TheSpeedwellIronworksandtheLidgerwoodStory.

Kerne’stripleexpansionsteamenginewasbuiltinabout1912byW.V.V.Lidgerwood,SpeedwellIronworks,Coatbridge,Scotland.

Hereisthestoryandbackstoryofthecompany.

WhySpeedwell?ThenameSpeedwellhasagreatresonanceintheearlycolonialhistoryofNorthAmerica.

InJuly1620theshipSpeedwellsetsailfromDelfshaveninHollandcarryingEnglishPuritanswhohadfledEnglandsomeyearsearliertopracticetheirformofreligioninLeidenHolland.TheSpeedwellsetsailfromPlymouthUKlaterthatyearincompanywiththeMayflowercarryingthosewhohavebecomeknownasthePilgrimFatherstotheNewWorld.

Whentheshipswereabout300milesoffshoreshewasforcedtoreturntoPlymouthastheSpeedweelwasmakingtoomuchwater.BothshipsreturnedtoPlymouthandonethirdofSpeedwell’scomplimentwereaccommodatedonMayflowerandthevoyagecommencedagain.

MayflowermadelandfallatCapeCodinNovember1620andthe“Pilgrims”ofMayflowerandSpeedwellcontingentsetupthePlymouthColony.

In1656anothership,alsonamedSpeedwellafterthefirstvessel,leftUKandsetupacolonyinMassachusettsBay.

By1710thecolonistshadmovedafewmilesinlandtosetupwaterpoweredIronWorksonthefastflowingWhippanyRiverinwhatisnowNorthernNewJersey.Ironstonewasavailableinthesurroundinghillsaswasaplentifulsupplyoftimberforfuel.In1736oneoftheironworkswaslistedas“TheOldSpeedwellForge”anditispossiblethatthefounderofthisworkshadassociationswitheitherthe1620SpeedwellcontingentaboardMayflowerorthe1656Speedwellship.ThisareabecameakintoaUKIronbridgeGorgeofNorthAmerica.

In1802(laterJudge)StephenVail(1780-1864),ablacksmith,withtwoothersboughtSpeedwellIronworks,atthattimeanironsplittingmillandforge.LeadbyStephenVail,whobecameknownforhisprecisecalculationsandmethods,thesplittingmillwasconvertedintoawroughtandcastironsmeltingworksandbecameverysuccessful.Vailhadboughtouthispartnersby1815.HisengineeringachievementsweremanyandvariedandheisregardedasoneofthefoundersoftheAmericanindustrialrevolution

In1818whilstVailwasinstallingasteamengineinamillinSavannahhebecamefriendswithCaptainMosesRogers.BetweenthemtheyplannedtobuildasteamshipthatcouldcrosstheAtlantic.Theshipwhichwasonly98ftlongby25ft10inchesbeamwasbuiltfortheSavannahSteamShipCompanyatFickett&CrockettshipyardNewYork;itwasfittedwithcabinsforabout40passengersandhadlittlecargocapacity.StephenVailbuiltthesteamengineatSpeedwellIronworksNewJerseyfortheS.S.SavannahwhichbecamethefirststeampoweredvesseltocrosstheAtlantic.TheshipwasbroughttoElizabethtownPointthenearestaccessibleplacetoSpeedwellIronworkswhichwasatMorristown,18milesdistant.TheSpeedwellenginewhichhadonecylinder40inchesindiameterwithastrokeof5ftwasaccompaniedbyasmallerairpumpwasinstalledtogetherwithtwoironboilers24ftlongand6ftdiameterrunningat20psi“forsafety”.Shecarried75tonsofcoaland25cordsofwood.Thepaddlewheelscouldbedismantledinabouthalfanhourwhentheweatherwasunfavourableforsteaming.SavannahsailedandsteamedfromNewYorktoSavannah,alargecottonexportingportintheDeepSouthwhichhadclosetradinglinkswithLiverpool.HershewasviewedbytheUSPresidentJamesMonroe.ShethensailedandsteamedforLiverpoolonthe22ndMay1819.ScepticsdubbeditTheSteamCoffin.

Iwouldguessthattheenginebuilder’splatesaid.

StephanValeEngineer

SpeedwellIronworksMorristown.

ImagesofS.S.SavannahandtheS.S.SavannahCommemorativeFountainatSavannah.

J.L.Busch’sexcellentbookgivesthefullstoryofS.S.Savannah.

