Monument record 10905 - Flookersbrook Foundry, Charles Street, Chester

An iron foundry, later engineering works, has been in operation on Charles Street since the start of the 19th century. First recorded in 1805 as the Flookersbrook Iron Foundry by Cole, Whittle and Company it later came under the sole ownership of the Johnson family in the 1830s. The foundry, continuing to operate under the name Johnson and Ellington from 1869 onwards, probably formed the core of the engineering works. The company continued to operate until 1971. (1)

A foundry is first recorded in this approximate location on Neele's map of 1809 as an L shaped structure fronting the east side of Charles Street. Documentary sources suggest this foundry was the Flookersbrook Foundry, established 1805, by Cole, Whittle and Company (2).

By the 1830s the foundry was owned solely by the Johnson family. Contemporary maps indicate the L shaped structure still in existence but with two additional structures to the south and a long narrow range to the south of the main entrance from Charles Street. (3)

By the late 19th century, the Ordnance Survey Town Plans probably provide the most detailed layout of the site consisting of the main office complex along Charles Street with the main gate and weigh bridge below. The centre of the site was occupied by a limited railway system radiating from a central capstan providing access to all the main workshops. There is a brass and iron foundry to the north of the site on Egerton Street with its own street entrance, two machine workshops (No 3 & 4) with their own entrance and finally a third machine workshop (No 2) at the corner of Egerton Street and Samuel Street. In 1880 the works was re-established as the London Hydraulic Company replacing the foundry works with high pressure water systems. (1)

In the early 20th century new buildings added to the site included an erecting shop (added 1908) on Egerton Street, an extension to No 4 machine shop and a second erecting shop in 1911. Also in this period, a second foundry on the junction between Egerton Street and Crewe Street was demolished. (1)

<1> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2004, Residential Development at the Site of the Former Hydraulic Engineering Company, Egerton Street, Chester. A Programme of Building Recording & Archaeological Watching Brief, R2491 (Client Report). SCH4508.

<2> Neele, Samuel John, 1809, Plan of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH6512.

<3> Wood, J, 1833, Plan of the City of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH5258.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1872-1875, Metric Ten Foot Scale Town Plan of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH6780.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1928-1954, Ordnance Survey Third Revision County Series (Epoch 4) 6 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH4533.