Hamworthy Heating is asking local people to come forward with their memories of the company’s history.
The national commercial boiler manufacturer, based in Fleetsbridge, Poole, will be celebrating its 100 year old roots in June this year and is gathering stories and photographs about the company’s heritage.
Opened in 1914 by founders Percy and Sidney Hall, ‘Hamworthy Engineering Company Ltd’ has played a large role in shaping the economy of Poole as we know it today.
Originally housed on Poole Quay, the business quickly built a worthy reputation for high quality products, selling pumps and compressors for use in marine engineering – a side of the company that expanded rapidly during the First and Second World Wars.
The exceptional standard of products earned the firm one of the first Admiralty ‘Class A’ certificates to be issued to any firm in Britain and allowed products to be accepted without further quality control checks.
Post-war Britain saw the firm diversify products in order to thrive; joining with British Combustion Equipment Limited and providing oil-fired industrial installations – an innovative concept produced by the firm ahead of its time.
New ideas and exceptional quality saw the company expand to larger premises on ‘Fleets Corner’ in 1954, where Hamworthy Heating’s Head Office remains today.
During 1988 the rapid expansion of Hamworthy Engineering resulted in the company taking a fresh look at its diverse operations, which, although using related engineering skills, were each meeting different needs for different industries.
From the original divisions came new subsidiaries, each one registered as a limited company in its own right and the company known as Hamworthy Heating was born.
Bob Walsh, technical director at Hamworthy Heating, said: “In the 1960’s, the Hamworthy company said: The development of Hamworthy (Company) has depended on people who in their various capacities have served the company loyally and well. It is they who count most . . . whatever we say the company has done, they did. The same is true of Hamworthy Heating today and we are so keen to gather the memories people have of the Hamworthy Company’s part in the local community.”
He added: “Tracing our company history gives us a fascinating insight into the part it has played in shaping our local community, and in turn, how the local community has shaped the path of our business.
We would be delighted if people could share their memories of the firm’s past with us, as our company’s role in the local community is extremely important to us.”
We would be delighted if people could share their memories of the firm’s past with us, as our company’s role in the local community is extremely important to us.”
Hamworthy Heating hopes to use the memories collected to create a special exhibition panel of the Hamworthy firm’s past. To submit memories, please call Ellie Cowley at Liz Lean PR on 01202 701828 or email ellie.cowley@lizleanpr.co.uk before Wednesday 30 April.
