Precious records preserved
With the recent decline in British manufacturing, documenting the history of this important industry has never been more important.
Warwickshire County Record Office has recently acquired engine books, specifications and photographs of the products made in Rugby by Willans and Robinson during the early twentieth century.
These significant archives are part of a collection that dates mainly from 1897 to the 1920s and includes minutes of meetings, contact agreements and even a letter book from Mark Robinson himself. This journal gives a fascinating insight into the life of a Director of an industrial company.
Willans and Robinson were builders of Central Valve Engines, the forerunners of steam turbines. The company, which started in Thames Ditton, moved to Rugby in 1897 to a new greenfield site on Newbold Road, chosen for its proximity to the railway and because there was plenty of labour in the area. The factory was taken over by English Electric in 1919-20 and now forms part of the Alstom Group.
Mark Booth, Senior Archivist for Warwickshire County Council said: “This is an exciting collection documenting the activities of an important engineering company in the county. We hope to start cataloguing the collection soon, but researchers wishing to consult items should write to or e-mail the record office before visiting.”
Warwickshire County Record Office collects, preserves and makes available records charting over 900 years of Warwickshire’s documentary past. The collections cover all aspects of life and work in Warwickshire.
Visitors are welcome at the record office, Tues-Thurs, 9am-5.30pm, Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 9am-12.30pm. No appointments are necessary, but ID is required to obtain a free readers’ ticket.
The collection has not yet been catalogued but it has been given a unique reference number, CR4031.