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H A R R I S O N C A S T I N G S LT D
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Harrison Castings Limited Gough Road, Leicester LE5 4AP, UK Telephone: +44 (0) 116 276 9351 Fax: +44 (0) 116 246 0199 Email: contacts@harrisoncastings.com Web: www.harrisoncastings.com
Produced by Hargrave Design This edition printed in March 2011 Š Harrison Castings 2011
Inside back cover photography by Rosie Harrison
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HARRISON CASTINGS
B A S E D I N L E I C E S T E R F O R 1 0 0 Y E A R S , H A R R I S O N C A S T I N G S LT D I S N O W T H E L A R G E S T A N D M O S T T E C H N I C A L LY A D VA N C E D A LU M I N I U M S A N D F O U N D RY I N T H E U K .
To celebrate our centenary we have produced this photographic record of the company’s earliest beginnings up to the present day. This record not only represents the history of Harrison Castings but also gives an insight into foundry life over three generations of family ownership.
Robert Charles Harrison. Founder of R.C. Harrison & Sons Ltd. 1874 - 1949
Its founder Robert Charles Harrison, who had already worked for 20 years from the age of 17 with iron founders S Russell & Sons, set up his own small foundry in the stables behind his home in the village of Keyham in 1911. Today the foundry employs 120 personnel and produces over 1,500 tons of aluminium sand castings per annum for national and international markets.
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Articles of indenture dated 1891
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1911 - 2011
Robert Charles Harrison (founder of R.C. Harrison & Sons Ltd) was born in 1874 in Leicester. At the age of 17 he was apprenticed to S. Russell & Sons (Iron Founders) of Leicester.
Staff at S Russell & Sons Leicester 1891 Robert Charles Harrison, aged 17, front row third from right
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In 1911 he left S Russell & Sons and established his own foundry in a stable at the rear of his home, The White House, Keyham in Leicestershire.
First employees of Robert Charles Harrison’s foundry in Keyham 1923. L-R: Tom Smith, Clarrie Timson, Tom Buswell. Seated: Bert Sanderson, Len Perkins, Les Newcombe
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1911 - 2011
The Harrison children in a pump liner casting 1919
Clarrie Timson at work in the foundry
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In 1919 Robert Harrison purchased some derelict property in Causeway Lane, Leicester, and established another foundry. In 1930 the foundry in Keyham was run by Robert Harrison and the one in Causeway Lane by Rowles Harrison, both sons of the founder. The company’s earliest customers included Gimson of Leicester, J. M. Smith (Coppersmiths), Dryad, and Worthington SImpson.
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In 1939 the Keyham foundry was closed and the Causeway Lane foundry was compulsorily purchased by the Leicester City Council. The proceeds from the sale enabled a new foundry to be built in Gough Road. Soon after, the company was incorporated and became known as R. C. Harrison & Sons Ltd.
The new foundry of R.C. Harrison & Sons, Gough Road, Leicester 1939
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1911 - 2011
Employees at the Gough Road foundry in 1940. George Kirby, Jack Platt, Cliff Holmes, Johnny Williams and Charlie Latham
The same employees received their 25-year long service awards in 1965
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Rowles Harrison
Aluminium alloy compressor castings, used on the first jet engine to fly, designed by Frank Whittle
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1911 - 2011
Compressor casings cast in 1941 for Frank Whittle’s company, Power Jets Ltd. The Gloster-Whittle E28/39 became the first turbojet powered aircraft to fly successfully.
A model of the first jet engine to fly, made at the Gough Road foundry. Now in South Kensington Science Museum
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Aluminium castings produced in the Gough Road foundry during the 1940’s and 1950’s.
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L-R Bill Randall & Charlie Latham, producing a sand mould for an aluminium beam casting
15ft long aluminium beam castings made for Wadkin Ltd, Leicester
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In 1949 Robert Charles Harrison died, and his sons Rowles and Robert became Joint Managing Directors. Post war expansion brought further growth for the company. Customers during this period included Wadkin, Jones & Shipman, Adcock & Shipley, Stibbe and British United Shoe Machinery.
