EHL71. J. Stone & Co Engineers Deptford London. c1890. Location: Granville Road near the junction with Carlisle Road, Eastbourne. what3words: haven.turns.reap

J. Stone & Co Engineers Deptford London.  

Condition: Good. Repainted by Bob Cookson.

The Eastbourne Local History Society Newsletter No 8 of January 1973 contained an article by the late Harold Spears titled ‘Some Notes on Historic Street Furniture’, which included a section on water carts.  The article was included in the 1984 booklet ‘Eastbourne’s Historic Street Furniture – Monuments & Memorials’ under the heading ‘Water Hydrant Posts.’  In the article Harold explained that the water hydrants (not to be confused with fire hydrants) were originally fitted with a swan neck pipe on the top that was used to fill the water tanks on the town’s water carts.  The water carts would then spray the roads in the town to keep the dust down in the pre tarmacked road era.  Harold states in the 1984 booklet that there were still eight in existence at that time in the following locations, Gildredge Road, Ashford Road, Granville Road, Vicarage Road, Gaudick Road, Grassington Road, St, John’s Road, Seaside (near the Archery Tavern).  He went on to explain he had contacted the authorities some years before due to the fact that the posts were very rusty, and subsequently they were painted a ‘biscuit’ colour, but had since been painted bright green in 1983.  In Autumn 2014, an article by Frank Woods titled ‘Street Furniture update’ appeared in the Eastbourne Local Historian No 173 (as the Newsletter is now called) that explained there were now only four of the water posts left.  These are located in Gildredge Road (corner of Station Street), Granville Road (corner of Blackwater Road), Grassington Road (corner of Furness Road), and St. John’s Road (opposite the Hydro Hotel).  In 2023 a new survey of the water posts was conducted by Kim Adams as part of a larger study led by Kevin Gordon of all of Eastbourne’s historic features.

Information from Grace’s Guide: -

1842 J. Stone and Co was founded by Josiah Stone in conjunction with George Preston, and John Prestige.

1867 Partnership change. '... the Partnership heretofore subsisting between Josiah Stone, George Preston, and John Prestige, all of High-street, Deptford, in the county of Kent, Millwrights, Engineers, Brass and Iron Founders, Coppersmiths, Braziers, and Workers in Metals, has (so far as relates to the said Josiah Stone) been this day dissolved by mutual consent...’

1884 Partnership change. '...the Partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, Frederick Philip Preston, John Theodore Prestige the elder, and Edwin James Preston, as Millwrights, Engineers, Brass and Iron Founders, Coppersmiths, Braziers, and Workers in Metals, at Deptford, in the county of Kent, under the style or firm of Josiah Stone and Co., has been dissolved, by mutual consent, as from the 31st day of December, 1883; and that the business will henceforth be carried on at the same place, under the same style, by the said Frederick Philip Preston, and Edwin James Preston, and John Theodore Prestige the younger, Sydney Prestige, and Reuben Thomas Preston...'

1898 Supplied the electric lighting for the coaches of the Barry Railway.

1903 Introduced the Stone-Lloyd automatic bulkhead doors for ships

1904 The company was registered on 7 May as a private company, J Stone and Company Ltd, to acquire the business of J. Stone and Co, brass, copper and iron workers, and mechanical and general engineers, of Deptford.

1905 The family offered shares in the company to the public. The company had many thousands of customers including many navies, shipping companies, the principal British railway companies, shipbuilding companies, and locomotive and railway carriage builders. They were the sole manufacturers for the UK and Colonies of the Stone-Lloyd system of hydraulically operated watertight doors for ships.

1912 Took control of Hart Accumulator Co Ltd.

1926 M. C. L. and Repetition Ltd was set up by J. Stone and Co, Hart Accumulator Co and D. P. Battery Co to manufacture "repetition" parts (principally nuts and bolts) but also made magnetos on a small scale.

1927 Agreement with S. A. F. T. regarding alkaline batteries.

1928 National Accumulator Co was formed to hold all the shares in D. P. Battery Co and a major interest in Hart Accumulator Co; the company was owned by J. Stone and Co and other competitors.

1929 Patent - Improvements in the electrolytic deposition of metal-on-metal tubes.

1929 Chloride Electrical Storage Co acquired National Accumulator Co. Agreement with Chloride Electrical Storage Co relating to batteries for train lighting which prohibited Stones from making lead-acid and alkaline batteries and assigned to Chloride the agreement with S. A. F. T. regarding alkaline batteries; Chloride was to supply these to Stones.

1934 The River Thames was home to specialists in propellers - J. Stone and Co at Deptford and Charlton made 4 of the largest propellers ever made for vessel #534 being constructed on the Clyde; Manganese Bronze and Brass Co made the other four.

1936 Demonstration of air conditioning for railway coaches by J. Stone and Co Ltd.

1937 Founders in non-ferrous alloys, engineers. "Ceralumium" High Tensile Aluminium Alloys. "Superston L189" Aluminium Bronze.

