The Lilleshall Company

The Lilleshall Company began in a partnership formed in 1764 between Granville Earl Gower and Thomas and John Gilbert. In 1880 it became a limited company and in 1888 took over the Snedshill Bar Iron Company, which had existed since 1836. It was engaged in a multitude of industries including coal-mining, ironstone, limestone and Clay mining; in the manufacture of clay products; in iron and steel making and finishing; and in light and heavy engineering.

In 1898 the 20 inch rolling mill was removed from Snedshill to Priors Lee. In 1860 The Lilleshall Company started another branch for engineering at St Georges known locally as The New Yard, from which have been turned out some of the largest and best designed pumping engines for furnaces and rolling mill engines for iron and steel works, but these works closed in 1930 with the loss of 1000 jobs. The East front had 10 offices in Gower Street for managers, colliery viewers, engineers and clerks.

The Priorslee Rolling Mill and Furnaces from the air, now a business park. 

The company developed large-scale industry in a previously agricultural and sparsely populated area, and had no alternative but to provide all the necessary transport, water and schools in the district.

The Lilleshall Company often made to their own steam locomotives, which were not designed for sale or export. Here is one of these engines which would have spent its life pulling small wagons up and down the mineral lines which connected to Lilleshall Company concerns in the North Coalbrookdale Coalfield. One of these engine won an international engineering competition and was lowered down Station Hill on blocks, to be placed on the main line to London.

This photograph shows the samples of iron having been drilled and bent to prove the quality of the material.

This hydraulic ram was situated at the base of the Priors Lee furnaces.

Here is a twin winding engine for a coalmine

And here is a crushing mill

This picture shows the two beam blowing engines, David and Sampson, which provided the blast for to Priors Lee furnaces. They have now been removed to the Blists Hill Open Air Museum.

The Lilleshall Company built houses for its workers which were luxurious for the time. There are many such rows dotted around St. Georges.                        

The New Yard today. On the far right is the clock tower over the works entrance.