Here is some information I have found on the Internet and in books.
I have done my best to present correct information, but these notes may or may not be correct.
If you have any snippets of information I would be most interested.
The Clarkson CCCC logo.
This is the 4 c's CCCC trademark paper from 1966, and subsequent renewals. I think it is Australian.
(from trade.mar.cx website).
The CCCC, Rippa, Dedlock, Autolock etc trademarks have also been filed in the US and elsewhere.
The Mark 1 machine nameplates can refer to:
... Clarkson (Engineers) Ltd
... Clarkson International Tools Ltd
... Clarkson Machine Tools
... March
Clarkson (Engineers) Ltd machines are earlier than 1971
The 1962 3rd Edition Operators Handbook bears the Clarkson Engineers Ltd company name.
The 1966 4th Edition Operators Handbook bears the Clarkson Engineers Ltd company name.
The 1971 6th Edition Operators Handbook bears the Clarkson International Tools Ltd company name.
When did "Clarkson (Engineering) Ltd" change to "Clarkson International Tools Ltd" ?
I recently noticed a Mark 1 with CLARKSON MACHINE TOOLS printed on the nameplate.
This machine was one of those that does not have the name Clarkson cast into the pedestal. The vertical Clarkson plate looks like a separate casting fitted to the pedestal by 6 fasteners.
Clarkson Machine Tools was incorporated in 1991, so maybe these machine types are 1991 and later (at a guess).
This spurred a search that turned up the following company details:
... Clarkson (Engineers) Limited
... Registered No : 00513053
... Registered Office : West House, King Cross Road, Halifax, , HX1 1EB UK
... Incorporation Date : 06-11-1952
... Category : 74990 Non-trading
... Accounts Type : Dormant
... Annual return made up to : 21-04-1995
... Annual accounts made up to : 31-03-1995
... Application for striking off : 17-01-1996.
... Status : Dissolved
... Clarkson Machine Tools (smart & brown) Limited
... Registered No : 02641477
... Registered Office : West House, King Cross Road, Halifax, , HX1 1EB UK
... Incorporation Date : 29-08-1991
... Category : 74990 Non-trading
... Accounts Type : Dormant
... Annual return made up to : 29-08-1995
... Annual accounts made up to : 31-03-1995
... Application for striking off : 17-01-1996.
... Status : Active
... Clarkson Machine Tools (nuneaton) Limited
... Registered No : 02641491
... Registered Office : West House, King Cross Road, Halifax, , HX1 1EB UK
... Incorporation Date : 29-08-1991
... Category : 74990 Non-trading
... Accounts Type : Dormant
... Annual return made up to : 29-08-1995
... Annual accounts made up to : 31-03-1995
... Application for striking off : 17-01-1996.
... Status : Dissolved
There is an active company called Clarkson Engineers Limited (no brackets around engineers). Their registered office is in Retford and the company was first registered on 17-09-1996. I don't think they are connected?
There is a Clarkson Machine Tools in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. I think they are machine traders.
There is another Clarksons registered in Halifax: Clarksons, 27 Harrison Rd, Halifax, , HX1 2AT
Here is some information printed in the 1962 Operators Handbook.
Thorn acquired Clarkson International Tools in 1974. Thorn became Thorn Emi in 1979.
FKI acquired the mechanical engineering and components division of Thorn EMI Plc in 1986.
Hydra Tools International Ltd acquired Clarkson-Osborn International from FKI PLC in 1998
The Clarkson Tool and Cutter Grinders operation was taken over by March Engineering Ltd (when? maybe 2001).
March Engineering Ltd closed down in 2004 and MachineSpares took over some of the assets.
The "Working Lives" website provides a number of recorded interviews with persons that have worked at the Nuneaton Clarkson's factory.
According to the "Working Lives" interviews .... "
Fred Stevens (in his interview) mentioned that Mr Clarkson had a shop at the back of Marks and Spencers just before the war (I assume Mr Clarkson was producing the revolutionary AutoLock system here).
