Taskers of Andover
Encyclopedia
Taskers of Andover were an Andover, Hampshire
based metal works and engineering company, which became better known in the latter half of the 20th century for their lorry
trailers
. After 170 years in operation, the company became first part of the John Brown
company, and then sold to Montracon, where it was quietly closed.
travelled from his father's blacksmith
business to Abbotts Ann
, Hampshire
to join the forge ironworks business of Thomas Maslen. In 1809, he took over the business, but due to his non conformist Christian
views, Tasker found business hard, and was forced to bid for work from further afield.
. The site, built on chalk strata, gave access to coal and iron ore via the Andover Canal
, and offered waterwheel power from the Pillhill Brook. The works came into operation in 1815, hence it is named after the great Battle of Waterloo
. The brothers entered into a partnership with George Fowle, brother of Robert's wife, who sons took over the business in 1857.
As the industrial revolution gathered pace, a series of riots
began. Started in Kent
by a Captain Swing
, a group of 300 agricultural workers entered the works 20 November, 1830, causing considerable damage. 30 men were arrested by Special constable
s, for which 14 were tried, 4 acquitted, and 10 eventually transported to the penal colony of Australia
.
After the opening of the London and Southampton Railway, the canal was closed, and eventually buried to make way for another railway line, which hence replaced Taskers wharf with a series of private railway sidings. It was now that William's sons took over the business, coming to a license agreement with Clayton & Shuttleworth
of Lincoln to sell and service their stationary boilers.
In 1865, the Waterloo Ironworks made its first steam engine, and until 1891 Taskers became known as a producer of bespoke steam engines, each one of which was produced to its own unique design. After William's third son Henry joined the firm, he implemented the "Economic" design of 8 hp engines of 1891, which formed the first series of standards Tasker designs, using steel
boiler plate
s over wrought iron.
. Henry found new capital via a series of share sales, which resulted in the 1902 development of the standard class of 'light' (just under 3 tonnes or 2.95 LT) engine called "Little Giant," of which over 300 were made.
After liquidation in 1903, and reformation in 1907, Taskers thrived in production in World War I. Post-war, Taskers built a series of road roller
s, but the economic slump brought about a second inevitable receivership
in 1926, and liquidation.
s. Using steel over iron, the product didn't require the services of the Waterloo Ironworks, which closed permanently in 1937.
In 1938, the Air Ministry
which was forming plans for the Civilian Repair Organisation, sent out a tender for a recovery trailer able to carry an entire fighter aircraft. 10 days later Taskers arrived in Whitehall
not only with a written and costed proposal, but also with a prototype trailer. Subsequently nick named the Queen Mary trailer
after the great RMS Queen Mary
of the Cunard Line
, the company gained 300 orders in the build up to World War II
.
industry, the company had branches in Wigan
and Scotland
. Taken over by Craven Industries
, which later itself became part of the John Brown and Co
engineering conglomerate, it was sold as part of a package of assets in 1983 to Montracon of Belfast
, Northern Ireland
. After the closure of the works and demolition of the residual buildings in 1984, Montracon decided to consolidate its brands, resulting in the end of the Tasker brand in the late 1990s.
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
based metal works and engineering company, which became better known in the latter half of the 20th century for their lorry
Lorry
-Transport:* Lorry or truck, a large motor vehicle* Lorry, or a Mine car in USA: an open gondola with a tipping trough* Lorry , a horse-drawn low-loading trolley-In fiction:...
trailers
Semi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
. After 170 years in operation, the company became first part of the John Brown
John Brown (industrialist)
Sir John Brown , British industrialist, was born in Sheffield. He was known as the Father of the South Yorkshire Iron Trade....
company, and then sold to Montracon, where it was quietly closed.
Background
In 1806, Robert Tasker of Stanton-St-Bernard, WiltshireWiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
travelled from his father's blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
business to Abbotts Ann
Abbotts Ann
Abbotts Ann is a village in the parish of the same name, approximately south-west of Andover, Hampshire, England.-History:The village name Annwas derived from the Celtic river name ‘Anne’ meaning ‘Ash Tree Stream’ . The first settlements in the area can be traced back to 50BC when the Atrebates...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
to join the forge ironworks business of Thomas Maslen. In 1809, he took over the business, but due to his non conformist Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
views, Tasker found business hard, and was forced to bid for work from further afield.
Waterloo ironworks
In 1813, Tasker and his brother William founded the Waterloo Ironworks in the Anna ValleyAnna Valley
Anna Valley is a village in Hampshire, United Kingdom. The settlement is a suburb of Andover, and is located approximately south-west of the town centre....
. The site, built on chalk strata, gave access to coal and iron ore via the Andover Canal
Andover Canal
The Andover Canal was a canal built in Hampshire, England. It ran from Andover to Redbridge through Stockbridge and Romsey. The canal had a fall of through 24 locks, and for much of its length paralleled the River Anton and River Test.-History:...
