varleys foundry atlas st pocket nook

[bob charriott]

any body help me me with info on

 

varleys foundry atlas st,pocket nook.

 

when it opened

who owned it

how many employees

what products it made

for which company's

when did close

why

where are they know

 

tall ask ,but if anyone has any info ,would be glad to here it .

 

bob

[Griffin]

When I worked at British Gas at Pocket Nook, one of my regular calls was at Varley's Foundry which was only a few yards away across Pocket Nook Street, at the end of Atlas Street. I was never entirely sure what sort of work they did, but it was clear that they operated on a much smaller scale then (1980s) than they had at one time. They occupied a huge site, which had its own landing stage on the canal, but by the time I'm talking about, most of their site appeared to be disused. Some buildings may even have gone. There was a large yard grown with grass and weeds, and enclosed by high brick walls. They had one large workshop and offices, very old-fashioned and neglected. There was still a furnace, because the fumes could be seen coming out sometimes. I've just had a look at a Guide and Industrial Handbook from the 1960s, but they are not mentioned in it. I understand the premises have now gone as part of a road-widening programme. I've just noticed that, in the other thread, Daveshome states that the foundry closed in the 1960s. It may have scaled down then, but it was certainly operating until the late eighties.

[Le200]

You might find some useful bits of info in the links below.

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=VoDuVD90N..y93iY#PPA364,M1

 

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h..l%3Den%26sa%3DN

[bob charriott]

When I worked at British Gas at Pocket Nook, one of my regular calls was at Varley's Foundry which was only a few yards away across Pocket Nook Street, at the end of Atlas Street. I was never entirely sure what sort of work they did, but it was clear that they operated on a much smaller scale then (1980s) than they had at one time. They occupied a huge site, which had its own landing stage on the canal, but by the time I'm talking about, most of their site appeared to be disused. Some buildings may even have gone. There was a large yard grown with grass and weeds, and enclosed by high brick walls. They had one large workshop and offices, very old-fashioned and neglected. There was still a furnace, because the fumes could be seen coming out sometimes. I've just had a look at a Guide and Industrial Handbook from the 1960s, but they are not mentioned in it. I understand the premises have now gone as part of a road-widening programme. I've just noticed that, in the other thread, Daveshome states that the foundry closed in the 1960s. It may have scaled down then, but it was certainly operating until the late eighties.

cheers for that ,dont supose if you knw what name it was trading under in the 80 s

 

bob

[Griffin]

Bob, to the best of my recollection, the name on my documents was John Varley (Ironfounders) Ltd. My dealings were with the office, so I never actually ventured into the casting hall, or I might have a better idea what sort of work they did. If I get down that way, I'll take a look to see if any trace of the works survives, maybe where it adjoined the canal.

[kes]

Nothing there now griff, it has been detoxified to get shut of the heavy metals in the soil.

[bob charriott]

You might find some useful bits of info in the links below.

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=VoDuVD90N..y93iY#PPA364,M1

 

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h..l%3Den%26sa%3DN

 

cheers pal already had a look at those

[Griffin]

Bob, I just had a look at the site on Google Earth, which shows the layout quite well in relation to the canal. I think it's a couple of years out of date, though. I'm guessing it looks different now.

[Skadi]

I vaguely remember my Grandad telling me a story about some bloke who worked there and something about a man getting caught in machinery, and thus was supposedly haunted? As I say, I only vaguely remember, but I recall something about a man being shouted at by 'something' saying he was working the machinery wrong? I'll have to ask him to refresh my memory.

[Dave D]

As a youngster brought up in Pocketnook from what I recall they made castings for manhole covers and the old fashioned grid covers. John Varley also used to own The Mansion House at Haresfinch we used to go over the orchards for apples and pears which this pulled down in the sixties and turned into Haresfinch Park

[tash]

As a youngster brought up in Pocketnook from what I recall they made castings for manhole covers and the old fashioned grid covers. John Varley also used to own The Mansion House at Haresfinch we used to go over the orchards for apples and pears which this pulled down in the sixties and turned into Haresfinch Park

the lighting colums and railings at albert dock have "j varley st helens cast on them

[Le200]

The excavators have been at Varleys for the last few weeks demolishing the last remaining wall by the canal, something about to be built there I suspect.

