To close the Matthew Murray Anniversary I thought it might be an idea to just do the Round Foundry and its history and I hope you can bear with me on this.
Matthew Murray – the father of Leeds Engineering – set up a factory for making engines at Mill Green, Holbeck, in 1795 but moved on 11 July 1796 to Water Lane as Fenton, Murray & Wood. Fenton provided the capital, Murray was the engineer and Wood was the mechanic with Lister as a sleeping partner. Although engines had been sold since 1796, it would seem that the erection of the Round Foundry in 1802 caused Boulton & Watt to purchase land to the east of this plant to stop further expansion.
The eastern part of the site seems to have been developed first in 1802, the boiler shops and model shop were built between 1815 and 1830 and the erecting shops across the ginnel after 1831 while the malt kiln is referred to in Boulton & Watt’s notes.
Later Jackson was to replace Wood in the partnership and in 1824. Lindley noted there were four engines in use, two of 10hp and two of 6hp in addition it was noted that Murray had supplied 77 engines totalling 1,493hp to local industries. Murray died in February 1826 aged 61 and after a drawn out struggle the firm closed in 1843.
The employees re-opened the foundry in 1844 but they were not successful. The flax mill was bought by the Leeds Industrial Co-operative Society in 1848 as a new flour mill. The plan is taken from a sales plan and the details from a sales notice in the Leeds Mercury of 4 November 1868. Large erecting shop 72ftx72ft; smith’s shop 32ftx22ft; boring mill 75ftx34ft; grinding and glazing house 58ftx12ft; turning and fitting room/carpenters shop 120ftx18ft; rolled machine shop 72ft in diameter, two boilers, boiler shops, brass foundry, smiths shop, model shop, gas works with two gas holders, lime house, charcoal house, three stall stable, sawpit, malt kiln (let to Skelton), also planing machines, drill, boring engine, lathes, etc.
Smith, Beacock & Tannett were formerly of the Victoria Foundry, New Lane, on the Benyon Beck and were founded in 1837 and in 1838 they supplied a small steam engine to drive the printing presses of the Northern Star and the Leeds General Advertiser in 1841 the partnership changed with the dropping by mutual consent of Robert Taylor, Samuel Fletcher, and Abel Archer. In 1843 they acquired the Round Foundry formerly used by Matthew Murray and no surprise in 1862 they decided to change the name to the Victoria Foundry (there was a cast iron gate post in David Street).
In 1861 Robert Beacock (1803-1869) born in Barton-on-Humber was living at 105 Beeston Road, Holbeck, with his wife Elizabeth and their five children. He died on 20 September 1869.
Thomas Tannett (1811-1877) was born at Malton, Yorkshire, and he was educated at the Grammar School, Wakefield and served his apprenticeship from 14 at Taylor Wordsworth & Company, a machine makers who when he attained 21 was made foreman. In 1851 he was living at Green Terrace, Hunslet, with his wife Mary and their six children. In 1861 he is listed as a widower living at Cross Flatts, Beeston with his daughter and son-in-law, two sons and his sister. In 1871 he is living at Roundhay Lodge, Roundhay, Yorkshire, with his wife Charlotte and one son. He took a prominent part in founding the Bank of Leeds of which he was a Director at the time of his death. He died on 12 April 1877.
In 1872 the 27foot diameter Round Foundry machine shop caught fire and burnt down and a three-storey fitting shop was built on the site. The 20hp Murray engine was still in use in 1888. There was more rebuilding and the old foundry was replaced by a large workshop facing on to Water Lane and David Street, this carries a plaque commemorating Matthew Murray.
The old fitting-up shop on the east side of Foundry Street remains, but the office entrance on the corner of Foundry Street and Water Lane dated 1870 are gone. Latterly Smith, Beacock & Tannett soon rose to eminence in the manufacture of machine tools and they at one time employed 800 men becoming known all over the world for their very high class of workmanship and substantial build of tools while executing orders for most European Governments as well as for China, Australia, and India. Smith, Beacock & Tannett closed down in 1894 and in 1896 it was taken over by Greenwood & Batley.
This site was divided for multiple uses. The new workshops became Holbeck Steel Foundry of John Henry Junior, Wildsmith & Company, and other users including a paint manufacturer, a mineral water maker, electrical engineer (Atlas Works), and a clothing manufacturer.
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