BYGONES
FROM CRADLE TO GREAT 1880-2018: A brief history of Palmers Scaffolding Company By Colin Waters
P
almers Travelling Cradle and Scaffold Company was established in 1880 by Edwin J. Palmer who was a former Navy ship’s captain and Master Mariner. He used his vast knowledge of ropes, pulleys and rigging to develop a manually operated cradle that could be used to access the sides of any building and later went on to develop the improved traversing or travelling cradle, The cradle first used a cable system, but later improvements were made and
an innovative monorail track was employed. An advertisement in the 1904 annual edition of ‘Academy Architecture & Review’ edited by the architect Alexander Koch, revealed that Palmer’s Scaffold and Cradles were being used both by London County Council as well as the Guildhall and many municipal authorities. The following year they were also advertising their ‘patent ladder scaffold’ as being ideal for construction work
inside churches and halls. By now they were official contractors to His Majesty’s Office of works and had begun the preservation and treatment of decayed stonework. Daniel Palmer Jones and his brother David Henry Jones in effect revolutionised scaffolding and instituted many of the processes, standards and industry practices that are still used today. Daniel in particular who is widely considered as the ‘Grandfather of Scaffolding, invented his patented
52 | Spring 2018
ScaffMag.com