1946 Formed Stone-Fry Magnesium Ltd with Fry's Diecastings Ltd for the manufacture of pressure die-castings in magnesium.

1954 Chance Brothers' engineering division was acquired by J. Stone and Co (Holdings) Ltd. 

1957 Bull's Metal and Marine, makers of propellers and ship windows, was a subsidiary of J. Stone and Co (Holdings) Ltd.

1958 Scheme of arrangement to effect a merger between Platt Brothers and Co (Holdings) and J. Stone and Co (Holdings); Stones became a wholly owned subsidiary of Platts; the company name was changed to Stone-Platt Industries.

1961 Railway, electrical and general engineers specialising in the manufacture of train lighting, air conditioning and refrigeration, speed indicators, automatic voltage regulators, semi-conductor power rectifiers, hydraulic power transmissions, pantographs, package type steam generators and non-ferrous nails and rivets. 

EHL79. Ham Baker & Co. c1890. Location: Grassington Road adjacent to the junction with Furness Road, Eastbourne. what3words: turns.gates.glory

Ham Baker & Co Engineers Westminster.  Note: there is also a small 'inspection' cover in the pavement at the base of this post which is also marked 'Ham Baker & Co Westminster.'

Condition: Good. Repainted by Bob Cookson.

The Eastbourne Local History Society Newsletter No 8 of January 1973 contained an article by the late Harold Spears titled ‘Some Notes on Historic Street Furniture’, which included a section on water carts.  The article was included in the 1984 booklet ‘Eastbourne’s Historic Street Furniture – Monuments & Memorials’ under the heading ‘Water Hydrant Posts.’  In the article Harold explained that the water hydrants (not to be confused with fire hydrants) were originally fitted with a swan neck pipe on the top that was used to fill the water tanks on the town’s water carts.  The water carts would then spray the roads in the town to keep the dust down in the pre tarmacked road era.  Harold states in the 1984 booklet that there were still eight in existence at that time in the following locations, Gildredge Road, Ashford Road, Granville Road, Vicarage Road, Gaudick Road, Grassington Road, St, John’s Road, Seaside (near the Archery Tavern).  He went on to explain he had contacted the authorities some years before due to the fact that the posts were very rusty, and subsequently they were painted a ‘biscuit’ colour, but had since been painted bright green in 1983.  In Autumn 2014, an article by Frank Woods titled ‘Street Furniture update’ appeared in the Eastbourne Local Historian No 173 (as the Newsletter is now called) that explained there were now only four of the water posts left.  These are located in Gildredge Road (corner of Station Street), Granville Road (corner of Blackwater Road), Grassington Road (corner of Furness Road), and St. John’s Road (opposite the Hydro Hotel).  In 2023 a new survey of the water posts was conducted by Kim Adams as part of a larger study led by Kevin Gordon of all of Eastbourne’s historic features.

Information from Grace’s Guide: -

1884 Formation of a partnership between Frederick Ham, William Baker, and Claude Sansom in London.

1893 Company founded by Frederic George Sison Ham, maker of gas street lamps.

1905 Sewage and water fittings.

1912 Resolution to wind the company up. 

1922 Sanitary and Hydraulic Engineers, Langley Green, Birmingham.

1926 Foundries and engineering works at Langley, Birmingham.

1982 Ham Baker & Co Ltd took the leading role in the marketing and selling of the Eurovalve product range on behalf of Eurovalve Ltd. 

Information from the Langley Local History Society Facebook page: -

Ham Baker & Co was established in Grosvenor Rd., Westminster, London in 1893.  Shortly afterwards they moved to a site next to the Titford canal (Birmingham), close to the coal mines of Langley and Rowley.  They set up their 'Municipal Engineering Company Works' at the end of Clay Lane.  They were general engineers and iron & brass founders, but specialised in articles used by local authorities including sewage disposal, water distribution & irrigation equipment, waterways, docks & later, power stations & oil supply equipment.  The works consisted of pattern shops, and brass and iron foundries capable of castings up to ten tons, as well as fitting and erection shops, all linked through rail tracks.  Their 1905 catalogue showed a wide range from small items such as valves, manhole covers and drains, to huge sluice gates (penstocks).  In later years they supplied oil depots & power stations, including the then Calder Hall Nuclear Power Station.  Items were shipped worldwide, many starting their journey from the goods yard of Langley Green station, and the company had agencies across the globe.  Local requirements were also met and much of the equipment at the Oldbury Sewage Works was supplied by them.  The company was bought out by Biwater Industries Ltd.  The original site is now a housing estate. 

Boundary Stone 'CHH' Charles Hugh Haine c1880. 19 South Street, Eastbourne. what3words location: backed.dirt.faced

 

White marble boundary stone.

Pictures and information from survey conducted 30/08/24 by Kim Adams.

