Charcoal Burning Box Iron
In the old kitchen at Schramm’s Cottage there are a large number of 19th century household items on display and among these is a significant Charcoal Iron used to press clothes. This was presented to our Society in 1974 by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.
This Charcoal Iron was hand operated by holding the wooden handle, which was protected by a heat guard. Burning charcoal was placed in the body of the iron, the hinged lid then closed and secured by the lever with the vent in the end slightly opened to supply air to the burning charcoal. Smoke was emitted from the chimney at the front away from the operator. The heat guard is embossed with the words “Awarded to T & C Clark & Co. Ltd. 1857 for good design.” This award was made to the manufacturer after partaking in the Hobart 1857 International Exhibition. This was the best type of iron available for more than 100 years until the electric iron was introduced.
During the industrial revolution in Wolverhampton, England two brothers, Thomas and Charles Clark in 1795 established a foundry having developed a reliable method for casting thin walled cast iron hollow ware. They called their foundry and workshop The Shakespeare Foundry and made cast iron cooking saucepans, kettles and other household products including this iron. Their agent in Australia was A.J. Chamberlain, 203 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. The business of T & C Clark was closed in 1950 and the Shakespeare Foundry remained vacant until the derelict building was demolished in 1970.
It would be interesting to know who the original owner of this iron was as it could have been someone who had lived in our district. Perhaps it was a wedding present given to Kate Pickering on her marriage to Max Von Schramm in 1864. It would therefore have been used in Schramm’s Cottage up until Kate’s death in 1928 and perhaps hidden away until it was found in the early 1970’s when the cottage was dismantled for removal to its present site.
A more likely possibility is that this iron belonged to Mrs Jane Serpell, mother of Richard Serpell Junior and continued to be used in her new house named Mount Edgecombe. After Jane’s death in 1901 her granddaughter Annie Serpell inherited the house and contents. Annie married William Goodson, in 1906, the headmaster of Doncaster State School No. 197, now Doncaster Primary School. Annie kept the house and furnishings exactly as they were pre 1900. Annie died in 1965; her will specified the house and contents were not to be disposed of resulting in a court case to allow the estate to be sold in 1971 for the Westfield Shopping Centre extensions and multi-storey car park to be built.
Source: John Boylett writing in 2019-06 DTHS Newsletter
Cast Iron Hollow Ware from the 19th Century
At our Society's meeting in September, John Boylett gave an interesting presentation on our collection of Cast Iron Hollow Ware using our new laptop computer and projection equipment purchased with a grant from the Doncaster East Branch of the Bendigo Bank.
The Cast Iron Hollow Ware comprising saucepans, kettles and a charcoal iron all on display iri the old kitchen of Schramm' s Cottage were made in the 19th century by T & C Clark & Co. Ltd., of Wolverhampton, England. Ken Smith donated several of these valuable items in 1976 that had belonged to his grandmother, Mrs Violet Gallus of Doncaster. Our member Bill Ling has recently restored this collection that has a value today in excess of $1,000.
T&C Clark & Co Wolverhampton. original patenters and makers of enamel for cast-iron sanitary goods also manufacturers of tinned and enamel cast-Iron Hollow-ware hinges, charcoal box iron etc. Saucepan with patented Fluted handle and rivetless bright cover. Source: Collections Victoria On the base of each saucepan and kettle is cast the manufacturer's name, model number and capacity. Most of the saucepans have long fluted handles, which indicates they were made after 1848 when this design was patented. One saucepan in the collection is special as it is from the first batch to have a lead free porcelain enamelled lining on the inside, patep.ted in 1835 and has a long smooth handle.
The Royal Historical Society of Victoria in 1974 gave us the charcoal iron. This historic item has embossed on the heat guard the words ''Awarded to T & C Clark & Co. Ltd., 1857 for good design".
The PowerPoint presentation then took us back in time to the industrial revolution in Wolverhampton. In 1795, two brothers Thomas and Charles Clark started the business T & C Clark & Co., and established a foundry, having developed a reliable method for casting thin walled cast iron hollow ware. The brothers called their foundry and workshop Shakespeare Foundry and enjoyed early success.
