1. The History
The “Record” trademark was first registered by C & J Hampton in in 1909. Charles and Joseph toolmakers and iron-founders located at Eagle Foundry in Livingston Road, Sheffield. Previously they started up in 1898 manufacturing marlin spikes and specialist castings. By 1908 they had became a limited company, producing engineering and woodworking vices, woodworking sashs, T-bar and floor cramps, wrenches and jacks.
Then in January 1931 they introduced a range of woodworking planes, based on the popular patterns of the Stanley Tool brand, in their No. 10 catalogue. Their factory relocated to Ouse Road in Attercliffe, Sheffield. In October 1934, C & J Hampton they purchase the manufacturing rights from John Rabone & Sons Ltd. for their iron planes and spoke shaves range. The firm moved into new premises at Parkway Works in 1963. In 1972, C & J Hampton Ltd. merged with William Ridgway Ltd. to form Record-Ridgway Tools Ltd and took on the manufacturing of wood boring tools, which was Ridgway’s core business. The in March 1981, AB Bahco, a Swedish chisel & woodworking tool company, bought Record-Ridgway Tools renaming it Record Holdings in 1985, before renaming it again three years later to Record Marples Ltd.
An old advert for their wares:
And a more recent one from the 60s:
During the 1990’s it was renamed a further three times; Record Tools Ltd in 1991, Record Holdings plc in 1993 and then Record Tools Ltd. Record Tools but was bought in 1998 by Irwin, the American conglomerate which closed the Parkway factory in Sheffield in 2003/2004 and moved production to China.
2. The Explore
The history on this place is a little confusing. The company was split over two sites. While the more frequently explored Parkway factory closed around 2003, operations here appear to ceased far more recently. The factory has been shut for a year or two by the looks of it and all the things of value removed. It’s now a bit of a shell but clean. ungraffed industrial space in Sheffield is something of a rarity these days so it was nice to spend an hour or so having a shufty round here. Predictibly, though, the metal faeries have clearly beaten a path to this place and done their thing. Shout out to @tarkovsky for the head’s up about here.
3. The Pictures
One of the best things about this place is the old gates:
A few externals:
A pair of hoppers:
i
Peek into the boiler room:
Small building next to the main factory:
This was the old substation part. Old switch gear:
The empty main factory space:
Crane controls:
A couple pics for @Mikeymutt
Canteen area:
Changing rooms:
CONTINUED...
The “Record” trademark was first registered by C & J Hampton in in 1909. Charles and Joseph toolmakers and iron-founders located at Eagle Foundry in Livingston Road, Sheffield. Previously they started up in 1898 manufacturing marlin spikes and specialist castings. By 1908 they had became a limited company, producing engineering and woodworking vices, woodworking sashs, T-bar and floor cramps, wrenches and jacks.
Then in January 1931 they introduced a range of woodworking planes, based on the popular patterns of the Stanley Tool brand, in their No. 10 catalogue. Their factory relocated to Ouse Road in Attercliffe, Sheffield. In October 1934, C & J Hampton they purchase the manufacturing rights from John Rabone & Sons Ltd. for their iron planes and spoke shaves range. The firm moved into new premises at Parkway Works in 1963. In 1972, C & J Hampton Ltd. merged with William Ridgway Ltd. to form Record-Ridgway Tools Ltd and took on the manufacturing of wood boring tools, which was Ridgway’s core business. The in March 1981, AB Bahco, a Swedish chisel & woodworking tool company, bought Record-Ridgway Tools renaming it Record Holdings in 1985, before renaming it again three years later to Record Marples Ltd.
An old advert for their wares:
And a more recent one from the 60s:
During the 1990’s it was renamed a further three times; Record Tools Ltd in 1991, Record Holdings plc in 1993 and then Record Tools Ltd. Record Tools but was bought in 1998 by Irwin, the American conglomerate which closed the Parkway factory in Sheffield in 2003/2004 and moved production to China.
2. The Explore
The history on this place is a little confusing. The company was split over two sites. While the more frequently explored Parkway factory closed around 2003, operations here appear to ceased far more recently. The factory has been shut for a year or two by the looks of it and all the things of value removed. It’s now a bit of a shell but clean. ungraffed industrial space in Sheffield is something of a rarity these days so it was nice to spend an hour or so having a shufty round here. Predictibly, though, the metal faeries have clearly beaten a path to this place and done their thing. Shout out to @tarkovsky for the head’s up about here.
3. The Pictures
One of the best things about this place is the old gates:
A few externals:
A pair of hoppers:
i
Peek into the boiler room:
Small building next to the main factory:
This was the old substation part. Old switch gear:
The empty main factory space:
Crane controls:
A couple pics for @Mikeymutt
Canteen area:
Changing rooms:
CONTINUED...
