lincoln Edge windmills were sited here
Milman Road, Previously Love Lane
Monks Road, Previously Monks Lane
*Nix Row, Probably built by Edward Nix, Stonemason, lived at 21 Newport in 1851
St Catherine's Grove, Built by Lincoln Co-operative Society

Toronto Street, Built by William Priestley, Born in Lincoln and emigrated to Ontario, Canada in late 1870s, returned to Lincoln about 20 years later and bought land south of Monks Road, He built Portland House at the end of Toronto Street for him and his family. Also built Walmer Street.

Can you add to this list?

​

The Romans at Lincoln

When the Romans arrived in Britain in AD43 strong trading ties had existed almost since Julius Caesar's abortive invasion. Rather than seen as invaders, in many places the British tribes welcomed the Romans, as did the Corieltauvi at Lincoln. The capital city of the Corieltauvi was Leicester, it came under Roman rule in AD44 and in AD45 the Roman 9th Hispanic Legion marched northeast to Lincoln.

Newport Arch in 1793

The Legion had a strength of about 9,000 men who were not only soldiers but also had skills necessary for supporting an army on the move. Using these skills it is thought that they built a palisaded fort on what is now the South Common. The Witham Valley was, at that time, marsh and difficult to cross, this problem was solved by the building of a causeway nine feet above ground level, following roughly the line of Lincoln's present-day High Street.

In AD60 a fort was built on the crest of the hill on the north side of the valley and was known as Lindum. The position of this new fort gave the Romans a strategic advantage: they had an almost 180-degree view of the surrounding countryside from south-east to the north-west of the fort.

The 9th Legion (Hispana*) moved to York in AD71, the 2nd Legion occupied the fortress until about AD77.  and Lindum became a Colonia in AD80, a place for veteran soldiers retired after 25 years of service, they were given a plot of land on condition they gave military service whenever required.

Lindum was of a typical Roman town design, a rectangular plan and dissected by two main roads, east-west and Ermine Street, south-north, covering an area of about 17 hectares.  Bailgate roughly follows the line of Ermine Street but has been reshaped over the years by householders using the Roman road as the foundation for their properties.  

Eastgate curves south after passing the
remains of the Roman east gate, this
may have been re-aligned by the Normans
 to make access to the castle easier

Northern bastion of the Roman
east gate 

A Discovery on Lincoln High Street
200 years ago.

Lincoln was an important Roman town, the Foss Way and Ermine Street met south of the town.  It was an agricultural centre the Foss Dyke was constructed between Lincoln and the River Trent at Torksey to send produce to other parts of Roman Britain.

Lindum Colonia was first surrounded by walls about 3 feet high and gates at the four points of the compass, but in the 3rd century the height of the walls was raised and substantial gates were built because of the threat of attack from the tribes of northern Europe and Scotland. Newport Arch is the only gate still existing, it was the north gate of the upper town. The west gate was buried beneath the Norman walls of the castle, and in 1836 it was re-discovered in near perfect condition but had to be reburied because the weight of the wall was causing the gate to collapse. Sadly, the east and south gates were destroyed during the late 18th century.

* The 9th legion gained the name Hispana after distinguished service in Spain

Lincoln's Proposed Funicular Railway

The idea of a form of transport to carry passengers up and down Lincoln's Steep Hill had been around since the early 1890s.  This was the idea of William Lilly, a surveyor and City Sheriff in 1908.

The plan was to build a terminus at the east end of St Martin's churchyard at the top of the High Street; it would have meant knocking down houses in the Drapery, courts and yards off St Martin's Lane, the worst slums in Lincoln.  The track would then enter a tunnel under Michaelgate and emerge at the upper terminus behind 2 Exchequergate.  

St Martin's Lane, the railway would have 
a tunnel about 200  feet from this point.

Steep Hill would be have been crossed underground near the former Harlequin Inn and the Norman House. Lilly bought houses that were in the line of the route or negotiated easements beneath buildings including the Precentory and the Norman House (then known as Aaron the Jews House). Lilly intended to hand the houses and the easements to the City Council without profit to himself once the project had been agreed. He said he was doing all this work for the good of the people of Lincoln and did not want to make a profit from building it or operating it. He proposed that fares would be 1/2d (about 1/4p).

The total length of the railway was planned to be 1,000 feet and it would rise 142 feet.

The Dean & Chapter at Lincoln Cathedral were consulted on the plans about 1900, they were in favour along with all the Cathedral dignitaries.  The Ecclesiastical Commissioners granted an easement under the Precentory garden for 999 years at £1 per year. 