The20thJune1819wasaperfectsummerday;S.S.SavannahhadsaileduptheIrishSeahavingexhaustedhercoalbunkers.AttheMerseyentrance,whilstawaitingthetidetocrossthebarshestowedhersails,deployedthepaddlewheelsandlitthefiresonanemergencywoodsupply.At5pmathintrailofsmokecouldbeseenfromtheWirralshorerisingontheWesternhorizon.ThesignalstationatBidstonHillhavinggivenwarning,everyvantagepointalongtheRiverMerseyandtheroovesofbuildingwerethrongedwithsightseerswhohadbeenadvisedtoexpectthearrivalofthesteamship.Aflotillaofboatsputouttogreettheship.Havingtaken29daysofwhich18wereundersteam,shearrivedatLiverpooltogreatpraiseandacclaim,berthingatLiverpool“withouttheuseofasinglesheetofsail”.AsshecarriednocargosheanchoredintheRiverMerseyoffthevillageofTranmere.Sheremainedfor25daysandwasservedbyMerseyferrysteamboatswhichrantoTranmereJettytotransportthemany“worthyandcurious”visitorstotheship.TheBritishgovernmentwereworriedbyherarrival.TheyrealisedthattheUSwerefaraheadoftheminseagoingmarinesteamtechnologyandtheysentrepresentativestoviewtheship.TheyfeareditwouldbeofferedtotheFrenchwhoBritainhadonlyrecentlydefeated.Theexhaustedcoalbunkershavingbeenrefilled,presumablywithLancashirecoalcarriedbysailingflattoTranmereanchorage,shesailedtoElsinore,DenmarkthencetoStPetersburgThere,shewasviewedbyinterestedrepresentativesoftheKingofSwedenandTheRussianTsar.WhilstwellrememberedintheUS,theSSSavannahandherfirststeamcrossingoftheAtlantichasbeenlargelyexpungedfromBritishpopularhistory.Tocommemoratethevoyagethe22stMayisdesignatedNationalMaritimeDayintheUSA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFz9ZUoZflg

ThefirstnuclearfuelledsteamturbinecargoshipwasbuiltintheUSin1962andwasnamedN.S.SavannahaftertheS.S.SavannahtocommemoratetheearlierSpeedwellenginesteamvessel.

SheispreservedasamuseumshipatBaltimoreandissupportedbyapreservationsociety.MostofherwincheswerebuiltbyLidgerwood(Superior-Lidgerwood-Mundy).

BelowisthemainlobbyofNSSavannahwithamodelof1819SSSavannahonshow.

SpeedwellIronworksbuiltpartsforsomeveryearlyAmericansteamrailwaylocomotives.TheysuppliedpartsforTomThumbof1829,thefirstsuccessfulAmericanrailwaylocomotive.In1838theycompletedthelocoSpeedwellfortheBaldwinLocomotiveCompanyofwhichStephenVailbecameaDirector,TheCompanyforatimebecomingBaldwin,Vail&Co.

JudgeStephanVailhadtwosonsAlfredandGeorgewhowentintotheSpeedwellIronworksbusiness.AlfredVailworkedwithSamuelMorseatSpeedwellIronworkstoperfecttheelectrictelegraph.In1838thefirstsuccessfultransmissionoftheelectrictelegraphusingMorsecodewasmadefromabuildingattheSpeedwellIronworks,(buildingnowpreservedatMorristown,seephotobelow).TheVailfamilyandtheSpeedwellcompanysharedthepatentrightstothesystemwithMorse.

Below.

TheoldforgesiteatSpeedwellLake.

ThepreservedwaterwheelhouseofSpeedwellIronworks,theVail/Morsebuilding,atMorristown.

EarlysceneinsideSpeedwellIronworks.

In1847,hisfirstwifehavingdied,StephanVailmarriedMaryLidgerwood,awidowwithfivechildren.HerfirstsonbyherfirstmarriagewasJohnH.Lidgerwoodwhowas“puttoworktolearntheIronworksbusiness”atSpeedwell.

OnJudgeStephanVail’sretirementGeorgeVailbecameManagerofSpeedwellIronworks,hewassucceededbyJohnHLidgerwood(Snr)whobecamePresidentofthecompany.

In1876theLidgerwoodManufacturingCompanywasreformed.JohnH.Lidgerwood(Jnr)andhisbrotherWilliamVanVleckLidgerwoodseemedtocontroloperations.TheyremovedtheworksfromthehistoricSpeedwellsitebytheWhippanyRiver(sitenowpreserved)tothenewSpeedwellIronworksatRedHook,Brooklyn,neartheAtlanticBasinandTheSpeedwellIronworks,Coatbridge,Scotland.ThemachineryfromSpeedwellWhippanyRiverwassenttoCoatbridgeandBrooklyn.TheRedHookbuildingissubjecttoapreservationorder.

