Laycock Engineering
The Laycock Engineering Company Limited of Archer Road, Millhouses, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England was an engineering business established in 1884 by W S Laycock which made small and major components for railway rolling stock.
After Laycock died in 1916 the business passed through the hands of Charron, a French automobile manufacturer, into receivership from where it was bought by Sheffield engineer and shipbreaker Thos W Ward. Laycock was bought from Ward by a group of investors and put into the ownership of a new holding company, Birfield Limited, along with Hardy Spicer. Both Laycock and Hardy Spicer made transmission or driveline components for the automotive industry.
In 1966 Birfield, with Laycock and Hardy Spicer, were bought by the GKN group which was entering the automotive components field following government's announcement of the intended nationalisation of its GKN Steel.
Laycock's initial business was the manufacture of railway carriage and steamship fittings and underframe gear for railway coaches and locomotives. The range was extended to include axles, gearboxes, and motor chassis components, motorcar propellor shafts and the Layrub rubber bushed propellor shaft.
After 25 years of importing goods from USA following annual visits W S Laycock introduced for the first time in UK a method of steam heating carriages in a Great Northern train in 1893 following a few years of experience with a similar system in USA.
The carriage interiors of the 1908 Southern Belle "the most luxurious train in the world" later known as the Brighton Belle were built by W S Laycock's business in Sheffield.
By 1964 Laycock's principal products were: Laycock de Normanville overdrives and spring diaphragm clutches for the motor industry and flexible couplings also for industrial use. Dual clutches for tractors, garage equipment, railway air and vacuum brakes, control valves for fluids and gases were also manufactured.
William Samuel Laycock (1842-1916) of Upper Hallam, Ecclesall Bierlow, later of Oakbrook, Yorkshire, established this business as his personal sideline to a family business which was his principal occupation until well into the twentieth century. The long-established family business, Samuel Laycock and Sons Limited with branches in Crewkerne and Lavenham, manufactured hair seating and hair fabrics. Horsehair was particularly suited to use in the confined space of railway carriages as it did not retain offensive odours. Blinds made of hair fabric also screened carriage occupants from unwelcome sunshine and attention. In the 1911 census he described himself as a Government and Railway contractor of Oakbrook, Fulwood, Sheffield. W S Laycock was born in October 1842 and died 2 March 1916. At the time of his death he was also head, chairman of directors, of Cravens Limited. Laycock and his wife born Catherine Kirkby left no surviving children.
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