William Henry Cowburn

[Heartland]

It is perhaps best if Mr Cowburn is given a separate entry William Henry Cowburn (1848-1906) was a chemical and drugs merchant who was associated with various business ventures. One became W.H Cowburn Ltd another was the Cowpar Chemical Company Ltd. With Cowpar William had been in partnership Henry Thomas Parkin at Clarence Street and this partnership was ended in 1889 when William continued the trade of dealing in Muriatic Acid on his own account. William was born in Manchester and his eldest son Arthur was born in Droylesden. It was Arthur who headed the businesses after his father died in 1906 and ten years later arranged for the merger of the two to form W.H Cowburn and Cowpar Ltd in 1916 when their address was Mount Street in Manchester. The subsequent business developments which involved both canal and road transport of chemicals from Trafford Park does deserve further discussion. Especially as to the reasons why this concern decided to use canal boats. Was the nature of the chemicals conveyed such as Carbon Disulphide considered safer by this mode of conveyance?

 

Ray Shill

Edited October 30, 2015 by Heartland

[billh]

I remember many of the WHCC road tankers being scrapped at a yard near here, about 40years ago. The trailer tanks were noticeably smaller in diameter than the usual road tanker , at a guess the same size as they had in the boats- i wonder if they were interchangeable? Dark maroon livery always kept in good condition. Scammell tractor units if I remember right.

A work colleague had a relation who was a driver for them in the 1980's, he described the conditions at the Trafford Park depot as "horrible". I think they had been taken over by Courtaulds by then, though they had run their chemicals transport function for many years.

It may be co-incidence but there was a field on lower ground next to where the tankers were broken up. Some years later 3 horses died prematurely (at different times),cause unknown, in that field......

Bill

[sniffy]

Many years ago a train ran into a road tanker and carbon disulphide was leaked all over the entrance to the Trafford park site, until demolision a few years ago the trees and bushes around that area thrived like nowhere else on the park, apparently the chemical fertilised the ground

 

Most likely not good for horses though !!

[fanshaft]

It is perhaps best if Mr Cowburn is given a separate entry William Henry Cowburn (1848-1906) was a chemical and drugs merchant who was associated with various business ventures. One became W.H Cowburn Ltd another was the Cowpar Chemical Company Ltd. With Cowpar William had been in partnership Henry Thomas Parkin at Clarence Street and this partnership was ended in 1889 when William continued the trade of dealing in Muriatic Acid on his own account. William was born in Manchester and his eldest son Arthur was born in Droylesden. It was Arthur who headed the businesses after his father died in 1906 and ten years later arranged for the merger of the two to form W.H Cowburn and Cowpar Ltd in 1916 when their address was Mount Street in Manchester. The subsequent business developments which involved both canal and road transport of chemicals from Trafford Park does deserve further discussion. Especially as to the reasons why this concern decided to use canal boats. Was the nature of the chemicals conveyed such as Carbon Disulphide considered safer by this mode of conveyance?

 

Ray Shill

 

Wasn't it Parkinson rather than Parkin, Ray?

 

Incidentally Brian Cowburn was rather particular as to how the name is pronounced. Most people say 'Cowburn' as in 'cow'; in fact he said it is pronounced 'Coburn' as in 'co-operate'.

WHC&C sold out to Hays Group in January 1986.

Rail was used to move chemicals for the company but I suspect canal transport was considered the safest. It wasn't cheap - the cost per tonne in 1936 was around £1 to Coventry (inc £11 wages for crew) and 13 shillings to Wolverhampton (crew cost £8) - but that said in my experience road tanker haulage today is typically three to four times the cost of general haulage.

regards

David L

[furnessvale]

I remember many of the WHCC road tankers being scrapped at a yard near here, about 40years ago. The trailer tanks were noticeably smaller in diameter than the usual road tanker , at a guess the same size as they had in the boats- i wonder if they were interchangeable? Dark maroon livery always kept in good condition. Scammell tractor units if I remember right.

Yes, the tractor units were Scammell Highwayman. The tandem axle trailers had very distinctive big balloon single tyres.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Heartland]

It may be Parkinson,

 

But the London Gazette entry is

 

Cowburn & Cowpar

London Gazette 26/4/1889

 

* partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, William Henry Cowburn and Henry Thomas Parkin, carrying on business as Dealers in Muriatic Acid, at No. 3, Clarence Street, in the city of Manchester, under the style or firm of the Cowpar Chemical Company, has been this day dissolved by effluxion of time. — Dated this 8th day of April, 1889. W. H. Cowburn. Henry Thomas Parkin

[fanshaft]

It may be Parkinson,

 

But the London Gazette entry is

 

Cowburn & Cowpar

London Gazette 26/4/1889

 

* partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, William Henry Cowburn and Henry Thomas Parkin, carrying on business as Dealers in Muriatic Acid, at No. 3, Clarence Street, in the city of Manchester, under the style or firm of the Cowpar Chemical Company, has been this day dissolved by effluxion of time. — Dated this 8th day of April, 1889. W. H. Cowburn. Henry Thomas Parkin

 

That is really interesting! I wonder if that was an error - or everyone else has been wrong all these years.

 

regards David L

[fanshaft]

It may be Parkinson,

 

But the London Gazette entry is

 

Cowburn & Cowpar

London Gazette 26/4/1889

 

* partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, William Henry Cowburn and Henry Thomas Parkin, carrying on business as Dealers in Muriatic Acid, at No. 3, Clarence Street, in the city of Manchester, under the style or firm of the Cowpar Chemical Company, has been this day dissolved by effluxion of time. — Dated this 8th day of April, 1889. W. H. Cowburn. Henry Thomas Parkin

 

According to Euan Corrie the Cowpar Chemical Company Partnership was founded in 1887 and remained in existence until 1916 when it was incorporated into WH Cowburn & Cowpar Ltd. I wonder whether Parkin or Parkinson left the business in 1889 but the business name continued in use with different partners?

regards David