John Brogden and Sons was a firm of Railway Contractors, Iron and Coal Miners and Iron Smelters operating, initially as a general contractor, from roughly 1828 until its bankruptcy in 1880.
Formation The business started in the 1820s when John Brogden (1798–1869) moved from his father's farm near Clitheroe to set up in business in the rapidly expanding Manchester (not yet a city). In 1828 he appears in the Manchester Directory in Every Street, Ancoats as a farmer, in 1829 at the same address as a horse-dealer.
In 1832 he successfully tendered for a contract with the local council (the Bororeeve) to undertake the cleansing and watering of Manchester.Higgins (1978), p241 Around this time he obtained a similar contract in London.Richardson(1870) Vol 1-page 22 In 1843, as a partner of Joseph Whitworth (later Sir Joseph), he contracted to sweep the streets of Manchester with Whitworth's patent machines. They undertook a similar contract in Westminster.
In 1844 Brogden moved to London because the focus of his interests had moved to there.
Many Brogden contracts were financed and supported by Samuel Brooks of Cunliffe, Brooks & Co. They became acquainted during early life in North Lancashire and this relationship was renewed in Manchester.Smiles p225 Brooks was vice-chairman of the Manchester and Leeds Railway so he was also well placed to help Brogden gain early railway contracts.Marshall(1970), Vol 1, p55
First railway contracts
In July 1838 Brogden obtained a contractHeaton Norris on the Manchester and Birmingham Railway (M&BR) and in August 1840 two more contracts jointly with Easthed.Cheadle and WilmslowDirectors' Minutes: Manchester and Birmingham Railway Co. RAIL 454/1
In 1842 Brogden secured contracts with the Manchester and Leeds Railway to build a viaduct between the existing station at Oldham Road and Hunts Bank. Then in March 1843 he gained the contract for the new station at Hunts Bank. This was opened on New Years Day 1844 under the name Manchester Victoria station. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway started using this station in the following May.Marshall (1970) p 40+, Wells J (2000) pp 73–75 and Directors' Minutes: Manchester and Leeds Railway Co. RAIL 343/3
In October 1845 he obtained a contract to build the Ashton Branch of the M&BR (Heaton Norris to Guide Bridge).Directors' Minutes: Manchester and Birmingham Railway Co RAIL 454/3 and the contract 454/11 He obtained contracts with the East Lancashire Railway to build from Stubbins to Accrington in 1845 and Blackburn to Hapton in 1846 (jointly with Smith and Pearce).Marshall (1970) p111
In 1846 Brogden became a director of the South Eastern Railway Company and John Brogden junior obtained contracts from that company for the North Kent Railway in November 1846 and February 1847.Directors' Minutes South Eastern Railway 1845–1847 RAIL 635/20
The Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway received its act of Parliament, the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway Act 1845 (8 & 9 Vict. c. cxi). It had two sections: from London Road Station to Knott Mill and the second from there to Altrincham. Brogdens had the contract for the second section.Wells, p333 Samuel Brooks persuaded the company to build what we now know as Brooklands station, providing a guarantee of receipts for the first three years. He owned the land there and expected the station to help with its development.See the article on Samuel Brooks Marsland Road (the A6144) crosses the railway at this point before reaching Washway Road (A56). Just at the junction of these two roads are Brogden Grove and Brogden Terrace, with Victorian terrace houses on them. It is likely that Brooks sold or leased this land to Brogden at a favourable rate and Brogden built these houses on it. In turn the houses helped to justify the station and launch Brooklands as a place to live. Nearby Brogden built Raglan House, Raglan Road to be their new home. In short, an alliance between Brooks and Brogden.
Brogden was joined in his business by his four eldest sons: John, Alexander, Henry and James as they reached the age of majority.Smiles p233 His youngest son, George was never involved as he was too young.Higgins 1978, p240
Work in Cumbria
Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway
In the late 1840s the Brogdens became interested in iron ore mining in the Furness area of North Lancashire (now Cumbria). In 1846 John senior became a shareholder of the Furness Railway. They took ore-mining territory at Stainton in the estate of the Earl of Burlington and were developing mines there by December 1850. In 1850 the second largest haematite ore deposit in British history was discovered by Schneider and Co. at Park, on the Duddon shore in Furness. By 1855, in addition to Stainton, Brogdens had mines at Adgarley and Bolton Heads.Marshall (1958) pp 203–6 Mining capacity was growing fast. This ore was sent to market via the Furness Railway and then by ship.
George Stephenson had planned a West Coast main Line to cross the mouth of Morecambe Bay and this would have linked Furness with the developing national rail network. However this plan was shelved in 1843. The Lancaster and Carlisle Railway Act 1844 (7 & 8 Vict. c. xxxvi) was passed on 6 June 1844, establishing this as the route for the main line. Instead of Furness becoming part of the national rail strategy, it was now a backwater. It could only be connected to the main network by local efforts and these would involve crossing Morecambe Bay, with its notorious tidal quicksands. The Furness Railway directors collectively, led by Burlington, were not keen to take responsibility for this risky project although the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway was considering it.Andrews(1965 and 1966), Marshall(1958) p212
In 1847, a group led by Brogden and his three eldest sons began to promote a rail link between Ulverston and Carnforth, on the Lancaster–Carlisle line and they eventually obtained the Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway Act 1851 (14 & 15 Vict. c. cii), given royal assent on 24 July 1851. The directors were: John (sen.) John (jun.) Alexander, Henry, James Garstang (Alexander's father-in-law) and Joseph (later Sir Joseph) Paxton.Higgins (1978) p242 and Marshall(1958) p214, but Richardson(1870), page 18 has John, John, William Gale and Paxton The line was planned by McClean and Stileman at in length of which comprised embankments and viaducts across tidal water. Much of this was sand running to a depth of 30 to .