Mr Clarkson could not get the heat treatment right and would have gone bankrupt, but the war started and the MOD invested in the company because Britain needed the tooling for the war effort.
Later, Mr Clarkson would travel the world selling his tooling.
Mr Clarkson then built the King Edward Road factory to produce End Mills and Milling Cutters etc.
There was a little company in Coventry that produced the machines that were used for sharpening the tooling and Mr Clarkson eventually took that over. This tool and cutter grinder operation was a minor part of Clarksons.
(I am now under the impression that the Tool and Cutter grinders were not made at the Nuneaton factory?)
Michael John Smith (in his interview) mentioned that the Clarkson factory started up in 1947 and was closed in 2001.
The works was located in King Edward Road, Nuneaton and is now demolished and under a housing estate.
Mr Smith started work in 1961 and mentions there were some 450 machines then. Due to efficient CNC (that also contributed to redundancies) there were only about 100 machines in 2001.
He mentions that the factory was divided into the following sections Turning, Milling, Grinding, Heat Treatment, Stores, Steel Stores, and the Offices.
The steel came in, it was turned, then milled, then formed in the tool and cutter grinders, then heat treated, then out to the stores.
A cutter came in as raw material and left 13 weeks later as a finished product.
He does not mention any facility for making the Tool and Cutter grinders, maybe it is possible that these were made elsewhere (perhaps at the Coventry site?).
He mentioned that Clarkson's was taken over 2 or 3 times during its lifetime. When Osborns of Leeds took over they were underfunded. He arrived at work one day and was told the Receivers were in.
He lost his pension (40 years service) and the factory closed.
Business at Clarkson's Nuneaton was booming in the late 60's. A worker mentions he feels the demise of the firm started as they became a part of Thorn (?).
I have seen a Clarkson's advertisement for the Autolock system, with the Nuneaton address, in the Flight magazine dated 1942, which ties in with the pre war account of Mr Clarkson.
An online search of the Warwick Modern Records Centre and turned up a few dates.
ref code MSS.66B/7 makes a reference to Clarkson Engineers Ltd with the dates 1960-1961 and 1964-1969. The archive material is to do with trade union conferences.
ref code MSS.63/15 makes a reference to Clarkson Engineers Ltd with the date 1970. The archive material is something to do with a pay claim by the AEF (foundry) members employed in the research and development department at Clarkson's.
ref code MSS.66/1/2/3/295 makes a reference to Clarkson Engineers Ltd with the date December 12th 1952. The archive material is something to do with employee daywork payments.
From this I think the Clarkson Engineers Ltd company name existed in 1969, and maybe in 1970.
I'm trying to find out when the company name changed.
Here is an announcement taken from the London Gazette.
Notice: 280 (Issue: 57364)
Gazette Issue Number: 57364
Gazette Page number: 9301
Gazette Publication Date: Monday, 26 July 2004
Notice Code: 2441
MARCH ENGINEERING (NUNEATON) LIMITED
At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the above-named Company, duly convened, and held at 35 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham B3 1EH, on 16 July 2004, at 10.30 am, the following Resolution was duly passed:
"That it has been proved to the satisfaction of this Meeting that the Company cannot, by reason of its liabilities, continue its business, and that it is advisable to wind up the same, and accordingly that the Company be wound up voluntarily, and that M T Coyne, of Poppleton & Appleby, 35 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham B3 1EB, be and is hereby appointed Liquidator for the purposes of such winding-up."
R B March
↓ I came across this photo on the geograph website. click here to see the source
This photo shows the former Clarkson International Tools site, King Edward Road, Nuneaton.
This was the site of the head office of Clarkson International Tools or Clarkson Machine Tools until 2001.
The finishing stages of the demolition of the buildings can be seen here.
↓ This logo caught my eye.
↓ This photo of a milling catalogue also caught my eye. I like the colours.
Note the Clarkson logo.
