Title
Works photographic negative of cable drum on lorry, WT Glover & Co. Ltd works, Trafford Park
Reference
YA1972.36/MS0231/Neg 1738
Production date
1933 - 1933
Scope and Content
Shows Glover's cable drum on Morris Commercial lorry for Stretford Pageant.
Level of description
ITEM
Repository name
Science and Industry Museum
Associated people and organisations
- W T Glover & Co LtdBiographyBiography
Walter T Glover established his wire manufacturing company in 1868, occupying premises at the Bridgewater Street Iron Works in Salford. W T Glover & Co, known as Glover’s, originally made cotton-covered and braided, insulated copper wires for use on bell, signalling and telephone circuits. As trade developed, the company moved to the Springfield Lane Cable Works in 1880. At this time, factories and larger private homes were beginning to install electric lighting, which required better insulated cable. Glover's started to manufacture cables covered with between one and three layers of rubber strip, waterproof tape and compounded cotton braid. In the late 1880s, Glover's began to make lead-sheathed cables for underground use. The company became a limited company and moved to Trafford Park in 1898, securing the exclusive rights for the supply of electricity to all the roads, streets and premises of Trafford Park. In June 1919, Vickers Ltd took over Glover's. Although Vickers held most of the shares, Glover's kept its name and management. In 1929 the Vickers group reorganised and sold its shares in Glover's to Sir Tom Callendar of Callendar Cable and Construction Co. Some shares later went to W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works Ltd. and British Insulated Cables.
In 1945, Glover’s became part of British Insulated Callenders Cables Limited, following the merger of Callenders Cable and Construction Co and British Insulated Cables.
During the 1950s, Glover’s developed high voltage submarine power cables, used to link centres of population with sources of generation. The parent company formed a subsidiary, BIC (Submarine) Cables Ltd, to manufacture and install the Glover’s cables. Glover's submarine cables linked England and France, and the north and south islands of New Zealand. Increasing competition from other cable manufacturing companies resulted in the south side of Glover’s Trafford Parks works integrating with the newly formed Wiring and General Cables Division of the British Insulated Cables Company (BICC). The Trafford Park factory closed in 1970, but the Glover’s brand continued as part of BICC.
- Morris Commercial Cars LimitedBiographyBiography
Morris Commercial Cars Limited was formed as a private company by William Morris in 1924, after he took over the plant and premises of E. G. Wrigley and Co., at Soho in Birmingham, this included 200 machines designed for the manufacture of motor-car components, and c. 350 employees. The company commenced production of commercial vehicles, usually in the payload range from 1 ton upwards, thus supplementing the light commercial vehicles made by Morris Motors Limited at Cowley. Later Morris Commercial took over the former Wolseley factory at Adderley Park in Birmingham.
In 1936, Morris sold Morris Commercial Cars to Morris Motors Limited. The use of the Morris Commercial name on vehicles was discontinued in 1967-68.
- W.H. Smith & Son
Subject
Conditions governing access
Open access.
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions.