Former type Public Fate Acquired Founded 1820 Defunct 2004 | Industry Engineering Headquarters Wolverhampton Successor Clarke Chapman | |
Products Nuclear engineering
Boilers
Pressure vessels | ||
John Thompson Limited was a major engineering business based in Wolverhampton offering products for the nuclear engineering industry.
History
The Company was founded by William Thompson as a general engineering concern in or around 1820 in Wolverhampton. In 1850 the business passed to William's brother, Stephen, and in 1860 it passed to William's son, John, and within ten years it was concentrating on manufacturing boilers.
By 1914 it had expanded into motor pressings; during World War I it made cowlings for Sopwith aircraft and in World War II it made airscrews for Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft.
In the 1950s, as part of a consortium with AEI, it was awarded a contract to supply boilers and reactor pressure vessels for Berkeley nuclear power station.
In 1970 the business was acquired by Clarke Chapman and in 2004 the Ettingshall Works finally closed.