Chelmsford. The former site of Colonel Crompton's Arc Works 2008
Chelmsford's Writtle Road at the junction with Parkinson Drive at the site of the former Arc Works built by Colonel Crompton.
Colonel Rookes Evelyn Bell Crompton (1845–1940) was an innovator of electrical engineering and was a pioneer of electric street lighting and electric traction motors in the UK. The company he founded also manufactured electrical switchgear, alternators and generators for power stations in the UK and worldwide.
Crompton set up his original factory known as the 'Arc Works' in Queen Street in 1878. After a fire destroyed that factory in 1885 he built a new electrical engineering factory also called the 'Arc Works' on the site here in Writtle Road. He called his new company 'Crompton and Co'. In 1927 it became Crompton Parkinson after the 'Crompton and Co' algamated with another UK electrical engineering company 'F&A Parkinson Ltd' to become the well known 'Crompton Parkinson Ltd'. During World War II the factory was frequently bombed by the Luftwaffe. In 1969 the company was downsized and operations moved elsewhere after a takeover by the Hawker Siddeley group. The site was then taken over by Marconi Radar Systems Ltd.
The Marconi factory closed in the early 1990s after years of decline and after a few years of dereliction, the site was demolished except for the front building. The awful housing development called 'The Village' was opened around 1999 with as many houses and flats crammed into the site as possible. At least the developers had the good sense to name the roads Rookes Crescent, Evelyn Place, Crompton Street and Parkinson Drive as fitting tributes to the Colonel Crompton who contributed to the majority of the history of the area all those years ago.
Chelmsford. The former site of Colonel Crompton's Arc Works 2008
Chelmsford's Writtle Road at the junction with Parkinson Drive at the site of the former Arc Works built by Colonel Crompton.
Colonel Rookes Evelyn Bell Crompton (1845–1940) was an innovator of electrical engineering and was a pioneer of electric street lighting and electric traction motors in the UK. The company he founded also manufactured electrical switchgear, alternators and generators for power stations in the UK and worldwide.
Crompton set up his original factory known as the 'Arc Works' in Queen Street in 1878. After a fire destroyed that factory in 1885 he built a new electrical engineering factory also called the 'Arc Works' on the site here in Writtle Road. He called his new company 'Crompton and Co'. In 1927 it became Crompton Parkinson after the 'Crompton and Co' algamated with another UK electrical engineering company 'F&A Parkinson Ltd' to become the well known 'Crompton Parkinson Ltd'. During World War II the factory was frequently bombed by the Luftwaffe. In 1969 the company was downsized and operations moved elsewhere after a takeover by the Hawker Siddeley group. The site was then taken over by Marconi Radar Systems Ltd.
The Marconi factory closed in the early 1990s after years of decline and after a few years of dereliction, the site was demolished except for the front building. The awful housing development called 'The Village' was opened around 1999 with as many houses and flats crammed into the site as possible. At least the developers had the good sense to name the roads Rookes Crescent, Evelyn Place, Crompton Street and Parkinson Drive as fitting tributes to the Colonel Crompton who contributed to the majority of the history of the area all those years ago.