harrison castings 1911-2011

H A R R I S O N C A S T I N G S L T D

HC book final 110512:Layout 1 19/5/11 10:48

Harrison Castings LimitedGough Road, Leicester LE5 4AP, UK

Telephone: +44 (0) 116 276 9351Fax: +44 (0) 116 246 0199

Email: [email protected]: www.harrisoncastings.com

Produced by Hargrave DesignThis edition printed in March 2011

© Harrison Castings 2011

Inside back cover photographyby Rosie Harrison


H A R R I S O N C A S T I N G S

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B A S E D I N L E I C E S T E R F O R 1 0 0 Y E A R S , H A R R I S O N C A S T I N G S L T D

I S N O W T H E L A R G E S T A N D M O S T T E C H N I C A L LY A D VA N C E D

A L U M I N I U M S A N D F O U N D R Y I N T H E U K .

Robert CharlesHarrison. Founder ofR.C. Harrison & SonsLtd. 1874 - 1949

To celebrate our centenary we haveproduced this photographic record ofthe company’s earliest beginnings upto the present day. This record notonly represents the history of HarrisonCastings but also gives an insight intofoundry life over three generations offamily ownership.

Its founder Robert Charles Harrison,who had already worked for 20 yearsfrom the age of 17 with iron founders

S Russell & Sons, set up his own small foundryin the stables behind his home in the village ofKeyham in 1911. Today the foundry employs 120personnel and produces over 1,500 tons ofaluminium sand castings per annum for nationaland international markets.

HC book final 110512:Layout 1 19/5/11 10:48 Page 1


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Articles of indenture dated 1891


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Robert Charles Harrison (founder of R.C. Harrison & Sons Ltd)

was born in 1874 in Leicester.

At the age of 17 he was apprenticed to S. Russell & Sons (Iron Founders)

of Leicester.

Staff at S Russell & SonsLeicester 1891Robert Charles Harrison,aged 17, front row thirdfrom right



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In 1911 he left S Russell & Sons andestablished his own foundry in a stable

at the rear of his home, The WhiteHouse, Keyham in Leicestershire.

First employees of Robert Charles Harrison’s foundry inKeyham 1923. L-R: Tom Smith, Clarrie Timson, Tom Buswell.Seated: Bert Sanderson, Len Perkins, Les Newcombe


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Clarrie Timson atwork in the foundry

The Harrison children in apump liner casting 1919



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In 1919 Robert Harrison purchasedsome derelict property in Causeway

Lane, Leicester, and establishedanother foundry.

In 1930 the foundry in Keyham was runby Robert Harrison and the one in

Causeway Lane by Rowles Harrison,both sons of the founder.

The company’s earliest customersincluded Gimson of Leicester,

J. M. Smith (Coppersmiths), Dryad, and Worthington SImpson.



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In 1939 the Keyham foundry was closedand the Causeway Lane foundry was

compulsorily purchased by theLeicester City Council.

The proceeds from the sale enabled anew foundry to be built in Gough Road.

Soon after, the company wasincorporated and became known as

R. C. Harrison & Sons Ltd.

The new foundry of R.C.Harrison & Sons,Gough Road, Leicester1939


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Employees at the GoughRoad foundry in 1940. George Kirby, Jack Platt, Cliff Holmes, Johnny Williamsand Charlie Latham

The same employeesreceived their 25-year longservice awards in 1965



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Rowles Harrison

Aluminium alloy compressorcastings, used on the firstjet engine to fly, designedby Frank Whittle


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Compressor casings cast in 1941 for Frank Whittle’s company, Power Jets Ltd.

The Gloster-Whittle E28/39 became the first turbojet powered aircraft to

fly successfully.

A model of the first jetengine to fly, made atthe Gough Road foundry.Now in South KensingtonScience Museum



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Aluminium castings produced in theGough Road foundry during the

1940’s and 1950’s.


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L-R Bill Randall & Charlie Latham,producing a sand mould for analuminium beam casting

15ft long aluminiumbeam castings made forWadkin Ltd, Leicester



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In 1949 Robert Charles Harrison died,and his sons Rowles and Robert

became Joint Managing Directors.

Post war expansion brought furthergrowth for the company.

