| Timeline
Dr Gary Firth spent hours trawling through
local archives and company files to research and write
the first and only history of West Yorkshire Foundrys.
His full text is reproduced in the book Meltdown.
The results of his research along with other material
(old photos, maps, press clippings) have been deposited
as a collection in Leeds City Archives, Chapeltown
Road, Sheepscar, Leeds LS7 3AP.
T: 0113-214-5814
For more details visit www.archives.wyjs.org.uk
The collection can be viewed by arrangement with the
archive.
1844 Dye
works of a Mr Sayner occupied the site.
1854 OS
map of above shows the dye works surrounded by fields.
Click the picture to view a bigger image.
1893 OS
map the whole area has become industrialised dominated
by the Clarence Iron & Steel works. The works
was surrounded by rows of terraced houses built for
the workers and their families. Click the picture
to view a bigger image.
1932 OS
map shows the Clarence Iron & Steel works as disused.
Click the picture to view a bigger image.
1938 The
derelict foundries were now occupied by the Airedale
Light Alloy Company owned by the Yorkshire Dyeware
and Chemical Co, which the Bedford family of Leeds
ran.
1939 After
the declaration of war in September - the Airedale
Light alloy Co. secured a small contract to manufacture
aircrafts parts.
1941 They
could not meet the Ministry of Aircraft Productions
tight deadlines. So MAP decided to ask Leyland motors
to step in and manage the foundry.
1942 Leyland
sent a small team of foundry specialists to Leeds.
Led by two of their most senior sand technicians Walter
West and John William Mackenzie. West was given overall
operational responsibility. The foundry was now producing
the carburettors for the RAF's fighter aircraft. Ms
Kathleen Barratt, the oldest surviving employee, became
Walter West's PA.
1943 Sir
Stafford Cripps Minister of Aircraft production made
a top secret visit to the site. A third foundry was
built and the core shop automated and production increased.
1944 The
war was coming to an end, but the transition to peacetime
production would not be an easy one. Workers were
being released as wartime production decreased.
1945 Production
reached its lowest and West reported to Leyland that
the foundry had only enough work for 5 weeks.
1946 Leyland
bought the foundry from MAP for £96,250 and
the land from the Bedford family for £37,500.
Walter West was appointed Managing Director and Charles
Robertson Company Secretary. The company name West
Yorkshire Foundries was suggested by Walter West at
a Leyland board meeting.
1950's
there are few surviving company records from this
period but West Yorkshire Foundries prospered under
Walter West's skilful leadership?
1961 The foundry expanded dramatically
due to the boom in car sales. The company now employed
2,000 people to make 14,000 different parts for the
motor industry. West Yorkshire Foundries supplied
most of the motor manufacturers in Great Britain with
cylinder heads and engine blocks. Jaguar, Rolls Royce,
Daimler, Ford Humber, Rover, Vauxhall where just a
few of their customers They also supplied the tractor
manufactures International Harvesters and David Brown
Ltd.
1966 The
Clarence public house and surrounding terraced streets
were demolished and a new Gravity Die casting foundry
was built.
1968 The
main Aluminium Sand Foundry was producing six-cylinder
heads for the Jaguar V12 and Rover V8 engines.
1969 Walter
West retires. West Yorkshire foundries employed over
2000 men, its order books were full, it was at its
peak with 10 foundries spread over 18 acres of South
Leeds.
1979 Proposed
building of a new foundry at Cross Green.
1980 580
production staff were made redundant.
1981 Two
sites at Sayner Lane were closed and sold off. The
work force was reduced to 230.
1986 West
Yorkshire Foundries was sold to the German company
Eisenwerk Bruhl.
1992 Eisenwerk
Bruhl was acquired by VAW and West Yorkshire Foundries
became know as VAW Motorcast Ltd.
1997 The
workforce was increased to 700.
2002 Norsk-Hydro
joined forces with VAW and as part the merger, the
foundry was renamed Hydro Aluminium Motorcast Ltd.
2003 The
closure of the foundry was announced.
2004 The
vast majority of the workforce left.
2005 The
foundry closes.
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