Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    Z1473
  • Title
    Grafton & Co, later Grafton Cranes LTD, Bedford
  • Admin/biog history
    Alexander Grafton was born 24 May 1845 at Holborn, London. His father, Henry, was a civil engineer and Alexander followed in this line serving an apprenticeship with Samuel Worssam & Co and then spending time with two engineering firms in Paris. In 1867 started working for Messrs Appleby Brothers and continued working for them for 12 years during which time he went to Egypt and became assistant manager at its London works. In 1878 he became an associate member of the Institute of Civil Engineers and was also a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. In 1880 he became a partner of Lecoq and Co or Halle, Belgium. In 1883 the business of Grafton and Company was founded in London. Then, in 1886, in partnership with C Q Henriques, Alexander designed and built the Vulcan Works, Elstow Road, Bedford. The partnership with Henriques was dissolved in 1891 and Alexander carried on alone. Grafton & Co manufactured structural ironwork. At first rail cranes were acquired as a kit of parts from the Jessop works at Leicester and then erected for onward shipment, but later cranes were constructed to Grafton's own designs and the company became particularly well known for the supply of over 50 cranes to Messrs Kirk & Randall, the contractor working on the Tilbury Dock contract. Grafton patented many devices which improved the operation of the turntable of cranes. Alexander Grafton died on the 18 August 1907 and is buried at Foster Hill Road cemetery, Bedford. His obituary appeared in the Bedfordshire Times of 23 August 1907. As well as the details given in Alexander's obituary the Bedfordshire Times of 11 January 1963 gave a brief history of the company following the announcement that the company was to close down. In this report it is said that following Alexander's death his widow carried on the firm with Mr W F T Trunchion as works manager. In 1935, on the death of Mrs Grafton (who remarried in 1924 to become Mrs Keiller) the business was reformed 'by the residuary legatees, ten in number, and the title changed from Grafton and Co to Grafton Cranes Ltd. Mr Trunchion was succeeded as works manager in 1936 by Mr J F Yorke and after his departure in 1943 by Mr E G Webb. Mr Webb gave 46 years' service to the firm starting as an apprentice, moving to the drawing office in 1924, becoming chief draughtsman in 1936, works manager 1943 and director and manager in 1951.' Other sources say that Grafton's nephews took over the running of the business. Charles William Ayrton Seaman was one of these nephews. According to his obituary, Charles spent his youth in Reigate moving to Bedford in 1902. In 1936, after Mrs Keiller's death, he formed a limited company and became a life director. He died in 1951 aged 76. After Alexander's death the Vulcan Works were extended with, amongst other things, new offices being built in 1913. Cranes continued to be shipped across the world, but the decline in domestic orders and the difficulties of other buyers raising sterling led the business to reduce in size and finally to close in early 1963 - the last new crane having shipped at the end of 1962. The assests and goodwill were purchased by Taylor & Hubbard Ltd of Leicester. Alexander Grafton came from a large family of at least five brothers and two sisters. He became a freemason from 1877. In 1887 he married Mary Ann Caroline Mason McWilliam of Reigate. On the marriage register Alexander is described as a batchelor, however it appears that Alexander may have had three children from previous relationships as on the 1891 census his family includes a son, Alexander, born c1874, and two daughters Beatrice Louise (1879/80-1923) and Constance Maud (1882-1956). From various records it seems that the girls at least were the daughters of a Mariam Toogood, although Beatrice was baptisted and Constance registered under the surname Marvale. On Beatrice's baptism her father is given as Alexander Marvale, an engineer. Mariam Toogood married in 1884. In 1891 and 1901 Alexander appears on the census living at 14 Cardington Road, Bedford. He apparently lived a quiet private life, although he did once stand for the town council. He had poor health for the last three or four years of his life and spent the winter of 1906/7 on the continent for his health before returning to Bedford in late spring 1907. As has been said Alexander's children did not inherit the business. Alexander Grafton junr also became an engineer and went to work in Egypt; he had a son born in Alexandria in 1904. Beatrice married first William E Beaves (July 1907) and second Joseph Edmund Tothill (Dec 1919). Beatrice had at least three children, Vera born c.1909, Averil (1911) and Alec (1913). William Beaves died in 1915. Constance married her cousin, Henry Grafton, in 1907 and had at least two children, Stanley (b.c. 1909) and Margaret (b.c 1910).
  • Archival history
    All except Z1473/1/1 were a transfer from The Record Office of Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland, 2011 having been identified among the records of Taylor & Hubbard Ltd of Leicester. Originally deposited with Leicester Record Office by the managing director of Taylor & Hubbard Ltd, which closed in c. 1979.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
    fonds
Hierarchy browser