Customers during this period included Wadkin, Jones & Shipman,

Adcock & Shipley, Stibbe and British United Shoe Machinery.

J R Harrison, Managing Director1949 - 1979

E R Harrison, Managing Director1949 - 1976


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One of the largest aluminium castings ever to be made was cast at the Gough Road foundry in 1953.

15ft diameter, 4 tonnealuminium wheel made forDunlop of Leicester



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Bronze Cross (10ft high) and candlesticks (7ft high)commissioned for St Paul’s Cathedral, London in 1958


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Members of the Institute ofBritish Foundrymen visit thefoundry in the 1950’s. L-R, from man in white smock:George Turner, Rowles Harrison,Robert Harrison, Frank Large,Tony Sharp

Works outing toSkegness in the 1950’s.L-R Rowles Harrison,Winifred Alsopp, office manager

The Gough Road foundry in the 1950’s.



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Castings produced at the Gough Roadfoundry during the 1960’s.

L-R Horace Gwinnettand Robert E Harrison

The training school wasestablished in 1965 forfoundry apprentices


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Aluminium casting forGEC turbines



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Jack Platt casting mould


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The foundry during the 1970’s.

Electric furnaceinstalled in 1977

Santoch Singh and Tadeusz ‘Skud’ Szkudlapskicasting bronze

Robert and David Harrison,sons of Rowles Harrison,appointed joint ManagingDirectors in 1979



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The foundry during the 1980’s.

In 1988 the company became jointlyowned by Robert & Peter Harrison,

grandsons of the founder.

New die-cast foundry. Brian Harrisonis picturedcentre inwhite coat

75 yearanniversarystand at the NECin 1986

Board of Directors, 1986. L-R Peter Harrison, Terry Lock,Robert Harrison, Rowles Harrison,David Harrison, Tony Sharp andBrian Harrison


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Mike Cole and Robert Harrisondiscuss the manufacture ofcastings for the Rolls RoyceWarrior fighting vehicle

Peter Harrison,joint Managing Director

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Robert Harrison,joint Managing Director

Non-ferrous metalmerchanting division



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During the early 1990’s and into the newmillennium the foundry moved away from

traditional green-sand moulding and introduced resin-bonded sands.

During this time the whole foundry was re-equipped and modernised.

In 1994 the company changed its name toHarrison Castings Ltd.

New fettling shop, 1994


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Despatch Warehouse

Fettling Shop

Gas turbineturbocharger castingweighing 105kgs


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With the demise of the machine tooland knitting machine industry in

Leicester, the company establishednew markets in the large diesel engine,power generation and medical sectors.

Diesel engine oil filterhousing weighing 74kgs



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Angola - Cummins QSK60 1 engine

Varian Medical body scanner


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Clients world-wide have benefitted from the company’s expertise.

The following photographs illustratesome current products incorporatingcastings produced by the company.

KMG PC5500w 2 x K1500E mining shovel,Yakutiya, Russia, powered with Cummins engine

Cummins enginesmanufactured in Daventry

SGT-400 Gas Turbine,Siemens, Lincoln

Chuquicamata Mine, Chile



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Vessel propelled by one CumminsQSK60-M 2200hp engine

Komatsu 930E witha Cummins QSK783500HP engine


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BJ Services Gorilla Fracturing pump,powered by a Cummins QSK60 engine

Oil and Gas ESBapplication, Argentina.5 x Cummins QSV91 and5 turbines In parallel



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Photo imaging drumweighing 250kgs


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Thank you

The company is now the largestaluminium sand foundry in the UnitedKingdom and currently employs some

120 personnel, producing over 1,500 tonsof aluminium sand castings per annum.

to all our employees, customers andsuppliers past and present, for their support

and dedication.

Board of Directors 2011Standing l-r: Martin Beach, Finance Director; Mick Jenny, Technical Director; Mike Cole, Managing Director

Seated l-r: Peter Harrison, Joint Chairman; Robert Harrison, Joint Chairman


We manage the foundry.

We make the moulds.

We run the office.

We sell the castings.

We make the cores.

We make the patterns.

We make the moulds.

We inspect the castings.


We fettle the castings.

We fix the machines.

We deliver the castings.

I clean up after everyone.

We do the lifting.

We melt the metal.


harrison castings 1911-2011

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