Leonard Fairclough & Son
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Construction |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Founder | Leonard Fairclough |
| Fate | Merged with William Press Group in 1982 to form AMEC |
| Headquarters | Adlington, Lancashire , England |
| Products | Construction, bridge engineering, residential development (Fairclough Homes) |
Leonard Fairclough & Son Ltd operated as a construction company headquartered in Adlington, Lancashire, England.
History
The firm was established in 1883 by the stonemason Leonard Fairclough. Leadership passed to his son, Leonard Miller Fairclough, following World War I, with the business trading under the name Leonard Fairclough Limited starting in 1917. Leonard Miller Fairclough held the position of chairman from 1927 until he retired in 1965.
During Sir Oswald Davies' tenure, the company grew its presence across the country by acquiring prominent construction enterprises such as CV Buchan, Fram Group, and Sir Lindsay Parkinson & Company. In the 1960s, the company branched into private residential development through Fairclough Homes by purchasing Lancashire-based RJ Barton and Tarrant Builders. The Fairclough Homes brand continued to operate after the establishment of AMEC. In 1982, Leonard Fairclough & Son merged with William Press Group, resulting in the formation of AMEC.
Projects
The company was recognized for its expertise in bridge engineering, having constructed 31 bridges around Manchester throughout the 1950s. It also played a role in building the Preston By-pass, which was England's inaugural motorway and later incorporated into the M6. Additionally, they were responsible for laying foundations and constructing the carriageway for the Silver Jubilee Bridge linking Runcorn and Widnes.
In collaboration with Alfred McAlpine during the 1960s, Fairclough was responsible for bridge construction on both the M6 and M62, while McAlpine managed the associated roadworks. This partnership also delivered the M53 Motorway connecting Chester to the Wirral, completed in 1972.
Between 1972 and 1978, Fairclough built Liverpool’s Link Line (currently part of Merseyrail Northern Line), which connected Liverpool city centre to its surrounding districts and included construction of low-level platforms at Liverpool Central Station. Concrete segments for this project as well as for the Loop Line were produced by C V Buchan & Sons.