CHH stands for Charles Hugh Haine who took over the company from his father, John Haine, who had founded it in 1838. As well as being a prominent local businessman, C H Haine was elected as one of Eastbourne's first Borough Councillors in 1883 and was also a leading Freemason. He ran the company from the 1880s into the early 20th century before handing over to his son, C S Haine. C H Haine died in 1916 aged 69.

Boundary Stone 'CHH' Charles Hugh Haine c1880. 19 South Street, Eastbourne. what3words location: deputy.plug.cross

 

White marble boundary stone.

Pictures and information from survey conducted 30/08/24 by Kim Adams.

CHH stands for Charles Hugh Haine who took over the company from his father, John Haine, who had founded it in 1838. As well as being a prominent local businessman, C H Haine was elected as one of Eastbourne's first Borough Councillors in 1883 and was also a leading Freemason. He ran the company from the 1880s into the early 20th century before handing over to his son, C S Haine. C H Haine died in 1916 aged 69.

Eastbourne Gazette, May 4th, 1881. Report on the meeting of the Eastbourne Local Board.

 

EHL210. GPO Wall Plate. c1933 to c1972. 33 Upperton Gardens, Eastbourne. what3words location: bumps.dated.update

 

GPO joint marker ‘No3’.  Cast iron pavement plate marking the position of buried couplings, and buried jointing chambers for telephone cables.  Set into the pavement outside 33 Upperton Gardens adjacent to drainpipe pavement drain cover.  Note the original Victorian red brick paving stones which Eastbourne is famous for.

Historic Context:  A number of privately owned electrical telegraph companies operated in the UK from 1846 onwards.  Among them were: Electric Telegraph Company, the world's first public telegraph company, which developed a nationwide communications network; British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company; British Telegraph Company; London District Telegraph Company; and the United Kingdom Telegraph Company.  The Telegraph Act 1868 passed the control of all these to the Postal Telegraphs Department of the newly formed General Post Office (GPO).  The Telegraph Act 1869 granted the GPO a monopoly over communications.  With the invention of the telephone in 1876 the GPO began to provide telephone services from some of its telegraph exchanges.  It was confirmed in 1880 that the 1869 Act included telephony even though the telephone had not been invented when the Act was first conceived.  

In 1882, the Postmaster-General, Henry Fawcett started to issue licences to operate a telephone service to private businesses.  The telephone system grew under the GPO in some areas, and under private ownership in others.  The GPO's main competitor, the National Telephone Company (NTC), emerged in this market by absorbing other private telephone companies.  The NTC controlled most of the telephony in Britain before the 1880 ruling on the Telegraph Act 1869 mandated a nationalised service.  This was instated in 1911 prior to the absorption of the NTC into the GPO in 1912.

A few municipally owned services remained outside of GPO control. These were Kingston upon Hull, Portsmouth, and Guernsey.  Hull still retains an independent operator, Kingston Communications, though it is no longer municipally controlled.

References: Information on marker plates from ‘britishtelephones.com’ website (an historical website run by Bob Freshwater about UK customer telephone apparatus and systems).  

History of the GPO from Wikipedia.

EHL228. GPO Wall Plate. c1938-1972. 1 Arlington Road, Eastbourne. what3words location: forget.friend.yards

Side boundary wall of Arlington Road Surgery in Old Orchard Road. 

GPO joint marker ‘No4’.  Cast iron wall plate marking the position of buried couplings, and buried jointing chambers for telephone cables.

Historic Context:  A number of privately owned electrical telegraph companies operated in the UK from 1846 onwards.  Among them were: Electric Telegraph Company, the world's first public telegraph company, which developed a nationwide communications network; British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company; British Telegraph Company; London District Telegraph Company; and the United Kingdom Telegraph Company.  The Telegraph Act 1868 passed the control of all these to the Postal Telegraphs Department of the newly formed General Post Office (GPO).  The Telegraph Act 1869 granted the GPO a monopoly over communications.  With the invention of the telephone in 1876 the GPO began to provide telephone services from some of its telegraph exchanges.  It was confirmed in 1880 that the 1869 Act included telephony even though the telephone had not been invented when the Act was first conceived.  

In 1882, the Postmaster-General, Henry Fawcett started to issue licences to operate a telephone service to private businesses.  The telephone system grew under the GPO in some areas, and under private ownership in others.  The GPO's main competitor, the National Telephone Company (NTC), emerged in this market by absorbing other private telephone companies.  The NTC controlled most of the telephony in Britain before the 1880 ruling on the Telegraph Act 1869 mandated a nationalised service.  This was instated in 1911 prior to the absorption of the NTC into the GPO in 1912.

A few municipally owned services remained outside of GPO control. These were Kingston upon Hull, Portsmouth, and Guernsey.  Hull still retains an independent operator, Kingston Communications, though it is no longer municipally controlled.

References: Information on marker plates from ‘britishtelephones.com’ website (an historical website run by Bob Freshwater about UK customer telephone apparatus and systems).  

History of the GPO from Wikipedia.