Phoenix Iron Works [1st]
Location type
WorksName and dates
Phoenix Iron Works [1st] (1786-1890)Note: text in square brackets is added for clarity and was not part of the location's name.
Description
The Phoenix Iron Works, a general foundry also specialising in decorative ornamental iron castings, was established by Thomas Erdington and his sons James Erdington and Thomas Erdington [Junior] in 1786 (some sources suggest 1797). It was located in the V of the junction between Garscube Road and Ann Street, a short distance south of the Forth and Clyde Canal, a location then outwith the city. Its office was at 52 Queen Street, within the city. The name Thomas Edington & Sons was adopted.
In 1838 (dedication date) the works made the gates to the 'Bridge of Sighs", which carries the carriageway east from Glasgow Cathedral Square over the Molendinar Burn to the Glasgow Necropolis.
The works did not have a railway connection. Despite this, four 2-2-2 locomotives were built here 1840-1841 for the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway. These were No 7 Phoenix (appropriately), No 8 Prince Albert, No 10 Garnock and No 15 Kyle.
In 1847 the offices moved from Queen Street to 94 Garscube Road.
The works expanded north over Dobbies Loan to a site bounded by Brown Street (west) and Ann Street (east). This location was equipped with an internal tramway and was much closer to the Forth and Clyde Canal. (Phoenix Iron Works [2nd]).
In 1890 the original site was closed, relocated to the new works. The office relocated from the original site to 20 St Vincent Lane.
The site was redeveloped as Phoenix Park, with a bandstand and fountain. The latter was made by the works in 1891 and paid for by John Buchanan & Bros. Ltd whose Confectionery Works was on the east side of the park, over Ann Street. The park was formally opened on the 21st of October 1893. The park quickly became well known, used, for instance, as a reference point for advertising of excursions on the canal to Kirkintilloch and Craigmarloch Quay.
The fountain was destroyed during a renovation of the park in 1959. Worse was to come. The site was obliterated during the construction of the M8, the motorway crossing over its site, now a roundabout, on a concrete viaduct.
Tags
Iron foundryExternal links
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
| Nearby stations Cowcaddens [Subway] Buchanan Street St Georges Cross [Subway] Charing Cross [GC and DR] Buchanan Street [Subway] Glasgow Queen Street Low Level Glasgow Queen Street High Level Glasgow Central Glasgow Central Low Level Glasgow (Townhead) Anderston Kelvinbridge [Subway] Kelvin Bridge St Enoch [Subway] Central Station Broomielaw Hoist | Phoenix Iron Works [2nd] Milton Foundry South Spiers Wharf Carron Wharf [Port Dundas] Rotterdam Wharf [Port Dundas] London Wharf [Port Dundas] Leith Wharf [Port Dundas] Glasgow Saw Mills Hamburgh Wharf [Port Dundas] Port Dundas Power Station City of Glasgow Grain Mills and Stores North Spiers Wharf Hill Street Foundry Port Dundas Foundry Tourist/other Dundashill Distillery |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Phoenix Iron Works Token CoinA one penny token coin was issued in 1813, of which examples survive. Various organisations issued coins due to a shortage of coin in circulation following the Napoleonic Wars eg Flint Lead Works, Phoenix Iron Works (Sheffield), Cotton Works (Newcastle-Under-Lyme), etc.) |