There was a new impetus to build the railway in 1908.  Three twenty-foot deep holes were dug to inspect the geology of the ground where the tunnel would pass beneath; at Birdcage Walk on Michaelgate, near the Harlequin and in the grounds of the Precentory.   Harley Hugh Dalrymple-Hay was an engineer working on the London Underground, he visited Lincoln to inspect the ground where the trial holes were dug, he descended the Birdcage Walk and Harlequin holes, he was satisfied that the land was stable for the digging of the tunnel.  

The upper terminus would have been
behind this building.

The train was to be propelled by electricity, like the recently electrified trams on the High Street.  There were alternative schemes proposed for the way the trains would operate, both using double tracks:

1. A funicular railway, using an electrically powered winding drum at the head of the track to pull a car up on a steel cable while releasing a second car to travel down on a second cable.
2. Using cars similar to the electric trams running on the High Street.

The Intended Route of the Railway

In November 1909 Lincoln City Council voted against the Steep Hill railway proposed by William Lilly, the council did not have the finances to complete the project, they were committed to spending £200,000 on improvements to the quality of water following the typhoid epidemic and £30,000 for new schools.

It was an ambitious plan, probably too ambitious.

Saltburn Funicular Railway

http://www.engineering-timelines.com/

Lincoln Companies - Clayton & Shuttleworth

Nathaniel Clayton and Joseph Shuttleworth, a shipwright, formed a partnership in 1842. 

Nathaniel Clayton was born in Lincoln in August 1811 to Nathaniel and Mary (nee Harrison) Clayton.  His father was the proprietor of a horse-drawn packet boat that plied the River Witham between Boston and Lincoln; he died in 1827 at the age of 56.  

Nathaniel, the younger, had begun an engineering apprenticeship with Butterley in Derbyshire, with the death of his father he returned to Lincoln to operate the packet boat for his mother.

Nathaniel married Hannah Shirtcliff at St Paul in the Bail in 1837. 

 He set up an iron foundry on land next to Shuttleworth and Godwin, boatbuilders.

Joseph Shuttleworth was born on 12th July 1819 at Dog Dyke, son of John Allenby and Rebecca (nee Newton) Shuttleworth.  John Shuttleworth was a boat builder.        

Joseph managed a boat-building company at Stamp End that was acquired by his father.

He married Sarah Grace Clayton, the sister of Nathaniel Clayton, in 1842.

Nathaniel Clayton and Joseph Shuttleworth formed a partnership to build steam engines in 1842

Using 1.5 acres of land on Waterside South, which was liable to flood, they set about raising the level of the land by carting in soil. They began with 12 men, 2 forges and a lathe.  During the early years of Company, Charles Seely and Thomas Keyworth were partners, helping fund the business.  Keyworth and Seely had a steam-powered flour mill near the Brayford.  Cornelius Emmison was a partner until 1847.

Clayton, Shuttleworth & Company built their first portable steam engine in 1845, and it was demonstrated at the Cornhill.  

The castle gaol was enlarged in 1845-6, Clayton & Shuttleworth were awarded the contract for ironwork worth £1,000.

Boston Waterworks, in 1847 awarded Clayton & Shuttleworth a contract for 12 miles of piping for carrying water to the town.

11 August 1848

In 1849, their first thrashing machine was built. They built steam engines for other manufacturers as well as for themselves. The number of people employed by the company expanded rapidly from 100 men in 1848 to 520 men and 80 boys in 1854, it was by this time the biggest manufacturer of portable steam engines in the world. Their thrashing machines were being sold throughout Europe, in 1857 they claimed that they had sold 2,400 thrashing machines.

The company exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851, at Crystal Palace, gaining several awards.

The Works in 1854

By 1854, when the Royal Agricultural Society of England show was held in Lincoln, the company employed 520 men and 80 boys.  In 1858 the company built it's first traction engine, also the first in Lincoln.

The Works in 1861

By 1862 the firm employed 940 men, 1871 1200 employees

Joseph Shuttleworth was taken ill at his home at Hartsholme Hall in January 1883, he died after a few days on 25th January.

Nathaniel Clayton died suddenly on 21st December 1890 during a communion service at St Peter at Arches church.

The firm became a limited company in 1901 and Alfred Shuttleworth, the son of Joseph Shuttleworth became chairman.  

1908

A subsidiary, Clayton Wagons Ltd, was formed in 1917 to produce railway wagons and steam lorries in a new factory, the Abbey Works. Clayton Wagons produced the Dewandre servo from 1926, and demand was so great that a new company was formed, Clayton Dewandre.

