Carron Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Ironworks, Manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Roebuck, Garbett and Cadells |
| Founded | January 1, 1759 in Falkirk, Scotland |
| Founder | John Roebuck, Thomas Roebuck, Ebenezer Roebuck, Samuel Garbett, William Cadell Senior, William Cadell Junior |
| Defunct | 1982 |
| Fate | Bankrupt and acquired by Franke Corporation; renamed Carron Phoenix |
| Successor | Carron Phoenix |
| Headquarters | Falkirk , Scotland, United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, international (including United States and Russia) |
Key people | Charles Gascoigne (partner and manager from 1765), William Cadell Jr. (early operations) |
| Products | Ironworks products including naval cannons (carronades), pig iron, cast-iron goods, munitions, bathtubs, pillar boxes, telephone boxes; later plastics and stainless steel products |
Number of employees | Over 2,000 (circa 1814) (1814) |
| Parent | Franke Corporation (after 1982) |
| Website | www |
Carron Company was an ironworks founded in 1759 along the River Carron close to Falkirk, Scotland. Despite facing early difficulties, it emerged as a prominent force during the Industrial Revolution within the United Kingdom. The firm's success was largely driven by its invention of the short-barrelled naval cannon known as the carronade, establishing it as one of Europe's foremost iron producers throughout the 19th century. After operating for 223 years, the company went bankrupt in 1982 and was subsequently purchased by Franke Corporation, adopting the new name Carron Phoenix.
Early years
The enterprise's founders included John Roebuck, a doctor and chemist originally from Sheffield; his siblings Thomas and Ebenezer Roebuck; Birmingham merchant Samuel Garbett; and industrialists William Cadell Senior and Junior from East Lothian.
Originally named "Roebuck, Garbett and Cadells," the ironworks was constructed on the northern bank of Carron Water, situated two miles north of Falkirk. Their iron ore supply came from Bo'ness, while coke fuel was sourced from nearby coal mines. They employed Abraham Darby's technique from Coalbrookdale, which contributed to rendering older ironworks such as those in the Weald obsolete.
William Cadell Jr. oversaw operations during a period marked by financial uncertainty. The first blast furnace began producing pig iron on 26 December 1760; however, early cast iron products were substandard. In 1764, the Board of Ordnance granted an important contract for British military weaponry. The company also manufactured components for James Watt's steam engine in 1765.
Charles Gascoigne joined as a partner in 1765 and married into Garbett's family. He enhanced manufacturing processes and product quality, assuming managerial control in 1769.
The company maintained tight control over resources, including binding coal miners to lifelong service, which led to labor unrest requiring military intervention during the 1760s and 1770s.
Granted a royal charter in 1773 under the name Carron Company, it continued to face challenges with product quality. As a result, contracts supplying the Royal Navy were revoked that year, with its cannons removed from naval vessels. An inspection conducted in 1774 by Royal Artillery Captain Blair confirmed persistent quality problems but acknowledged Gascoigne's efforts to restore production standards.
Carronades
Gascoigne developed a novel cannon design initially called "Gasconades," later renamed the "Carronade". These weapons were shorter and lighter compared to conventional long guns of equivalent calibre, enabling ships to carry more artillery pieces. They offered quicker loading times and required fewer crew members but had reduced firing range.
Although some smaller warships employed carronades as their primary weapons, they were susceptible when facing enemies equipped with long guns. Carronades were mostly installed on upper decks where their batteries replaced fewer long guns, significantly enhancing close-range firepower without negatively affecting ship stability or sailing capabilities.
The carronade proved commercially successful and remained in production from 1778 through the 1850s. The company's high-quality products received commendation from the Duke of Wellington, who in 1812 expressed preference for Carron-made cannons within his army. Additionally, the firm manufactured ammunition including innovations by Henry Shrapnel.
Carron supplied weaponry internationally, notably to the early United States whose arms were later used against Britain during the War of 1812. Despite British government attempts to prevent exports to the Russian Empire, Gascoigne fulfilled contracts supporting Catherine the Great’s arms factory at Petrozavodsk. He oversaw these operations in Russia from 1786 until his death near St. Petersburg in 1806, serving as Actual State Councillor Karl Karlovich Gaskoin.
Prosperity and Decline
By the year 1814, the Carron Company had become the largest ironworks in Europe, employing a workforce exceeding 2,000 and drawing in pioneering talents. Among the engineers associated with the firm in the early 1800s was William Symington, whose steamboat engines for vessels like the Experiment and Charlotte Dundas were manufactured there. The company also benefited from the expertise of consultant John Smeaton and saw Henry Cort conducting experiments on producing malleable iron, laying groundwork for what would become the puddling process. Additionally, Benjamin Franklin visited the facility and is linked to a stove design commonly referred to as 'Dr Franklin's stove' or the Philadelphia stove.
Throughout the 19th century, Carron produced various pig iron and cast-iron goods, including balustrades, fire grates, and the well-known Carron bathtub. The enterprise operated its own shipping line and supplied munitions during both World War I and II. It was also one of several foundries responsible for manufacturing pillar boxes and counted among five that cast Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's famous Red telephone boxes. In the 1960s, Carron provided cast-iron rings utilized in significant infrastructure projects such as the Tyne Tunnel beneath the River Tyne and the Clyde Tunnel near Glasgow.
In subsequent years, the company expanded into producing plastics and stainless steel, but ultimately entered receivership in 1982.
Carron Phoenix
Following acquisition, the company now operates under the name Carron Phoenix as part of the Franke group. Retaining its headquarters at the original Carron Works site in Falkirk, Carron Phoenix manufactures stainless steel, ceramic, and granite composite sinks distributed worldwide. Nevertheless, certain manufacturing processes have been relocated to facilities in China and Slovakia.
See also
Further reading
- Where Iron Runs Like Water! A new history of Carron Iron Works 1759–1982, Brian Watters, John Donald, 1998.
- Campbell, R.H. Carron Company (1961) Oliver and Boyd
External links
- Defence companies of the United Kingdom
- Defunct manufacturing companies of Scotland
- Ironworks and steelworks in Scotland
- 1759 establishments in Scotland
- Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1982
- Manufacturing companies established in 1759
- Companies based in Falkirk (council area)
- 1982 disestablishments in Scotland
- Stenhousemuir
- British companies disestablished in 1982
- British companies established in 1759