John Thompson (company)
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = John Thompson
| logo =
| type = Public
| caption =
| fate = Acquired
| successor = Clarke Chapman
| foundation = 1820
| defunct = 2004
| location = Wolverhampton, UK
| industry = Engineering
| key_people =
| products = Nuclear engineering
Boilers
Pressure vessels
| num_employees =
| parent =
| subsid =
}}
John Thompson Limited was a major engineering business based in Wolverhampton, in its latter years offering products for the nuclear engineering industry.
History
The company was founded by William Thompson, in or around 1820, in Wolverhampton, as a general engineering business.[https://www.blackcountryhistory.org/collections/getrecord/GB149_P_4006/ Building of New Works, John Thompson (Wolverhampton) Ltd, Wolverhampton] Black Country History In 1850, the business passed to William's brother, Stephen, and in 1860, it passed to William's son, John. Within ten years it was concentrating on manufacturing boilers.
By 1914, the company had expanded into motor pressings. During World War I it made cowlings for Sopwith aircraft and, in World War II, it made airscrews for Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft.
In the 1950s, as part of a consortium with AEI, the company was awarded a contract to supply boilers and reactor pressure vessels for the Berkeley nuclear power station.[http://www.dalton.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/reports/papers/uk_consortia1b.pdf The UK Magnox and AGR Power Station Projects]{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}
In 1970, the business was acquired by Clarke ChapmanThe Times, 17 June 1970 and, in 2004, the Ettingshall Works was closed.
External links
- [http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/John_Thompson Grace's guide]
References
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Category:Technology companies established in 1820
Category:British companies established in 1820
Category:Manufacturing companies based in Wolverhampton
Category:Engineering companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Nuclear technology companies of the United Kingdom
Category:Technology companies disestablished in 2004
Category:British companies disestablished in 2004