Foster & Rastrick Foundry

[Laurence Hogg]

When I lived in Stourbridge in the 1970's J Guest were, and I believe still are, a local builder. I always wondered if there was a connection with A H Guest of Stourbridge who built the concrete barge at the Canal Museum at Gloucester.

 

Tim

 

Tim

Pretty sure you are right, went there donkeys years a go and remember a picture of the concrete boats was on the wall, one of course still remains on the 16.

[Giggetty]

Pretty sure you are right, went there donkeys years a go and remember a picture of the concrete boats was on the wall, one of course still remains on the 16.

J Guest are at Knarsboro House, Bradley Road, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 1XB and will build anything you want, according to their website.

[Heartland]

There were also concrete barges, you can still see a couple in the bank of the Severn at Pirton near Sharpness and there was a narrowboat at Gloucester Waterways Museum.

 

Ray Shill

[pete harrison]

There were also concrete barges, you can still see a couple in the bank of the Severn at Pirton near Sharpness and there was a narrowboat at Gloucester Waterways Museum.

 

Ray Shill

Concrete barges were fairly common in both the South West and North West, as well as elsewhere I am quite sure. Concrete hulls had been used in ship building since the mid 1800's and James Pollock, Sons & Co. Ltd., Faversham completed two concrete hulled coasters in 1919 (Yd. No. 889 MOLLIETTE and Yd. No. 891 VIOLETTE), both of which were powered by 120hp Bolinders.

 

Concrete narrow boats were much more unusual and I am aware of only two, both B.C.N. day boats (B.C.N. 22796 14 December 1917 and B.C.N. 22970 29 November 1918, the latter of which has exhibited at The National Waterways Museum, Gloucester since 1989). The story of these two concrete narrow boats was relayed in Waterways World magazine January 2000 edition.

 

edit - as far as narrow boats are concerned concrete was used some years later for the construction of a number of pleasure boats, but personally I have little interest in these.

Edited December 2, 2012 by pete harrison

[Max Sinclair]

Guest Keen and Nettlefold has grown to be a worldwide Company leading in many trades. I worked in the group for many years, and they can be truly proud.

[Tim Lewis]

New member...

 

I recently learned that my 3x great grandfather, John Guest, was involved in work on the Foster and Rastrick Foundry. He was a brick mason and may have been one of the masons who built the blast furnaces or performed repair work.

 

John Guest built the house at #5 The Junction in Wordsley in 1828. A relative, a 3x great grandson still lives in the house.

 

<Snip>.

 

Thanks

 

Is this the cottage (Half way down the page):

 

http://www.blackcountrygenealogyandfamilyhistory.co.uk/51337.html

 

Tim

[Giggetty]

I've just visited this site. The Fosters and Rastrick building is in the process of restoration. There is evident reroofing, the brickwork has been cleaned and the windows reglazed. A new three storey clinical wing is being built onto one side. I believe that the new GP centre will be named in a way 'which reflects its industrial history'.

 

The Stour nearby has been newly embanked. It is easier to see how the Stourbridge Lion could have been loaded onto its flotte for river transport down to the seaports at Gloucester or Bristol.

 

The JE Bradley foundry site has been cleared for development and the former canal arm into it infilled. The boundary fence between it and the towpath has been strengthened, but the original wall, much vandalised and unsightly, needs repair.. The Stourbridge Canal manager's house and dry dock remain in an advanced state of dereliction.

 

Edited December 8, 2013 by Giggetty

[IanM]

I believe that the new GP centre will be named in a way 'which reflects its industrial history'.

According to Wikipedia it will be the "Lion Medical Practice"

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foster,_Rastrick_and_Company