Description and History of Site:-
The British division of the United States Metallic Packing Co was founded in 1890 in Soho Mill, 102-106 Thornton Road, Bradford (NGR SE15885 33064) to manufacture steam engine metallic packings invented in the USA by Edwin P. Monroe of Philadelphia, USA using an idea first suggested by English inventor Edmund Cartwright.

Another company, founded 1875, by James Walker in London produced a semi-metallic packing made from asbestos and a metal insert arrangement, however the United States Metallic Packing Company (USMPC) produced a wholly metallic babbitt product which became the preferred design of packing for steam engine manufacturers.

Prior to metallic packings, steam engine packing consisted of soft packing such as cotton impregnated with graphite grease within a stuffing-box, compressed in place by a gland nut. The purpose of the packing was to prevent the escape of high pressure steam from the engine cylinder into the atmosphere, thereby losing engine power and efficiency.
Soft packings were subject to constant maintenance whereas the metallic packing which consisted of babbitt metal, an alloy of tin-copper-antimony, was forced against the working surface of the piston rod by circumferential springs providing a very low friction seal with practically no wear to the piston rod, requiring no maintenance over many working hours except lubrication. The increase in steam pressure to provide more horse power was only possible due to metallic packing being available.
Initially the orders were for packings for stationary steam engines in textile mills which were booming in Bradford, however an advert by the company in 1893 says they supplied packings for railway locos, transatlantic liners, the Admiralty, factories, iron and steel works and collieries.
The companies first premises at Soho Mill was shared with Smith Brothers & Eastwood, steam engine manufacturers (see WYK01100) and was probably a very cramped working environment for both companies due to the compact nature of the mill. Due to the huge increase in business USMPC moved to purpose built premises on Allerton Road, Bradford in 1912, naming them Soho Works.
One of their main competitors in metallic packing manufacture was also locally based, established 1900-1 Universal Metallic Packing Company of Beehive Works, Bradford (see WYK02391).
By 1899 USMPC had also moved into producing air compressors, pneumatic hammers, riveters, drills and hoists whilst advertising that they had produced 105,000 packings to date.
A 1909 advert listed British and foreign power generating stations using USMPC packings.
1917 an advert proclaimed that USMPC had the ''largest finest and best equipped works of the kind in the world'', had produced 350,000 packings for engines all over the world, including the ocean liners; RMS Aquitania, RMS Mauretania, RMS Olympic, (and possibly Olympic's sister ship RMS Titanic).
1918 adverts show manufacture includes steam-traps, a device for separating condensate from steam.
1960 USMPC advertise the manufacture of power cylinders, both air and hydraulic, working from 200-1500 lb sq inch.
1971 advert shows stern-tube packings for both Navy and Merchant Navy ships being manufactured. In 1887 USMPC appointed W.E. Plummer to introduce metallic packing to the engineers of Britain and to look after the companies technical interests there.
1890 Manufacturing started in Soho Mill, Thornton Road, Bradford, Yorkshire, producing initially just metallic packing but later expanding into other products.
W.E. Plummer became the General Manager of the company at Soho Mill.
Outgrowing Soho Mill, USMPC moved to purpose built Soho Works, Allerton Road, Bradford in 1912. There they produced an ever increasing range of products alongside their core product of packings, such as air compressors, riveters, steam-traps and eventually hydraulic and air power cylinders.
1975-6 USMPC is taken over by Bradford Cylinders manufacturing hydraulic cylinders.
June 2007 Bradford Cylinders move from Soho Works, Allerton Road to Norwood Green, Wyke, Bradford.
The Soho Works were demolished with the land designated for housing.

Further Reading and References:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_(alloy)
Kelly's Directory of Bradford 1912 p470
https://www.gordonsllp.com/law-firm-gordons-advises-bradford-cylinders-on-sale-of-premises/
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Edmund_Cartwright
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/James_Walker_and_Co
BT Phonebook 1976 p60
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/United_States_Metallic_Packing_Co

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Key Words :- metallic packings seals

Viewing the Site :- Public footpath alongside road.

Address :- Allerton Road, Allerton, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD8 0BA
Grid Ref :- SE 13503 33824
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.800546 , Long -1.796469
Local Authority :- City of Bradford
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Site Condition :- Site redeveloped to residential housing
Site Dates :- 1912 - 2007
Record Date :- 11 December 2019

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