TheUSoperation,LidgerwoodManufacturingCo.,specialisedinmarinewinches,loggingwinchesandgear,coffeeandsugarmills,stockyard(shunting)winchesandgeneralheavyliftinggear.TheLidgerwoodLoggingTowerSkidder(anoverheadsteamloggingsystem)wasparticularlysuccessful;onesetofequipmentispreservedwithits85fthighrailmountedtower.ThetermTheLidgerwoodcametobeusedasagenericnameintheloggingtradefortheskidderandonrailroadsusingthere“rapidunloader”system.Theskidderwassaidtobe“moredangerousthanwar”,butwasveryeffective.LidgerwoodManufacturingalsosetupaSpeedwellworksinBrazil.By1892theyweresaidtobeoneofthebusiestandmostprosperousconcernsintheUS.,employing800menandhavingsoldover8000oftheir“famousengines”.In1896LidgerwoodsecuredthecontractforallcableandliftingsystemsforthebuildingofthePanamaCanal.

Belowisthepreserved1913typeLidgerwoodatTacoma.Itweighs260tonnes.

In1883W.V.VLidgerwoodwasco-founderofTheWashingtonAssociationofNewJerseyandwithfourotherAmericangentlemenboughtGeorgeWashington’shouseandwinterHQatMorristownandgaveittothenationasamuseumtothegreatman.W.V.V.gavemanyoftheoriginalitemsthathehadcollectedrelatingtothehouseandG.Washington.TheareabecamethefirstNationalParkintheUSAandtheoriginalSpeedwellIronworksbuilding,wheretheelectrictelegraphwasinvented,wasalsomovedtothesite.AbustofW.V.V.LidgerwoodasbenefactorisbeingdisplayedatthehouseuntilMarch2014aspartofanexhibitionabouthislife.

In1886W.V.V.Lidgerwoodhadbuilta$20,000pleasuresteamyachtthe“Speedwell”whichwaslaunchedintheErieBasin.HewasamemberofTheNewYorkYachtClubandlivedonSpeedwellAvenueMorristown.In1888W.V.V.LidgerwoodwaslistedasUSCharged’AffairesinBrazilwhereLidgerwoodManufacturingsetupaworks,(stillstanding).

Aboveisanimageofabuilder’splateofferedforsaleoneBayinB.A.Argentina,2011.

W.V.VLidgerwoodwhohadbecomeaglobalbusinessmansetuptheUKbasedarmofthefamilybusiness.HehadahouseandofficeinLondoninHanoverSquare,Mayfair,Londonbetween1906and1914.

TheUKworksofW.V.V.Lidgerwoodwassetupinabout1876intheNorthofGlasgow.ButsoonafterheeitherhadbuiltormorelikelyboughtwhatwasprobablyanexistingironworksandfactoryatTennantStreet,CoatbridgeinScotland.Theareawaslongestablishedasacentreofironsmeltingandmanufactureduetobothcoalandironstonebeingavailableinthearea.AswastraditionalwithLidgerwood’stheyadoptedthenameSpeedwellIronworkstoreferbacktotheirbeginningsintheWhippanyValleyUSA.SpeedwellCoatbridgebecameknownfor“extremelyfinetripleexpansionengines”fortrawlers,tugsandafewcoasters;theyalsomadestationaryenginestodriveplantandmachinery.ItissaidthataLidgerwoodSpeedwellIronworksCoatbridgeenginewasuntilrecentlystillatworkinLatinAmericadrivingajamfactory.TheSpeedwellCoatbridgeworksintheWhiffetareaofthetownwasextensiveandwasservedbyprivatesidingsfromTheNorthBritishRailway.

AW.V.V.Lidgerwood(1913)59nhpenginedcoasterleavesBirkenhead.LaterownedbyCoppackBrothers.Scrapped1961.