Work on the line was not in full progress until September 1853. McClean and Stileman had resigned as engineers the previous February and were replaced by James Brunlees.Gooderson The viaducts over the Kent and Leven were designed and built by W & J Galloway & Sons of Manchester. Brunlees had already completed a similar project and went on to achieve great eminence. He worked again with Brogdens on: the Solway Junction Railway, the Mont Cenis Pass Railway and New Zealand railways. He worked again with the Galloways on Southport Pier.Richardson (1870) p19, Brunlees (1855) Marshall (1958) p 214–6
In 1851 Brogdens had been poised to take over the Furness Railway itself and a draft agreement was made between Burlington and John Brogden senior but the Furness Railway directors refused to ratify it. Thus Burlington's fellow directors saved him and his family from losing a great prize and prevented the Brogdens from gaining it.Marshall(1958) p 213 However, as the expensive work proceeded Brogdens ran short of money and had to ask the Furness Railway for financial assistance. As the FR legally could not do this, two of their directorsThe Earl of Burlington and the Duke of Buccleuch Marshall(1958) p 217 made a loan of £50,000 in their personal capacities.Richardson(1870) p21
The line was opened on 26 August 1857.Richardson(1870) p 21, Marshall (1981) p 217 Gross expenditure was over £410,000.Richardson(1870) page 23 Brogdens were struggling financially and in 1858 approached the Furness for another loan but declined to accept the stringent conditions demanded.To sell the U&L to the FR at par for 4% Preference Stock – Marshall (1958) p 218 Finally in 1862 Brogdens sold the U&L to the existing Furness RailwayRichardson(1870) page 24 having made little or no direct profit. This railway link however was critical to the later industrial development of Barrow-in-Furness and its locality and mining interests.J D Marshall (1981), Richardson(1870) Vol 1 p 18 It also caused silt to build up in former tidal areas, creating new agricultural land. Brogdens' decision to sell this valuable railway, with good growth prospects, suggests that they were short of cash.
Solway Junction Railway Alexander Brogden was chairman of the Solway Junction RailwayEdgar and Sinton, page 9 is a photograph of the invitation to the cutting of the first sod on 28 March 1865 on which the chairman is stated to be "Alex. Brogden" so they clearly had a substantial stake in that railway but their precise involvement is not clear. For this railway the Solway Junction Railway Act 1864 (27 & 28 Vict. c. clxxxvi) was passed and the railway was opened in 1869 (goods only) and 1870 (goods and passengers). James Brunlees, previously noted, was the engineer. It was a failure in the long run because the cast iron viaduct could not withstand the ice-floes which were a regular feature of the winters here.Edgar and Sinton, pp 5,10,12,13, 19, 25-29, 53-55
Work in south Wales
Another area of expansion was in Mid-Glamorgan in south Wales. The bulk of iron ore mined in Furness had been sent there and the Brogdens became aware that Sir Robert Price, the owner of the Glamorgan Iron and Coal Works at Tondu, was in difficulties. In December 1853 they purchased for £10,000 the leases of the land and mines that he held. In the following January they purchased the works itself for £35,000. In July they acquired the leases of other farms and mines previously held by Sir Robert.Higgins 1978, p243
These purchases took place only a short time before the Bessemer process (announced 1856) began to undercut the old iron-making processes. That was bad luck but possibly they should have observed the Bessemer process more carefully before expanding the factory especially as Galloways, who supplied the bridges for the Ulverston and Lancaster Railway, were key players in the development of the Bessemer process.
Llynvi Valley / Cwm Llynfi These purchases were put under the control of James Brogden who was then at 22 the junior partner. He made good progress. In 1859 he married Helen Dunbar Milne. This marriage was unhappy and was dissolved in 1865.
When the horse-drawn Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway was replaced by the steam-hauled broad gauge Llynvi Valley Railway in 1861, the prospects of the Tondu and Maesteg areas improved and in 1863 Brogdens obtained a new lease of the Tywith This name is not on the current Ordnance Survey maps. However the B road between Nantyffyllon and Spelter is called Heol Tywith (verified on Microsoft Autoroute 2002) and a small group of houses called Tywith Cottages can be found on the left. From this (as well as the references below) it seems reasonable to suggest that Brogdens' Tywith Colliery was in this area. It's worth noting that about half a mile beyond Tywith Cottages, but on the right, there is a road/pathway leading to the memorial for Coegnant Colliery. Richards (1982) says, "It (Tywith) was closed to make room for the sinking of Coegnant Colliery and was the only works at the time where workmen were paid in cash and not under the truck shop system." Brynmor James (1987), D.P.L.R. The Story of a Railway and its Background, p 169 refers to Ty Chwith Bridge and Ty Chwith Cottages in this location. Ty Chwith may have been the original Welsh name for Tywith. lands in the Llynfi valley, from which they raised coal and iron in large quantities.Richards 1982