Vickers Ltd
Biography
Vickers, Sons & Company Ltd was formed in 1867. It was based initially in Sheffield, where the head office was attached to the steelworks at the River Don Works. The company did not have a London address until it acquired the Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Company Ltd in 1897, and inherited a suite of offices at 32 Victoria Street.
In its early years the company concentrated on the production of high quality steel castings. By the start of the twentieth century, however, it was producing a wide range of military equipment. Vickers expanded into other areas, acquiring the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company, and building the first British submarine and airship. By 1911 there was a need for a stronger presence near Whitehall, which had become the company's major customer, and the head office moved from Sheffield to extensive premises in Broadway, Westminster, which were named Vickers House. During these years the company developed a wide variety of military aircraft, and it was a Vickers Vimy that completed the first non-stop Atlantic crossing in 1919.
In 1927 Vickers merged with the greater part of the company Armstrong-Whitworth of Newcastle to form Vickers-Armstrongs. Armstrong's had been formed by W.G. Armstrong, later Lord Armstrong, who established an engineering works on Tyneside in 1847 to manufacture his newly-invented hydraulic machinery. The firm had developed on similar lines to Vickers, producing a range of different guns, before expanding into naval ships and the car and truck business. It had become (Sir W.G.) Armstrong, Whitworth & Company Ltd (or Armstrong-Whitworth) following a merger with the business of Sir Joseph Whitworth in 1897.
Vickers-Armstrongs was involved heavily in the rearmament programme in the lead up to the Second World War, during which time the company played the major role in rearming the British Army. During the war the company moved its head office to three large Victorian houses on Bathwick Hill, Bath, close to where many Admiralty departments had taken up war-time occupation. The head office returned to Westminster in 1945, remaining there until moving to Millbank Tower in 1963.
After the war the company had four main areas of manufacture: aircraft, steel, shipbuilding and general engineering. Post-war, Vickers was responsible for the production of the first British nuclear submarine, the first British V-bomber and the Viscount and VC10 airliners.
Found in 53 Collections and/or Records:
Aircraft G-Bizz and Space, 1945 - 1990
Several groups of photographic slides sorted roughly into: NASA photos, Aircraft G-Bizz, and Space
AIRSHIPS and Australian and Atlantic Flights, 1890 - 1950
Loose photographs of airplanes and equipment related to transatlantic flight
Assorted Slides, 1965 - 1995
Slides loosely organized under following tabs: Rolls Royce Production, DSD General, and Trucast
Business Portrait Slides, 1985 - 1995
Slides organized into six tabs: Portraits Business Directors, Portraits Public Affairs, Portraits Directors 1990, Directors Portraits July 92, Report & Accounts Specials, and VPC 1990
Comforto V.F., 1960 - 1990
A group of slides relating to Vickers furniture show and production, sorted into four tabs: Comforto V.F. 9-12, Comforto V.F. 14-17A, Comforto VF Show 1-4, and Comforto VF Shows 17P-17S
Comforto V.F. FI IA-D, 1940 - 1990
Slides relating to the Comforto group, Vickers Furniture
Company Images, 1970 - 1995
Folder contains photographic slides divided into eight tabs, originally labeled: "Background - Blank," "V Backgrounds" [Vickers], "Defense"[sic], "Aerospace," "1991 Prelims/Interims 1992 Interims/Prelims," "AirShields S&W," "DSD Armstrong Wks," and "Rolls-Royce"
Company Slides, 1965 - 1995
Slides organized into six tabs: VPC, Graphics, Cosworth, Tank Silhouettes & Montages, Brierley Material, and Graphics "Growing The Company" "Vickers Is Boring"
Conoco Anchor Trials, 1980 - 1985
Documents relating the Conoco Anchor Trails - Chesterfield Prod. 256
Conservatrieve, 1970 - 1980
Correspondence re trade with China - aviation, 1961-1977
Correspondence re Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, 1963-1972
Correspondence and related papers regarding the business of Jardine, Matheson & Co. Ltd and the Jardine Engineering Corporation Ltd with Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd and its subsidiary Vickers-Armstrongs (Engineers) Ltd. The correspondence is comprised of originals and copies of letters to Matheson & Co. Ltd and copies of letters from the firm.
Correspondence re Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, 22 Dec. 1936-10 Nov. 1944
Desert Cargo, 1975 - 1985
Documents sorted into two parts: Desert Cargo and Data on: Desert Cargo. Conch Methane. a 35 mm Eastman color sound film held by Rank Film Labs Denham. Distributed by C.O.I. Inc Foreign Versions Conche.
Dora Dark Sound Tapes and Comforto Vic V-Fam., 1940 - 1990
Slides relating to the Vickers Furniture company
DSD Slides, 1965 - 1995
Slides organized into five tabs: Warrior, Michell, Challenger, DSD Armstrong Wks., and DSD Barnbow
Energy Production, 1975 - 1985
Documents detailing a presentation about energy and fuel production
Guns/Tanks/Other Products, 1910 - 1965
Photographs of military equipment and vehicles
History of Cheques, 1975 - 1985
Full title of file is Prod. 235. R.V.B.F. "History of Cheques"
HMS Sheffield and ShareSave, 1979 - 1985
Folder contains two document folders: Launch HMS Sheffield Prod 163. Held By Universal and ShareSave. Also contains a small group of photographic slides labeled South Africa Prod 250
Howson Algraphy, 1975 - 1985
Slides and documentation relating to Vickers Ltd owned Howson Algraphy, a printing plate manufacturer based in the UK, and its sales conference. Slides were labeled Howson ALGRAPHY, documents Howson-Algraphy Sales Conf. 226.
Howson-Algraphy, 1975 - 1985
Slides relating to the Howson Algraphy printing plate manufacturer, including a guide to the slides
Howson-Algraphy Prod. 182, 1975 - 1985
Documents relating to Howson-Algraphy production of printing materials
Hydro-Man and Hydraulics, 1975 - 1985
Contains two subfolders, Hydraulics Prod 213 and "Hydro-Man" (Hydraulics) Prod. Nos. 143
KTM Production, 1975 - 1985
Documents related to Kearney and Trecker Marwin Ltd, labeled KTM Prod 249
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 52
- Collection 1