Charles Clark the son of Charles the founder grew up with the business to become an outstanding engineer and businessman. He redesigned the products and registered many patents. He was also very community minded as a Town Councillor, Mayor and Chief Magistrate. The company kept expanding during this time employing 700 men and developed many overseas markets. Exhibitions were held in London, Paris, New York and Melbourne winning awards for excellence in design and manufacture.
A wide selection of newspaper advertisements from the 19th century were projected onto the screen including one that showed the Australian Agent in 1899 as A. J. Chamberlain, 203 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. In the 20th century the company failed to update its products and closed in 1950. The Shakespeare Foundry remained vacant for many years and in 1970 the derelict building was demolished.
Source: 2012-03 DTHS Newsletter
Shakespeare Foundry
T. & C. Clark & Company Limited, based at Shakespeare Foundry, was founded in 1795 by Thomas and Charles Clark, and grew to be one of the largest iron foundries in Wolverhampton.
They were from an old Wolverhampton family and became a large employer.
Charles Clerk became mayor of Wolverhampton in 1860 after being a member of the Corporation since its formation as a municipal body.
He became a Councillor, Alderman, and later Chief Magistrate.
In about 1860, Charles Clarke built Muchall Grove in Penn, on part of the Muchall Hall Estate, after the death of its owner, William Thacker. Charles is listed as living at Upper Penn in Harrison, Harrod & Company's 1861 Directory and Gazetteer. In the 1870 edition of J. G. Harrod & Co.s postal and commercial directory, it is listed under Charles wife's name - Mrs Mary Clarke.
The company exhibited a number of products at the International Exhibition of 1862 that was held from May to November, 1862 at South Kensington, alongside the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society. The products on display included the following:
In the 1881 census Charles Frederick Clark is listed as an iron founder, employing between 600 and 700 hands. His eldest son Thomas Charles Clark is listed as his Clerk.
The firm were the pioneers of enamelled cast iron ware. As far back as the year 1839, a patent was granted to them for an enamel for cast-iron free from lead, and since that date they have continuously held a high reputation for the quality of their goods.
Porcelain enamelled cast-iron sanitary ware is, as the name implies, a combination of porcelain, enamel and cast-iron. After the castings have been specially prepared, a thin even coating of porcelain enamel is applied an fused upon the iron at a high temperature, the result being a hard white lustrous surface of great durability.
Generally speaking, porcelain enamelled cast-iron is dearer than earthenware, but for many purposes it is used in preference to the latter, as it lasts longer, is less liable to damage, and will not crack if exposed to extremes of heat and cold.
It is therefore specially suitable for lavatories in schools, public institutions, works, ships etc. as it will stand hard wear.
Unlike soft lead enamels, Clarks Enamel is not affected by the action of soap, and will retain it’s lustre indefinitely. It is easily cleaned by the application of any good proprietary brand of household cleaner.
The company was awarded the silver medal for its products at the International Paris Exhibition in 1878. The image opposite shows the company's stand at the 1884 Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Fine Arts and Industrial Exhibition.
The company's product range included thousands of items, both domestic and industrial. T. & C. Clark pioneered the use of enamelled cast ironware, after taking out a patent in 1839. It was guaranteed to be free of lead or arsenic. The products included the following:
axle pulleys, bath fittings, camping equipment, chemical furnaces, door fittings, dumbbells, hinges, holloware of all descriptions, hooks, latches, lavatory fittings, man traps, mangles, mole traps, name and number plates, paint mills, paper weights, pulley wheels, sad irons, shovels, sinks, stable fittings, tubular fencing, umbrella stands, ventilators, wash basins, water taps, weights, and window fasteners.
The Horseley Fields Gas Works was built on the western side of Shakespeare Foundry. When it closed in 1900 the foundry was extended to cover the gas works site.
In the late 1940s and 1950s the company produced acid-resisting enamelled cast iron boiling pans; steam jacketed pans; stills; square and rectangular tanks; open and closed mixing vessels; flanged pipes; bends and tees; laboratory equipment; small scale plant; evaporating bowls; beakers; sulphonators; and glass-lined mild steel tanks for beer, mineral water, and food.
The derelict Shakespeare Foundry in the early 1970s. Courtesy of David Clare.
The company is listed as enamelled chemical plant manufacturers in Kellys 1962 Wolverhampton Directory, but within a few years it was all over.
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