Description and History of Site:-
The fourth and final location for Edward Green's Fuel Economiser Works and still manufacturing to this day (2019) in new premises on site, under the original trading name.
In 1875 an insurance valuation describes the site as ' turning, fitting shop, foundries, planing, boiler houses, smithy, chain making dept. wood fettling shop, offices and store room, stables and dwelling house with a value of £12,360.

The fuel economiser was described by Edward Green in his patent specification as...'an invention consisting of a new arrangement for the purpose of collecting and supplying to useful purposes the residual heat of the air or gases passing from the flues of steam boilers...' In other words a heat exchanger for converting otherwise waste hot gases for the purpose of heating the feed water to a steam boiler, thereby saving fuel. A series of vertical cast iron pipes located within the flue gases between the boiler and chimney, with the pipes connected top and bottom with cisterns which connected to the boiler feed water injectors.
The first version of the economiser supplied to Illingworth's in Bradford started out successfully performing as claimed by Edward Green, however over the coming weeks the performance deteriorated and complaints were made. On investigation and removal of some brickwork it was found that the economiser tubes were choked with soot and stopping the draught to the boilers. A solution was sought such as throwing in wood shavings soaked in paraffin and even very small quantities of explosives!
Edward Green worked on a permanent solution to the problem and modified the economiser system by adding soot scrapers which travelled constantly up and down the outside of the water pipes by the means of chains attached to gearing and driven by a very small horizontal steam engine. The solution was highly effective and eventually most large businesses using steam boilers were persuaded to install the equipment with a claimed saving of up to one third of the fuel used. The firms founder Edward Green was born 6th January 1799 and apprenticed at age 14 to a Wakefield Millwright, William Huckans. On completion of the apprenticeship he entered into a partnership with Huckans. Two years later Huckans died and Edward Green decided to form his own business in Kirkgate, Wakefield, under his own name in 1821 as the previous business was still partly owned by the Huckans family.
He traded as 'Edward Green (late William Huckans)' as a foundry, supplying boilers, cranes, mill machinery along with architectural iron structures.
By 1831 Green had negotiated a lease for new premises on the east side of Westgate, Wakefield, NGR SE 32707 20532, a former Farriers business, to continue with his foundry now known as Phoenix Foundry. In 1833 a Mr Henry Holt, an engineer, was taken into the business which was now known as Edward Green and Company. The business continued to grow on it's Westgate site, adjacent to Ings Road.
In 1837 further expansion took place with a purpose built factory built to the South of Ings Road, NGR SE 32647 20471, whilst still retaining the Phoenix Foundry to the North. The new factory consisted of a foundry, smithy, engineering shop and offices.
By 1839 a Mr C. D Atkinson had joined the company, now known as Green, Atkinson and Company, describing themselves as mill wrights, engine makers and iron founders. The partnership lasted until March 1843.
It was at this time that Edward Green started experimenting with his economiser ideas.
An advert in the Manchester Guardian in early 1846 commended the use of the Patented Fuel Economiser to those interested in saving fuel. Claims of savings of one third of the fuel used or one third more steam generated for the same quantity of fuel were made. The patent for the invention had been granted in December 1845.
In 1852 the lease on the premises to the North of Ings Road expired and was surrendered to the Landlord Reverend Henry Holdsworth. Similarly the premises to the South of Ings Road was due to expire shortly. A search started for a new site to build Green's fourth factory, with room to expand in the future to cope with the increased business from home and abroad, such as Russia and Continental Europe.
The site of the new factory on Calder Vale Road extended over five acre and adjoined the Aire and Calder Navigation.
The firm moved there in September 1861, now employing 120 workers.
The founder Edward Green died December 1865. His sons Edward Green jnr. and Samuel continued to run the business, the premises now known as 'Fuel Economiser Works'.
The firm continued being run by the Green family until 1988 but was eventually sold and eventually with further sales and mergers the company is still manufacturing heat exchanger equipment as 'Green's Economisers' on the same site.

The present day Green's Economiser Works can be seen in action here:- https://greenspower.co.uk/downloads/a-behind-the-scenes-in-greens-factory/

Further Reading and References:-
Waste Not - The Story of Green's Ecomomisers, E.Green and Son, Wakefield, Harley Publishing 1956
https://greenspower.co.uk/about/history/

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Key Words :- steam boiler fuel economiser

Viewing the Site :- Public footpath alongside road.

Address :- Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 5PH
Grid Ref :- SE 34027 20199
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.677156 , Long -1.486363
Local Authority :- Wakefield Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Operational site, in use for original purpose
Site Dates :- 1861 -
Record Date :- 7 October 2019

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Andrew Garford