Steelway Article E & S 30.12.10 Carl Chinn Page 1
1
Express & Star, Thursday December 30, 2010 22 M ORE than a year ago, Black Country Memo- ries highlighted the history of the long-established and important Wolverhampton firm of Steelway on the Bilston Road. This pioneering company manu- factured the UK’s first pedestrian safety barriers, which were in- stalled in July 1934 at the busy junction of Princes Square in the town. After an accident there involving a boy, council officials had sought a means of protection to stop pedestri- ans walking off a blind corner into the path of motorists. They approached Steelway, which then designed the safety barriers in consultation with Edwin Tilley, the chief constable, and Mr H B Robin- son, the borough engineer and sur- veyor. The barriers were a resounding success and quickly the company gained national attention for its pio- neering product. On March 19, 1935 Mr Hore-Bel- isha, the Minister of Transport whose name is recalled in the Belisha bea- con, inaugurated London’s first pedestrian safety barriers at Britan- nia Crossing, Camden. They were also supplied by Steelway. After this launch, a second installa- tion was carried out three days later on March 22, 1935, at Whitechapel Crossing for the Metropolitan Bor- ough of Stepney. This was a remarkable achieve- ment for a relatively new business which had only been founded in 1928 at the Queensgate Works site in Wolverhampton by C W. Goodyear. Innovative Three years later it had merged with F Hammond & Co, a noted man- ufacturer of handrail standards – and now it was hitting the national head- lines. It continued to do so. In 1937 the innovative Wolver- hampton company manufactured the sockets and detachable uprights to form crowd control barriers for the coronation of King George VI. After the event a letter of appreciation was received by Steelway from New Scot- land Yard. It read: “Now that the coronation is a mat- ter of history, I should like to express my thanks to your firm for the effi- cient way in which you met the de- mand for barrier material. “As you know the barriers were of unusual design, which required spe- cial attention by you in manufacture. They proved most satisfactory, and I have not had any complaints regard- ing them. This is a matter of satisfac- tion to all concerned.” Some of the parts were used again for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. A pioneering enterprise in indus- trial metalwork access, Steelway be- came well known and highly regarded for its flooring, ladders, stairs, handrails, guardrails, and platforms. It continues to be held in esteem for The Carl Chinn page Black Country Memories Dr Carl Chinn Jack’s long a firm that Right, one of the Bennett Clark photos of Princes Square, Wolverhamp- ton, in about 1934 showing the UK’s first ever pedestrian safety barriers which the com- pany supplied free of charge to Wolverhamp- ton Council as part of an ex- periment. This is the photo that stirred Shirley into writing in about her father. Left, one of the Steelway dinners, per- haps the 1953 welcoming party for Fred Willetts, who had just bought the company. John Carrier is the chap with the glasses on, sit- ting at the left-hand table, second from the left. Jack was in the Home Guard during the Second World War because, as Shirley explains, “he was in an essen- tial war-time occupation”. She thinks his unit was based at Dunstall Race Course and recalls that “he talked about a look-out post for enemy aircraft. I was born in 1939 and my very first memory is of sleeping in an indoor shelter on the floor of our front room. We lived at 140 Bushbury Lane until it was demolished in the 1970s, when my parents moved to Pendeford (to be near me). I remember him polishing the buttons on his uniform using a special guard which fitted round the buttons to stop the polish going on the uniform.”
-
Upload
steelway-fensecure-ltd -
Category
Documents
-
view
175 -
download
0
description
Article on Steelway by Prof. Carl Chinn - Express and Star page 1 of 2
Transcript of Steelway Article E & S 30.12.10 Carl Chinn Page 1
Express & Star, Thursday December 30, 201022
MORE than a year ago,Black Country Memo-ries highlighted the
history of the long-establishedand important Wolverhamptonfirm of Steelway on the BilstonRoad.
This pioneering company manu-factured the UK’s first pedestriansafety barriers, which were in-stalled in July 1934 at the busyjunction of Princes Square in thetown.
After an accident there involving aboy, council officials had sought ameans of protection to stop pedestri-ans walking off a blind corner intothe path of motorists.
They approached Steelway, whichthen designed the safety barriers inconsultation with Edwin Tilley, thechief constable, and Mr H B Robin-son, the borough engineer and sur-veyor.
The barriers were a resoundingsuccess and quickly the companygained national attention for its pio-neering product.
On March 19, 1935 Mr Hore-Bel-isha, the Minister of Transport whosename is recalled in the Belisha bea-con, inaugurated London’s firstpedestrian safety barriers at Britan-nia Crossing, Camden. They werealso supplied by Steelway.
After this launch, a second installa-tion was carried out three days lateron March 22, 1935, at WhitechapelCrossing for the Metropolitan Bor-ough of Stepney.
This was a remarkable achieve-ment for a relatively new businesswhich had only been founded in 1928at the Queensgate Works site inWolverhampton by C W. Goodyear.
InnovativeThree years later it had merged
with F Hammond & Co, a noted man-ufacturer of handrail standards – andnow it was hitting the national head-lines. It continued to do so.
In 1937 the innovative Wolver-hampton company manufactured thesockets and detachable uprights toform crowd control barriers for thecoronation of King George VI. Afterthe event a letter of appreciation was
received by Steelway from New Scot-land Yard. It read:
“Now that the coronation is a mat-ter of history, I should like to expressmy thanks to your firm for the effi-cient way in which you met the de-mand for barrier material.
“As you know the barriers were ofunusual design, which required spe-cial attention by you in manufacture.They proved most satisfactory, and Ihave not had any complaints regard-ing them. This is a matter of satisfac-tion to all concerned.”
Some of the parts were used againfor the coronation of Queen ElizabethII in 1953.
A pioneering enterprise in indus-trial metalwork access, Steelway be-came well known and highly regardedfor its flooring, ladders, stairs,handrails, guardrails, and platforms.It continues to be held in esteem for
The Carl Chinn page
Black CountryMemoriesDr Carl Chinn
Jack’s longa firm that
Right, one ofthe Bennett
Clark photos ofPrinces Square,
Wolverhamp-ton, in about1934 showingthe UK’s first
ever pedestriansafety barrierswhich the com-
pany suppliedfree of charge
to Wolverhamp-ton Council aspart of an ex-
periment. Thisis the photothat stirredShirley into
writing inabout her
father.
Left, one ofthe Steelwaydinners, per-haps the 1953welcomingparty for FredWilletts, whohad justbought thecompany.John Carrieris the chapwith theglasses on, sit-ting at theleft-handtable, secondfrom the left.
Jack was in the Home Guard during the Second WorldWar because, as Shirley explains, “he was in an essen-tial war-time occupation”. She thinks his unit wasbased at Dunstall Race Course and recalls that “hetalked about a look-out post for enemy aircraft. I wasborn in 1939 and my very first memory is of sleeping
in an indoor shelter on the floor of our front room. Welived at 140 Bushbury Lane until it was demolished inthe 1970s, when my parents moved to Pendeford (tobe near me). I remember him polishing the buttons onhis uniform using a special guard which fitted roundthe buttons to stop the polish going on the uniform.”
