Read and Campbell Limited
Encyclopedia
Read and Campbell Limited was a British manufacturer of firefighting equipment founded in 1881. The company was an early pioneer in the design and manufacture of portable fire extinguishers.
Company timeline
- 1881 Two Scottish engineerEngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
s, Messrs Read and Campbell, who had been bridge building in ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
formed a company, Aerators Ltd., to make carbon dioxideCarbon dioxideCarbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
and gas cylinderGas cylinderA gas cylinder is a pressure vessel used to store gases at above atmospheric pressure. High pressure gas cylinders are also called bottles. Although they are sometimes colloquially called "tanks", this is technically incorrect, as a tank is a vessel used to store liquids at ambient pressure and...
s. They formed the company Read and Campbell Ltd. in 1881 and registered a design in Great BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in the same year to cover "the arrangement for piercing capsules" to expel waterWaterWater is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, carbon tetrachlorideCarbon tetrachlorideCarbon tetrachloride, also known by many other names is the organic compound with the formula CCl4. It was formerly widely used in fire extinguishers, as a precursor to refrigerants, and as a cleaning agent...
etc. by means of a CO2 cartridge. The patent was granted in 1909.The fire extinguisherFire extinguisherA fire extinguisher or extinguisher, flame entinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations...
worked on the principle of a pressurised CO2 cartridge being pierced, the pressure inside thus released expanding into the extinguisher body and expelling the contents under pressure. Other types of extinguishers worked by mixing sulphuric acid with a solution of bicarbonateBicarbonateIn inorganic chemistry, bicarbonate is an intermediate form in the deprotonation of carbonic acid...
and water-the soda acid extinguisher.
- 1911 With the growth in motoring and the use of petrol enginePetrol engineA petrol engine is an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, designed to run on petrol and similar volatile fuels....
s there was a call for an extinguisher especially designed for fighting petrol fires. Read and Campbell took out patentPatentA patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
rights in Argentina on their 'Petrolex' extinguisher. This was acarbon tetrachloride extinguisher operated by a CO2 cartridge. The Royal Automobile ClubRoyal Automobile ClubThe Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School...
conducted tests on the 'Petrolex' which passed with flying colours. 'Waterloo' extinguishers-water filled, were installed in many Royal residences and public buildings including 'Windsor CastleWindsor CastleWindsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
and all the Royal Palaces of England',the British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, the Victoria and Albert MuseumVictoria and Albert MuseumThe Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
and the General Post OfficeGeneral Post OfficeGeneral Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
. Royal cars were fitted with 'Petrolex' extinguishers.
- 1912-18 The North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply Company carried out a series of stringent tests on the 'Petrolex' extinguisher and informed Read and Campbell that, 'I have never seen any fire extinguishing appliance that seemed as well suited and effective for dealing with fires in Electrical Stations'. Further patents were granted in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
during this period.In 1914 foam compound was registered in Great Britain.Read and Campbell introduced their 'Rocsuds' which was an early form of foam extinguisher. The contents were,amongst other things, saponinSaponinSaponins are a class of chemical compounds, one of many secondary metabolites found in natural sources, with saponins found in particular abundance in various plant species...
, derived from the roots of soapwortSoapwortCommon Soapwort is a vespertine flower, and a common perennial plant from the carnation family . Other common names are Bouncing Bet and Sweet William; locally it is simply "the Soapwort" although there are about 20 species of soapworts altogether.The scientific name Saponaria is derived from the...
, sodium bicarbonateSodium bicarbonateSodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate is the chemical compound with the formula Na HCO3. Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slightly salty, alkaline taste resembling that of washing soda . The natural mineral form is...
, extract of vegetable syrup from quillaiaQuillaiaQuillaia is the milled inner bark or small stems and branches of the soapbark . Other names include China bark extract, Murillo bark extract, Panama bark extract, Quillai extract, Quillaia extract, Quillay bark extract, and Soapbark extract...
and liquorice. There was a great expansion of business during this period because of military requirements during the First World WarWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. At this time the 'Waterloo' copper-bodied extinguisher was introduced-it was claimed that the copper did not discolour the water,and prevented staining of tapestriesTapestryTapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
and oil paintingOil paintingOil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
in art galleries and Museums.
- 1927 The 'Tetra' and 'Roc-Tetra' carbon tetrachloride hand pump for vehicles was introduced and adopted by the RAC for use on vehicles in its Road Service fleet.
- 1928 An article in the 'Evening Chronicle' stated that it was a legal necessity for motorists to have their garages equipped with fire extinguishers or to empty their petrol tanks each time they put their cars away.
- 1929 The Duke of YorkDuke of YorkThe Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
's household was protected by Read and Campbell extinguishers and precise instructions on fire drillFire drillA fire drill is a method of practicing the evacuation of a building for a fire or other emergency. Generally, the emergency system is activated and the building is evacuated as though a real fire had occurred...
procedure were printed.In the same year the Athenaeum ClubAthenaeum ClubAthenaeum Club may refer to:*Athenaeum Club, London, a private gentlemen's club situated in London, England.*Liverpool Athenaeum, a private gentlemen's club situated in Liverpool, England...
, the National GalleryNational galleryThe National Gallery is an art gallery on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom.National Gallery may also refer to:*Armenia: National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan*Australia:**National Gallery of Australia, Canberra...
and the Victoria and Albert Museum were equipped with Read and Campbell extinguishers.
- 1939-45 During the Second World WarWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Read and Campbell continued to manufacture extinguishers,both for civilian and military use.
- 1948 The company was awarded the contract for supplying extinguishers to London TransportLondon TransportLondon Transport could refer to:*London Transport Transport authorities that operated services under the brand:*London Passenger Transport Board *London Transport Executive *London Transport Board...
. The Read and Campbell copper shell extinguisher was installed in the Royal Automobile ClubRoyal Automobile ClubThe Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School...
in London. This pure copper extinguisher was very popular where appearance was important.
- 1964 The business was acquired by Chubb and Sons but continued to operate from HorshamHorshamHorsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
as Read and Campbell until the formation of Chubb Fire Security LimitedChubb SecurityChubb Security is an electronic security and fire safety business. It is owned by United Technologies Corporation.-History:The Company was founded by Charles and Jeremiah Chubb, who patented their Chubb detector lock in 1818. Apparently the Prince Regent accidentally sat on a Chubb lock complete...
in 1971.