This website requires a browser which supports HTML5.
Some elements of this site will not work correctly until you upgrade your browser.
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Springs
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
A
Brief
Introduction
to
the
Spring
Industry
in
Redditch
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Springs
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
Very
simple,
non-coil
springs
have
been
used
throughout
history
but
coiled
springs
were
not
really
developed
until
the
early
fifteenth
century.
They
were
used
to
replace
the
system
of
weights
used
to
power
clocks
with
a
wound
spring
mechanism.
In
1676
Robert
Hooke
discovered
the
principle
behind
springs'
action,
that
the
force
it
exerts
is
proportional
to
its
extension,
now
called
Hooke's
law.
Mass-production
techniques
for
making
springs
began
in
the
eighteenth
century
during
the
Industrial
Revolution
and
springs
today
are
used
in
a
very
large
range
of
devices
but
are
very
rarely
noticed
unless
they
fail.
Above:
Sir
Robert
Hooke
(1635
-
1703)
Below:
Spring
designed
by
Leonardi
de
Vinci
Early
Mechanical
Spring
Development
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Springs
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
The
manufacture
of
springs
in
Redditch
was
built
on
the
experience
of
steel
wire
handling
from
the
needle
and
fish-hook
trade.
A
number
of
different
manufacturers
began
but
the
largest
of
these
was
Herbert
Terry
&
Sons
Ltd.
Herbert
Terry
started
the
company
in
1855
and
began
by
making
artificial
bait
but
soon
expanded
into
clips
and
metal
fittings,
followed
by
pressings
and
springs.
Herbert
Terry
retired
in
1902
and
handed
over
his
company
to
his
sons,
who
continued
the
company
expansion.
Additional
premises
were
built
and
acquired
and
by
the
1920's
the
firm
was
known
throughout
the
world.
Left:
Terry’s
Springs
Range
photo
AG,
courtesy
of
Forge
Mill
Needle
Museum
Herbert
Terry
and
Sons
Ltd
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Springs
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
The
Anglepoise
lamp
was
designed
by
George
Carwardine
(1887-1948),
an
engineer
who
enjoyed
developing
different
types
of
springs.
He
designed
a
new
spring
which
could
be
moved
easily
in
every
direction
yet
could
also
remain
rigid
when
held
in
position.
Patented
in
1932,
he
found
a
use
with
a
lamp
which,
supported
and
balanced
by
a
sequence
of
springs,
could
be
constantly
repositioned
to
focus
the
light
in
specific
directions.
It
was
manufactured
by
Terry's,
of
Redditch,
from
1934
until
they
ceased
manufacture
in
Redditch
in
2001.
The
Anglepoise
lamp
is
still
manufactured
today,
but
not
in
Redditch
but,
I
believe,
in
China!
Left:
Early
advertisement
for
the
Anglepoise
lamp
Right:
Photograph
of
my
Anglepoise
Lamp
(photo
AG)
The
Anglepoise
Lamp
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Springs
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
By
the
1950's
Herbert
Terry
and
Sons
were
making
a
wide
range
of
springs,
press
work
and
wire
work.
The
range
was
used
widely
in
the
British
motorcar,
motorcycle
and
bicycle
industries
In
the
nineteen-sixties
the
firm's
production
started
to
stagnate
due
to
foreign
competition
and
lack
of
investment.
In
September
1971
the
company
was
taken
over
by
an
American
Engineering
Group
(Barnes)
but
the
Redditch
firm,
was
able
to
keep
its
name.
The
company
continued
under
the
day
to
day
management
of
the
Terry
family
until
1975
when
their
involvement
ceased.
In
the
same
year
the
rights
to
the
well-known
"Anglepoise"
desk
lamp
were
sold
to
the
Terry
family.
Left
and
Right:
Terry’s
Springs
Packages
photos
AG,
courtesy
of
Forge
Mill
Needle
Museum
The
Decline
of
Terry’s
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Springs
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
During
the
1970's
and
1980's
Herbert
Terry
and
Sons
steadily
declined
until,
in
the
1990's,
it
finally
closed
down.
The
only
one
of
the
original
factory
buildings
still
existing
is
Millsborough
House,
which
now
house
numerous
small
businesses.
However,
for
specialist
applications,
a
correctly
designed
spring
is
required.
For
this
reason,
spring
making
has
not
been
totally
overwhelmed
by
cheap
imports
and
a
search
of
an
on-line
directory
gives
38
results
for
spring
companies
in
Redditch.
So,
Redditch,
although
it
has
lost
a
number
of
important
spring
companies,
still
maintains
a
healthy
range
of
manufacturers.
Left:
Heath
Springs
in
1970
(photo
from
collection
AG)
Right
:
Millsborough
House
in
2010
(photo
AG)
Spring
Manufacture
Today
Pocket
Histories
of
Redditch
-
Springs
Designed
and
Produced
by
Anthony
Green
2015
End
of
Presentation
A
Brief
Introduction
to
the
Spring
Industry
in
Redditch