Francis Thomas Ford was an English engineer and inventor who established a successful welding and engineering firm in Cardiff, Wales.

Early life

Frances Thomas Ford was born in Stapleton, Bristol

Stapleton, Bristol

Stapleton is an area in the north-eastern suburbs of the city of Bristol, England. The name is colloquially used today to describe the ribbon village along Bell Hill and Park Road in the Frome Valley. It borders Eastville to the South and Begbrook and Frenchay to the North...

 on 4 March 1877. In the 1901 UK census he was living in Norwich

Norwich

Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...

 and working as a cycle mechanic. Later he moved to Cardiff and he established a welding and engineering enterprise, the Ford Welding and Engineering Company locally. It was through these later endeavours that he received a certain amount of recognition and local acclaim .

Working life

Once in Cardiff

Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

 he set up the Ford Welding & Engineering Co. Ltd, located in the Tunnel Works where the Glamorganshire canal

Glamorganshire Canal

The Glamorganshire Canal was a canal in south Wales, UK, running from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff. Construction started in 1790, and the 25 miles of canal was fully opened by 1794. Its primary purpose was to enable the Merthyr iron industries to transport their goods, and it later served the coal...

 emerged from the tunnel under Queen Street. The works later moved to Forwell Works at 149 North Road Cardiff next to the weighbridge on Parkfield Place about 1950.

Over a period of 20 years Francis patented a number of inventions under The Forwell trade mark. He also worked as an Instructor in Oxy-Acetylene Welding at Cardiff Technical College

Bute Building

Bute Building is occupied by Cardiff University and is a grade II listed building in Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales. It currently houses the Welsh School of Architecture and the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies....

and was also a keen Photographer.

Patents

A number of patents are associated with Francis Ford, including:

1. "Peak o Power" piston rings Jan 1931 GB341798 and Jan 1932 GB318783.
2. Gudgeon pin retainers Jun 1934 GB412227
3. "Forwell Jig" for remetalling white metal Conrods and liners Dec 1938 GB496702 and GB496805
4. Improvements relating to lathes Dec 1940 GB531162
5. Improvements to bins and racks for storage Aug 1943 GB555616

Photography

He took photographs of all the machines and equipment he purchased for the Ford Welding and Engineering Company and kept records of purchase prices. He was a keen member of the Cardiff Photographic Club and took part in many competitions. One of his favourite photos which he entered into a competition was called 'The Elusive Tiddler' and showed a group of children trying to catch a fish on the bank of the Glamorganshire Canal in 1936.