Accles & Pollock is a British tube manipulation company based in Oldbury, West Midlands.
History
The company was started in 1896 by James George Accles as Accles Ltd, based at Holford Mill in Perry Barr in Birmingham as a producer of cold-drawn steel tubing, with the aim of supplying it to the bicycle industry. Accles, employed by Colt 1867–1886, designed the Accles machine gun circa 1888; this was a modified Gatling gun. This company was liquidated in 1898 and Accles' secretary, Charles Barlow, took over, the company becoming the Accles Tube Syndicate, and being renamed Accles and Pollock in 1901, after financial backing was provided by Mr. Tom Pollock.
In 1902 the company moved to nearby Oldbury, and always listed itself as being in 'Oldbury, Birmingham'. Here they produced the first tubular box spanners in 1905, and the first tubular sections for aircraft and the first tubular furniture in 1907. In 1909 two acres of land were acquired in Rounds Green, Oldbury which became Paddock Works. In 1913 they started manufacturing tubular steel shafts for golf clubs, having patented a process for producing seamless tapered tubes, but these were banned by The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, and so these could not be sold in Britain, although their use was permitted in America. The Accles & Pollock tube brand is currently owned by Tyco.
Bicycles
Accles and Pollock was a leading British bicycle tubing manufacturer. Many leading bike builders in the UK during the 1930s, 40s and 50s preferred to use their tubesets as they were air hardening, which become stronger when brazed, unlike the manganese based Reynolds tube which is weakened by heating. Accles and Pollock Kromo tubing was used by Hobbs of Barbican, Rattrays of Glasgow "The Flying Scot" and Thanet in their "Silverlight" model.
Aircraft
The one-off Seddon Mayfly aircraft was built by Accles and Pollock, and used their tubes for much of its airframe.
Chronology
The chronology of Accles & Pollock is as follows: 1901: With financial backing from Thomas Pollock, the general engineering company of James George Accles was renamed Accles & Pollock 1901: Pollock Engineering Company became the makers of the Accles-Turrell car. 1910: Accles & Pollock built a one-off all-metal aircraft, said to be the world's first, the Mayfly, in their Oldbury factory, using a steel tubing structure 1913: Accles & Pollock granted a patent for seamless tapered steel golf club shafts. 1919: The company was acquired by Tube Investments (TI) 1987: Golf club shaft manufacturing becomes a separate subsidiary, TI Apollo. 1996: Company sold to the Hay Hall Group 1998: Sold to the Senior Engineering Group 1999: Acquired by Tyco International 2001: Ceased tube manufacturing 2004: Acquired by Caparo 2015: Purchased by Liberty House Group as part of Caparo Tubular Solutions
Accles & Pollock archives collection
The archives for Accles & Pollock are held at Sandwell Community History and Archives Service
See also
Accles-Turrell automobile
Accles & Shelvoke manufacturing company still in existence
References and sources
References
Sources
Winchester, Jim. The World's Worst Aircraft. New York City, New York: Metro Books, 2005.
External links
Company website
Hobbs of Barbican A&P endorsement
Hobbs of Barbican: The Strength is in the Spine on Ebykr
Accles & Pollock Archives Catalogue
Archive images from the express & Star
Aircraft component manufacturers of the United Kingdom
British companies established in 1901
Companies based in the West Midlands (county) Engineering companies of the United Kingdom Manufacturing companies established in 1901 Oldbury, West Midlands