Howmanymarineengineswereproducedisnotknown,theyseemtohavebeengenerallyaboutthesamesizeorsomewhatlargerthanKerne’sengine.WeknowthatKerne’sengineisnumbered397andmusthavebeenbuiltin1912orbefore.IcanfindnodetailsofvesselswithenginesbuiltbyW.V.V.LidgerwoodatSpeedwellIronworksCoatbridgeafterearly1914.Ontheoutbreakofwarin1914thelargefirmofWilliamBeardmorewasgivenamassivemunitionscontractbyTheWarOffice.TheyhadinsufficientcapacitytomeetthedemandandboughtW.V.V.Lidgerwood’s,amongstotherfactoriesincludingAlleyand

MacLellan“Sentinel”worksofGlasgowandShrewsbury.(Kerne’ssteeringsheavesaremadebySentinelprobablyfromthePolmadieworks).TheyintendedtoturnSpeedwellIronworksovertomunitionsproduction.HoweversomemarineenginebuildingseemstohavecontinuedattheSpeedwellIronworksunderBeardmoreownership.TheBeardmore,SpeedwellIronworks,CoatbridgeengineofthepreservedtugS.S.Mastersissaidtohavebeenconstructedin1916.ThisengineisverysimilartoKerne’sLidgerwoodbuiltunit,thedesigndoesnotseemtohavechanged.OritmaybeaLidgerwoodproductthatwasinstockandmarketedasBeardmoreafterthetakeover.

TwoSpeedwellIronworksmarineenginessurvive,bothinworkingorder.

SSMasterengine9.625”x15.5”x26”,18”stroke.100rpm.332hp.

Seehttp://ssmaster.org/gallery/videos/MasterispreservedinVancouver,Canada.

STKerneengine10”x17”x28”stroke18”,about.100rpm.400hp

Seehttp://www.tugkerne.co.uk/apps/videos/videos/show/937461-kerne-s-engines

KerneispreservedinLiverpoolU.K.

Inthe1920’sBeardmoreproducedcarsatCoatbridge,includingasmallrunof4litrecarsthe“Beardmore30”attheoldSpeedwellworks.MarineoilengineswerealsobuiltatCoatbridge,nonewereverysuccesful.Between1920and1922JohnReith(lateLordReith

oftheBBC)wasGeneralManageroftheSpeedwellworks.In1928Beardmore,bythattimeheavilyindebtandunderthecontrolofVickers,closedtheSpeedwellCoatbridgeworks.

In1937theworkswassoldtoMartinBlack&Co(WireRopes)LtdandbecameTheSpeedwellWireWorks,Coatbridge.Itclosedin1962andthesiteisnowmodernindustrialunits.

SpeedwellIronworks,Coatbridge,underMartinBlack(WireRopes)ownershipintheearly1960’s.

W.V.V.’sgrandsonalsoWilliamVanVleckLidgerwoodwasakeensupporterandpatronofTheFarmingtonMuseum,TheHillsteadMuseumandTheWadsworthAthenaeumandamemberofTheFarmingtonHistoricSocietyHewasbornintheoldfamilyhome“Speedwell”anddiedatMartha’sVineyardin2011.Heissurvived(in2011),bytwodaughters.

LidgerwoodManufacturingrelocatedtoElizabeth,NewJerseyin1944.In1947TheSuperiorIronWorksofSuperior,Wisconsinwaspurchased.ItformedJ.S.MundyHoistingEngineCompanyandSuperior-Lidgerwood-Mundy.Bythe1950’sallmanufacturingwasatWisconsinwithofficesinNewYorkCity.

TodaythecompanyofSuperior-Lidgerwood-MundyhasconsolidatedalloperationstoWisconsinandstillmanufacturemarinewinchesandliftingequipmentitswebsiteproudlytracesitsrootsbacktoSpeedwellIronworksin1802andJohnHLidgerwoodin1873.

Lidgerwood Manufacturing, our parent company, has a long and illustrious past starting in 1873 as a continuation of the Speedwell Iron Works of Morristown, New Jersey. Speedwell was established in 1802 by Judge Steve Vail, stepfather of John H. Lidgerwood Sr. In Speedwell Works, the predecessor to Lidgerwood, much of the important engineering work of the early part of the 19th Century occurred. Among the highlights were the development of the electric telegraph, which was first designed and operated in one of the Speedwell shops by Professor Morse and Alfred Vail. The machinery for the SS Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, was also built in Speedwell Works.

http://www.lidgerwood.com/

Kerne’s,1912Lidgerwood,SpeedwellIronworks,Coatbridgeengine,cantraceitshistoricallineagedirectlytoStephanVail’sSpeedwellIronworks,MorristownUSA.

ItisremarkableandhappycoincidencethatKerneispreservedinworkingorderatLiverpool,theportofarrivaloftheSpeedwellIronworkspoweredS.S.Savannah,which

madethefirststeampoweredcrossingoftheAtlantic1819.