Langlands foundry

Langlands foundry was Melbourne's first foundry and iron shipbuilder (1842–97). It was established in 1842 (only 8 years after the founding of the colony) by two Scottish immigrants, Robert Langlands (son of John Langlands, baker, of Dundee) and Thomas Fulton (ironmaster) (1813–1859) who had formed a partnership before emigrating. the business was known as the 'Langlands Foundry Co'.

Henry Langlands (1794-1863), left Scotland in 1846 with his wife Christian, née Thoms. and five surviving children to join his brother Robert. By the time he arrived in early January 1847 the partnership of Langlands and Fulton had dissolved as Fulton had gone off to establish his own works, and the two brothers took over ownership of Langlands foundry. Several years later Robert retired and Henry became sole proprietor.

The foundry was originally located on Flinders Lane between King and Spencer streets. Their sole machine tool, when they commenced business, was a small slide rest lathe turned by foot In about 1865 they moved to the south side of the river, to the Yarra bank near the Spencer Street Bridge, (now occupied by the Robur Tea building), and then in about 1886 they moved to Grant Street, South Melbourne, (later occupied by a subsidiary of the British steel firm Dorman Long & Company.

The works employed as many as 350 workers manufacturing a wide range of marine, mining, civil engineering, railway and general manufacturing components including engines and boilers. The foundry prospered despite high wages and the lack of raw materials it became known for high quality products that competed successfully with any imported articles. By the time of his retirement (shortly before his death) The foundry was one of the largest employers in the Victoria and was responsible for casting the first bell and lamp-posts in the colony. It also cast the boiler of the first train to run in Australia on the Hobson's Bay Railway and successfully launched the first iron vessel, a river tug 109 feet (33 m) in length. This event was cheered by over 3000 spectators. The business was carried on by his sons after Henry's death.

The company was responsible for fabricating the boiler for the first railway locomotive to operate in Australia, a 2-2-2WT configuration built in 1854 by Robertson, Martin & Smith for the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company. In the 1860s, they commenced manufacture of cast iron pipes for the Board of Works, which was then laying the first reticulated water supply system in Melbourne.;

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