| Description | These records were collated by Vivian Walker who worked for M. and W. Grazebrook Ltd from 1938 to 1986 when he was made redundant. Walker attended what was then the Upper Standard, Higher Elementary and Intermediate School, now the Sir Gilbert Claughton School. These records were deposited by Vivian Walker's daughter, who said whilst her father was studying drawing, a teacher told him to show his drawings to local firms, and when he showed them to M. and W. Grazebrook Ltd he was offered to start work that afternoon. He started as a draughtsman and then later became a quality assurance manager. Vivian Walker took these records in c1985 when the works moved to Gornal as they would have been disposed of otherwise. Vivian Walker passed away in 2016.
This company was based at Pear Tree Lane, Netherton. It made boilers mainly for ships and trains. Two other companies were associated with Grazebrook, and occupied the same building. These were Joseph Wright and Westwood & Wright.
Started in 1641 when Michael Grazebrook went into business at Stourbridge. In 1730 the family controlled a glass-works at Stourbridge, a mill and forge at Halesowen and a colliery at Coseley. The third Michael Grazebrook (1723-1766) started iron production instead of glass. His son Michael (1758-1826) moved to Netherton in 1800 and the firm was re-named after his two sons, Michael (who died 1838) and William. A new brick blast furnace was built and the forge sold. In 1860 the Glassworks was disposed of, and the Netherton ironworks connected to the railway. John Grazebrook went to study in Paris in 1848. He invented many machine and hand tools. Francis Grazebrook (1856-1945) took over the firm and streamlined and modernised it. In 1914 a new Company M. & W. Grazebrook Limited was formed. Cold blast pig iron and heavy fabrications have been the company's main products, but during World War II they manufactured 8,000lb and 12,000lb 'Blockbuster' bombs.
By 1968 the Grazebrook family no longer owned the company which had become part of the Hingley Group (for record of Hingley's, see catalogue ref: WRI).
Further administrative and biographical information regarding the company and family can be found in C10030/2/1 and C10030/8/1.
For further records relating to M. and W. Grazebrook Ltd please see catalogue reference DGR. |
| AdminHistory | The depositor's father, Vivian Walker, worked for Grazebrook from 1938 to 1986 when he was made redundant. Walker attended what was then the Upper Standard, Higher Elementary and Intermediate School, now the Sir Gilbert Claughton School. According to the depositor, whilst her father was studying drawing, a teacher told him to show his drawings to local firms, and when he showed them to Grazebrooks they said he could start work that afternoon. He started as a draughtsman and then later became a quality assurance manager. Walker took these records in c1985 when the works moved to Gornal as they would have been thrown away otherwise. The depositor said he died 18 months ago (c Mar 2016). |