David Rowell & Co.
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Construction, manufacturing |
| Founded | 1855 |
| Founder | David Rowell |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Wrought iron and wire rope products, suspension footbridges, structural steel frame buildings |
David Rowell & Co. was a privately held enterprise located in London, recognized for its expertise in manufacturing wrought iron and wire rope products, constructing suspension footbridges, and erecting structural steel frame buildings. Founded in 1855, the company remained active until it ceased operations in 1970.
History
David Rowell founded the business in Westminster in 1855, initially focusing on fencing before diversifying into the construction of steel-framed structures. From 1903 through 1951, the firm was responsible for building multiple bridges. The company was ultimately liquidated in 1970.
Wire rope and wrought iron
Late 19th-century catalogues identify David Rowell & Co. as The Iron, Wire, Wire-rope and Fencing Company, offering products such as tensioned wire fencing and wrought iron gates. During the 1920s, the company fabricated a tram shelter located at Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, which was later moved to Gunwharf Quays in 2003.
Pickhill Meadows
Completed in November 1903 for Oliver Ormrod of Pickhill Hall, this bridge crosses the River Dee at Bangor-on-Dee. Constructed at a cost of £640 to accommodate cart traffic, it spans wide and remains under the ownership of Ormrod Estates. In the 1970s, concrete reinforcements were added to its tower foundations.
Foy
This footbridge over the River Wye at Foy near Ross-on-Wye dates from 1919. It gained television exposure by featuring in the 1975 British series Survivors (episode titled "Gone Away").
Bodie Creek
The Bodie Creek Bridge, built between 1924 and 1925 in the Falkland Islands, was designed to centralize sheep shearing activities at Goose Green. Manufactured in London for £2,281, it measures across with a width of . The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in 1997.
Queen's Park
Designed by William E Barker and constructed in 1923 for £5,650, Queen's Park Bridge in Chester spans . It is supported by two locked-coil cables, each capable of bearing loads up to 340 tons. The foundations comprise a 230-ton concrete block on the northern side and anchorage into sandstone bedrock on the southern side.
River Wharfe
Built in 1934 over the River Wharfe at Ilkley, this bridge is jointly owned by City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and Yorkshire Water. Its finials were removed in 1972 due to corrosion issues, and it underwent renovation in April 2001.
Other bridges
Additional significant bridges constructed by the company include:
- Sands (Hikey), Swalwell, 1903
- Alum Chine, Bournemouth, 1903–04; refurbished in 1973 at a cost of £480
- Apley Park (Linley Bridge), 1905
- Fron Bridge, Llandyssil
- Sparke Evans Park, Bristol
- Castle Footbridge, Shrewsbury, erected in 1910 and replaced in 1951
- Llanddetty Footbridge, Talybont-on-Usk, built in 1910 (currently derelict)
- Howley Bridge, Victoria Park, Warrington, completed in 1912
- Builth Wells, constructed in 1922
- Llanstephan bridge, also from 1922
- Porthill Bridge, Shrewsbury, dated to 1922
- Puente Orellana, El Rancho, El Progreso, Guatemala
- Arapuni Suspension Bridge, located at Arapuni (New Zealand), built in 1925
- Daly's bridge, Cork, Ireland, completed in 1927
- Sapper's Bridge at Betws-y-Coed, erected in 1930
- Gaol Ferry in Bristol, finished in 1935
- Thames Ditton Island footbridge from 1936
- Bridge at Doveridge, constructed in 1946 replacing an earlier structure by Louis Harper from 1898
- Festival Footbridge at Aberhafesp, built for the Festival of Britain in 1951
- Glanammon bridge located at Ammanford, completed in 1958
- The Black Bridge situated within Torres del Paine National Park, Chile (year of construction unknown)
Buildings
A catalogue, likely dating back to 1873, showcases their prefabricated steel and iron constructions, featuring a "timber-framed iron church" as well as "galvanized corrugated iron portable houses suitable for domestic use or overseas".
External links
- Defunct companies of the United Kingdom
- Construction and civil engineering companies of the United Kingdom
- History of the City of Westminster
- Manufacturing companies established in 1855
- Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1970
- 1855 establishments in England
- 1970 disestablishments in England
- Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1855
- British companies established in 1855
- British companies disestablished in 1970
- Construction and civil engineering companies disestablished in 1970