| AdminHistory | A forge and a small chain-making factory was founded by Noah Hingley (1796-1877) at Cradley, in the early 1800s. The company later produced pig iron for the manufacture of wrought iron. Noah Hingley leased mining areas from the Earl of Dudley in order to raise his own coal, limestone, and iron ore. Hingley's activities encompassed the Netherton Ironworks; The Harts Hill Iron Works; The Old Hill Furnaces; and various collieries. Until 1820, Noah Hingley was a nail master and maker of small chains, but by the 1830s, he had established himself as an ironmaster - manufacturing pig iron and wrought iron, before establishing his chain works at Netherton in 1837. It was one of, if not the largest cable making factory in the world. In 1848 he began making anchors and cables for the shipping industry. New extended premises were erected at Netherton in 1852. Noah Hingley died in 1877 and was succeeded by his son, Benjamin Hingley (1830-1905). He ran the company until 1895 when he was forced to retire due to a serious illness. The Company was then taken over by his nephews, George Benjamin Hingley (1850-1918), who became Managing Director, and Henry Montagu Hingley (1855-1909). George Benjamin Hingley was a long-standing member of the Midland Iron and Steel Wages Board; and served as vice-chairman of the South Staffordshire Ironmasters Association. By 1909, 90% of all Britain's production of chain took place in the Netherton and Cradley areas; and Hingley's was the largest chain manufacturer in that area, at one point, they were manufacturing some 10,000 tons of anchors and chains per year. Most of the big ocean-going liners of Cunard and other companies had anchors and chains made by Hingleys - for example in 1911, Hingley's manufactured the enormous 15 ½ ton anchor for the ill-fated SS Titanic. The anchor was pulled through the streets of Netherton by 20 shire horses, and the townspeople turned out to watch the spectacular event. They also made the anchor for the yacht of Tzar Nicholas of Russia.
Other companies were taken over from the early 20th century (some absorbed, others maintained as wholly owned subsidiaries, etc.) and further subsidiaries established. In the post-Second World War (1939-1945) era some dormant subsidiaries were revived and renamed as the group took on (albeit incompletely) a holding company-operating subsidiary pattern. Various activities were grouped (e.g. "Engineering") and in the 1960s subsidiaries and plants were rationalised. The whole group was absorbed by F.H. Lloyd and Company, Ltd. of Wednesbury in 1966 but the consequent reorganisation of management, subsidiaries and activities was not completed until 1970/71, at which time F.H. Lloyd was reconstructed as a holding company and Hingley's became one of its principal subsidiaries through which various of the old Hingley subsidiaries were controlled. |