J R Harrison, Managing Director 1949 - 1979
E R Harrison, Managing Director 1949 - 1976
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One of the largest aluminium castings ever to be made was cast at the Gough Road foundry in 1953.
15ft diameter, 4 tonne aluminium wheel made for Dunlop of Leicester
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Bronze Cross (10ft high) and candlesticks (7ft high) commissioned for St Paul’s Cathedral, London in 1958
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1911 - 2011
The Gough Road foundry in the 1950’s.
Members of the Institute of British Foundrymen visit the foundry in the 1950’s. L-R, from man in white smock: George Turner, Rowles Harrison, Robert Harrison, Frank Large, Tony Sharp
Works outing to Skegness in the 1950’s. L-R Rowles Harrison, Winifred Alsopp, office manager
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Castings produced at the Gough Road foundry during the 1960’s.
L-R Horace Gwinnett and Robert E Harrison
The training school was established in 1965 for foundry apprentices
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1911 - 2011
Aluminium casting for GEC turbines
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Jack Platt casting mould
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The foundry during the 1970’s.
Electric furnace installed in 1977
Santoch Singh and Tadeusz ‘Skud’ Szkudlapski casting bronze
Robert and David Harrison, sons of Rowles Harrison, appointed joint Managing Directors in 1979
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The foundry during the 1980’s. In 1988 the company became jointly owned by Robert & Peter Harrison, grandsons of the founder. Board of Directors, 1986. L-R Peter Harrison, Terry Lock, Robert Harrison, Rowles Harrison, David Harrison, Tony Sharp and Brian Harrison
75 year anniversary stand at the NEC in 1986
New diecast foundry. Brian Harrison is pictured centre in white coat
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1911 - 2011
Peter Harrison, joint Managing Director
Robert Harrison, joint Managing Director
Non-ferrous metal merchanting division
Mike Cole and Robert Harrison discuss the manufacture of castings for the Rolls Royce Warrior fighting vehicle
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During the early 1990’s and into the new millennium the foundry moved away from traditional green-sand moulding and introduced resin-bonded sands. During this time the whole foundry was re-equipped and modernised. In 1994 the company changed its name to Harrison Castings Ltd.
New fettling shop, 1994
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1911 - 2011
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Despatch Warehouse
Gas turbine turbocharger casting weighing 105kgs
Fettling Shop
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With the demise of the machine tool and knitting machine industry in Leicester, the company established new markets in the large diesel engine, power generation and medical sectors.
Diesel engine oil filter housing weighing 74kgs
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Angola - Cummins QSK60 1 engine
Varian Medical body scanner
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Clients world-wide have benefitted from the company’s expertise. The following photographs illustrate some current products incorporating castings produced by the company.
KMG PC5500w 2 x K1500E mining shovel, Yakutiya, Russia, powered with Cummins engine
Chuquicamata Mine, Chile
Cummins engines manufactured in Daventry
SGT-400 Gas Turbine, Siemens, Lincoln
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Vessel propelled by one Cummins QSK60-M 2200hp engine
Komatsu 930E with a Cummins QSK78 3500HP engine
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BJ Services Gorilla Fracturing pump, powered by a Cummins QSK60 engine
Oil and Gas ESB application, Argentina. 5 x Cummins QSV91 and 5 turbines In parallel
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Photo imaging drum weighing 250kgs
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1911 - 2011
The company is now the largest aluminium sand foundry in the United Kingdom and currently employs some 120 personnel, producing over 1,500 tons of aluminium sand castings per annum.
Board of Directors 2011 Standing l-r: Martin Beach, Finance Director; Mick Jenny, Technical Director; Mike Cole, Managing Director Seated l-r: Peter Harrison, Joint Chairman; Robert Harrison, Joint Chairman
Thank you to all our employees, customers and suppliers past and present, for their support and dedication.
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We make the patterns.
We manage the foundry.
We sell the castings.
We make the cores.
We make the moulds.
We run the office.
We inspect the castings. We make the moulds.
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We fettle the castings.
We fix the machines.
We melt the metal.
We deliver the castings.
We do the lifting.
I clean up after everyone.
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