 

[blonde15]

i have read somewhere that a foundry at st helens made the metal works on the Titanic and also the bridges over the river liffey in Dublin. don't know if it was Varleys or another foundry that comes from St Helens

[brunty]

i think they made the bell for the titanic dont know about anything else..

[Griffin]

i have read somewhere that a foundry at st helens made the metal works on the Titanic and also the bridges over the river liffey in Dublin.

There are a great many bridges over the Liffey, some famous and some fairly obscure. The best-known cast-iron one is the Ha'penny Bridge, which a number of people have told me was cast in St. Helens. Since the destruction of Nelson's Pillar in 1966, this bridge has become the most instantly recognisable landmark in the city. Next time I'm back there, I'll try and find a maker's name on it, but I doubt if it was made here. One bridge which definitely does come from St. Helens is quite some distance (and a number of bridges) to the west of the Ha'penny Bridge. It's now called Rory O'More Bridge, but was originally called the Victoria Bridge when it was installed in 1860. It was cast in the foundry of Robert Daglish, which was somewhere near the World of Glass on the canal. Here's a picture of it.

 

[Dion]

Didn't they make the portholes for the Titanic?

[JFM]

I started working at Varleys in 1964 as an apprentice sand moulder. It was pretty busy then with a pattern shop where quite a few highly skilled carpenters made wooden patterns that the moulders used to form the casting moulds ready for pouring the moulten iron. (For a 15 year old stright from school the casting shop was a pretty frightening place to be)

I only stuck it for about 18 months before I decided it was not for me for the next 50 years or so.

Remember it had a cracking canteen and great lads

Also at that time St Helens college ran a course for moulders which I attended in 1964-5 (Not bad for a glass town) The youth employment center was right near the college on Water St and in those times of plenty to change career was very easy. May be if the wage rates today where of the same propotion as they where then (Full pay for 44 hour week for a tradesman was about £16.00 with an apprentice getting about £3.00) youth unemployment would be much less.

[john b]

does anybody remember the unexploded bomb that was pulled out of the canal near varleys in 1976.

[Nanny Ogg]

Not neceSarily SO, it's called a market economy. Happening everywhere, and especially with the internet where you can get the exact same thing delivered to your door, with warranty, for a lot less than buying it in town from some poor so-and-so who has to pay rent and advertise and have staff on hand all day. Changing world.

[bobbuc]

I was an apprenticed draughtsman at Varley's from 1944 to 1954.

The directors then were George Varley and William Varley.

They made Cast Iron nogs, mainly for Pilkintons for polishing glass along with other

Cast Iron items

Cheers Bob

[Houghwood Saint]

Hi, my dad Norman Collins has recently passed away.He started work at Varley's at the age of 14 in 1941.He lived near the top of Standish Street just near the factory.I'm assuming this is the same factory?He absolutely hated it, the work was very dangerous and undertaken in a hot,dirty and dusty environment.Later he moved to the BICC at Prescott and then worked for Royal London insurance.He eventually got into self employment started numerous successful ventures and found happiness.He had a tough upbringing though.We all loved him and will miss him tremendously!

[Graham]

Think part of it was used as a munitions factory in the war

[Alan P]

I spoke to Mr Varley about some casting I wanted making about 1985, but my job was too small. I did hear that they made some cannons that were used at the battle of Waterloo.

[Donkey O'Tay Esq.]

If you visit the Albert Dock in Liverpool take a moment to view the lamp posts along the sea front. They were all made at Varleys.

[jimmy c spark]

Blackpool southshore pleasure land those planes that people ride it the ones looking like rockets on chains i saw the cogs that drive it all stamped as made at varleys foudary st helens