During World War I C & S built aircraft, including Sopwith Camels of which over 500 were made.

1927 Steam Engine & Thrasher

After World War I engineering companies found themselves with empty order books, Ruston, Proctor & Co Ltd and Richard Hornsby Ltd of Grantham took the wise decision to merge their businesses, Clayton & Shuttleworth struggled on for the next ten years selling off parts of the business to keep going.

Babcox & Wilcox bought the engineering part of Clayton & Shuttleworth Ltd in 1924.

The Titanic Works was sold to Clayton Dewandre Ltd in 1929. 

Clayton Wagons entered liquidation in October 1929 and the Abbey Works was eventually acquired by Smith’s Stamping Works of Coventry and renamed it Smith-Clayton Forge, which became a subsidiary of GKN in 1966

Marshall, Sons & Co of Gainsborough bought the goodwill, debts and spare parts.

1937 

Clayton Dewandre was acquired by American Standard Co in 1977.

See Also

Lincoln Companies  - Lincoln Gas, Light and Coke Co.

Lincoln Companies  - H Newsum & Sons Ltd

Lincoln Companies  - Henry Poppleton & Sons Ltd
Lincoln Companies  - W Rainforth & Sons

Lincoln Companies  - James Dawson & Son Ltd.

Lincoln Companies  - Penney & Porter Ltd

Lincoln's Industrial Revolution

Lincoln Companies - Penney & Porter Ltd

Penney & Porter Ltd was formed out of two companies after World War One;

Penney & Co of Lincoln were wireworkers who made principally screens for cleaning and grading corn, malt and other produce. John & William Penney started their business at 16 Broadgate in 1855, as general agricultural merchants.

John carried on with the business after William died in 1866. The company was renamed Penney & Co and carried on business as wireworkers, relocated at about this time to City Iron and Wire Works, 6 Broadgate.

John Penney died in 1871.  In the 1880s the workforce grew to over 120.

In the 1890s the firm expanded to 37 Waterside North as iron and steelworks.

Their range of products extended to wheelbarrows and garden furniture, but the screens were dominant into the twentieth century.

J T B Porter was an iron founder at Gowts Bridge Engineering Works, Gowts Bridge, Peel Street south of Little Gowts Drain and next to the Upper Witham, from 1855.  Peel Street was extended from no 4 to no 57 when the engineering works closed.

The firm specialised in installing gas works at country houses and became one of the largest gas installers in Great Britain installing around 600 units. Among the Houses where their systems were installed was Holkham Hall in Norfolk and Hartsholme Hall south-west of Lincoln. They also made structural and wrought ironwork, including for the roof of the Drill Hall in Broadgate and Montague Street Bridge.

Penney & Co and JTB Porter & Co merged about 1919 to create Penney & Porter (Engineers) Ltd.

In 1932 the company was still working from the Broadgate and Waterside North site of Penney & Co. Penney & Porter (Engineers) Ltd. was wound up in 1932 and a new company Penney & Porter (1932) Ltd was incorporated. ​By 1941 they were based at Riverside Works, Waterside South and listed in Lincoln Trades Directory as "mechanical, constructional, electrical & welding engineers, electric signs (neon), & corn screening & dressing machinery makers".

In 1955 Penney & Porter celebrated its 100th year in business, there was a celebration dinner, guests were entertained by an up and coming comedian and singer called Rolf Harris (I wonder what happened to him).  Recognise anyone in the image above?

Nicholson's Trentside Ironworks

In the early 1960s the company moved from their Waterside South factory to a new purpose-built factory on Outer Circle Road. Merged with Nicholsons of Newark in 1966 in an effort to save the struggling companies, the new umbrella company was named Penney Porter Nicholson.  Despite the merger redundancies in both companies continued.  

Some years before the merger Nicholsons sold the land surrounding their ironworks and leased it, the lease expired in 1968 and wasn't renewed by the owners, and all production was moved to Lincoln.  This was a major blow to both companies and all production ended the same year, all employees were redundant.

The history of two of the East Midlands oldest companies ended; Nicholson's in 1809 and Penney & Porter in 1855.

Do you have memories or other information about "Penneys" or Nicholsons of Newark?  Would love to hear them.

See Also:

Lincoln Companies - Lincoln Gas, Light and Coke Co.
Lincoln Companies - Clayton & Shuttleworth
Lincoln Companies - H Newsum & Sons Ltd
Lincoln Companies - Henry Poppleton & Sons Ltd
Lincoln Companies - W Rainforth & Sons
Lincoln Companies - James Dawson & Son Ltd.
Lincoln's Industrial Revolution