Waterloo Ironworks

Taskers of Andover were an Andover, Hampshire based metal works and engineering company, which became better known in the latter half of the 20th century for their lorry trailers. After 170 years in operation, the company became first part of the John Brown company, and then sold to Montracon, where it was quietly closed.

In 1806, Robert Tasker of Stanton St Bernard, Wiltshire travelled from his father's blacksmith business to Abbotts Ann, Hampshire to join the forge ironworks business of Thomas Maslen. In 1809, he took over the business, but due to his non conformist Christian views, Tasker found business hard, and was forced to bid for work from further afield.

In 1813, Tasker and his brother William founded the Waterloo Ironworks in the Anna Valley. The site, built on chalk strata, gave access to coal and iron ore via the Andover Canal, and offered waterwheel power from the Pillhill Brook. The works came into operation in 1815, hence it is named after the great Battle of Waterloo. The brothers entered into a partnership with George Fowle, a relative of Robert's wife, Martha.

As the industrial revolution gathered pace, a series of riots began. Started in Kent by a Captain Swing, a group of 300 agricultural workers entered the works 20 November 1830, causing considerable damage. 30 men were arrested by Special constables, for which 14 were tried, 4 acquitted, and 10 eventually transported to penal colonies in Australia.

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