, and offered waterwheel power from the Pillhill Brook. The works came into operation in 1815, hence it is named after the great Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. The brothers entered into a partnership with George Fowle, brother of Robert's wife, who sons took over the business in 1857.
As the industrial revolution gathered pace, a series of riots
Swing Riots
The Swing Riots were a widespread uprising by agricultural workers; it began with the destruction of threshing machines in the Elham Valley area of East Kent in the summer of 1830, and by early December had spread throughout the whole of southern England and East Anglia.As well as the attacks on...
began. Started in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
by a Captain Swing
Captain Swing
Captain Swing was the name appended to some of the threatening letters during the rural English Swing Riots of 1830, when labourers rioted over the introduction of new threshing machines and the loss of their livelihoods...
, a group of 300 agricultural workers entered the works 20 November, 1830, causing considerable damage. 30 men were arrested by Special constable
Special constable
A Special Constable is a law enforcement officer who is not a regular member of a police force. Some like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police carry the same law enforcement powers as regular members, but are employed in specific roles, such as explosive disposal technicians, court security, campus...
s, for which 14 were tried, 4 acquitted, and 10 eventually transported to the penal colony of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
After the opening of the London and Southampton Railway, the canal was closed, and eventually buried to make way for another railway line, which hence replaced Taskers wharf with a series of private railway sidings. It was now that William's sons took over the business, coming to a license agreement with Clayton & Shuttleworth
Clayton & Shuttleworth
Clayton & Shuttleworth was an engineering company located at Stamp End Works, Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The company was established in 1842 when Nathaniel Clayton formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Joseph Shuttleworth .-History:...
of Lincoln to sell and service their stationary boilers.
In 1865, the Waterloo Ironworks made its first steam engine, and until 1891 Taskers became known as a producer of bespoke steam engines, each one of which was produced to its own unique design. After William's third son Henry joined the firm, he implemented the "Economic" design of 8 hp engines of 1891, which formed the first series of standards Tasker designs, using steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
boiler plate
Sheet metal
Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
s over wrought iron.
Tasker & Sons
Henry, who was now running the business, bought out his brothers interests, but the company was now left short of capital, and hence struggled through to World War IWorld War I
World 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...
. Henry found new capital via a series of share sales, which resulted in the 1902 development of the standard class of 'light' (just under 3 tonnes or 2.95 LT) engine called "Little Giant," of which over 300 were made.
After liquidation in 1903, and reformation in 1907, Taskers thrived in production in World War I. Post-war, Taskers built a series of road roller
Road roller
A road roller is a compactor type engineering vehicle used to compact soil, gravel, concrete, or asphalt in the construction of roads and foundations, similar rollers are used also at landfills or in agriculture.In some parts of the world, road rollers are still known colloquially as steam...
s, but the economic slump brought about a second inevitable receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
in 1926, and liquidation.
Taskers of Andover
In 1932, the company was revived through the production of semi-trailerSemi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
s. Using steel over iron, the product didn't require the services of the Waterloo Ironworks, which closed permanently in 1937.
In 1938, the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
which was forming plans for the Civilian Repair Organisation, sent out a tender for a recovery trailer able to carry an entire fighter aircraft. 10 days later Taskers arrived in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
not only with a written and costed proposal, but also with a prototype trailer. Subsequently nick named the Queen Mary trailer
Queen Mary trailer
A Queen Mary trailer is a type of semi-trailer combination designed for the carriage and recovery of aircraft.The trailer was made by Tasker Trailers of Andover with Bedford or Crossley Motors tractors....
after the great RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line...
of the Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
, the company gained 300 orders in the build up to World War II
World War II
World 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...
.
Tasker Trailers
Adopting the post-war name of Tasker Trailers to supply the developing road transportRoad transport
Road transport or road transportation is transport on roads of passengers or goods. A hybrid of road transport and ship transport is the historic horse-drawn boat.-History:...
industry, the company had branches in Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Taken over by Craven Industries
Cravens
Cravens Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited was a railway rolling stock builder in the Darnall district of Sheffield, England. Cravens built many diagrams of coaching stock for the Pre-grouping Railway companies of Great Britain, the Grouped companies and for British Railways itself. They...
, which later itself became part of the John Brown and Co
Firth Brown Steels
Firth Brown Steels was initially formed in 1902, when Sheffield steelmakers John Brown and Company exchanged shares and came to a working agreement with neighbouring company Thomas Firth & Sons...
engineering conglomerate, it was sold as part of a package of assets in 1983 to Montracon of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. After the closure of the works and demolition of the residual buildings in 1984, Montracon decided to consolidate its brands, resulting in the end of the Tasker brand in the late 1990s.