The British Thomson-Houston (BTH) Company was founded in 1894 and production started at Rugby in 1900. The main factory buildings (on what used to be Glebe Farm) opened beside the railway line in 1902. The firm produced items such as electric motors and generators, steam turbines, meters and Mazda lamps. They were one of the major local employers for many years. The site has changed a great deal since then, as can be seen from the photos, and another web-page will look at the site today.
Wartime activities and Whittle’s first jet engine
During the First World War BTH produced electrical equipment for the navy, and during the Second World War electrical components for aircraft engines, munitions etc. (A war memorial to BTH workers features on this website.) In 1937 Frank Whittle‘s company built the first prototype jet engine at the BTH works in Rugby but relations did not go smoothly and production was moved to Lutterworth.
Mergers and take-overs
BTH amalgamated with Metropolitan Vickers to form Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) in 1928 but the name BTH continued to be used until 1960. The General Electric Company (GEC) took over AEI in 1967. In 1998 two local branches of GEC merged with Alsthom (later renamed Alstom who still have a presence in Rugby).
If you have memories of BTH we’d love to hear from you.
Comments
Hi,
I’m the secretary of the AEI Rugby Club and our club details say we were founded in 1917 when the works were BTH. As our centenary is coming up I am trying to find any details of the club’s formation. We would appreciate any help you could give.
Kind regards
Roz
According to the BTH Reminiscences Book, early in 1913 an unofficial BTH Social Club was formed. This followed the Thomson-Houston Athletic Club which had been formed in London in 1899. In 1917 these two clubs were merged into the Thomson-Houston Athletic and Social Club. In July 1919 BTH bought 15 acres of land in Hillmorton Rd and laid out sports pitches and a clubhouse etc.. The name of the club then became “The BTH Recreation Club” No mention of the BTH Rugby Club specifically
Many thanks Alain for really helpful details about the Social Club. Does anyone have memories of its activities?
Does anyone know about a boiler explosion on 29 Apr 1918 when John Garner was awarded the Edward Medal for his part in BTH boiler house explosion, and who was John Garner ?
Dear Sir/Madam
I belong to a Railway Restoration Club named: Cape Western Railway Preservation Trust. We are based in Cape Town, South Africa.
We are currently in the process of restoring an old Ruston Shunting Locomotive (0-6-0). The engine and all mechanical parts are fully functional. This said we are experiencing problems with all of the electrical controls as well as with the wiring diagramme of this locomotive.
All that we have is the Control Panel info. This is…
Type: RMC 2183
Form: A
Conn: ZD 1022
Number: R 113528
Would you be able to assist or piont us in the direction of some body who may be able to assist.
Kind Regards:
Denton Smith
Denton – Many thanks for your interesting enquiry and best of luck with your restoration project. The Ruston company archives are at Lincolnshire Archives so we suggest getting in touch with them. There is a piece on the Lincolnshire Archives website about the project and its funding: http://www.lincstothepast.com/exhibitions/archives/the-ruston-and-hornsby-project.
We hope that this helps with your search for information. Gary (project archivist, Warwickshire County Record Office).
Dear Anne.
Thank you for the reply. I shall follow your lead.
Regards
Denton
Recently they demolished the Rugby Mill, in Chadderton, Oldham, on taking photographs of the mill there was an old motor in the rope-race which powered the remaining Carding engines after the steam engine was scrapped, the motor was a British Thomson Houston induction type which must pre-date 1960, I have a photo of this plate, and attach it for you (opens in new window).
Regards
John
John – many thanks for this interesting information and the excellent photograph. What sort of a textile mill was it?
Hello Anne,
It was a cotton spinning mill, built for the Rugby Mill Ltd, in 1908, it was taken over in 1949 by Cotton and Rayon Spinners Ltd, who closed it in 1985, the steam engine which had driven the pulleys for the various spinning floors was scrapped in the mid 1950’s, and the British Thomson Houston motor was installed to drive the Carding machines, as the ring frames had their own electric motors by this time.
Also as I remember BTH also supplied the Rugby Mill with a very large oil-filled star-delta starter, which unfortunately I didn’t photograph.
Kind regards
John
Could anyone please let me have contact details of the present company which continues to manufacture the save motors which were manufactured by British Thompson Houston. Kind cooperation is solicited
Thanks and regards
Rajesh Jain
jainsonsintl@yahoo.com
My dad worked at BTH during WW2. He moved down from Scotland. It seems a long move for a married man from Aberdeen – did the factory have a recruitment drive, possibly with government involvement? Is there a BTH archive? He was a keen golfer – did the factory have a golf club?
Speculative queries I know but any help is welcome.
Happy to be contacted on alexwood62@btinternet.com
My father was an apprentice at BTH between 1937 and 1939 and he was a keen rugby player. I have a photo which I think may be the BTH XV. Does anyone have photos of the BTH recreation club of that period? There’s a distinctive building in the background with a large arched entrance which I’d like to match with other photographs and confirm the identity of this team.
My original apprentice indentures were with the BTH starting in 1957. I still have a copy of BTH 50, or is it 60, of progress which contains much info. on this companies early days, and nearly up to the AEI days.
I am visiting my Mother in Rugby and I’m talking to Peter “Rip” Kirby who used to be a blacksmith with BTH. Rip served a seven year apprenticeship as a blacksmith. He remembers making every special item that was needed. Always “one offs” either from drawings or even sketches.
I have a watch that was won by a B Nightingale in the 100yds Handicap BTH sports 1920. Any information on this person would be much appreciated.
I did my apprenticeship at the BTH
started 1958 Industrial Chemist
worked Research Labs and Works Lab two thousand apprentices great time lived at Coton House for 2 years then into town Played football at Hilmorton Rd for the AEI team
Morning, an online search has brought me here. I’m restoring a Land Rover fire appliance that was new to BTH in 1957 at its Rugby Works. I wondered if you have any of the factory fire brigade information at all, or could point me in the direction of anyone who may know please? Photos obviously most welcome! We are also seeking a logo for BTH that they may have applied to this or any other of their vehicles. If anyone can help please get in touch. Thanks, Mike
Barbara Lenton, the lady looking for word on Nightingale’s watch, might try Dave Pluckrose who was at Coton House with me and a Nightingale in 1953/54, and keeps in touch with us both. [Email redacted, and sent separately]
My father, FW Payne started at BTH as a coil winder, and progressed to finish his working days as Factory Manager at Wythenshaw until Weinstock closed the factory. Dad lived to be 90 and has been gone 15 years now. I have some memorabilia. He told me that he once helped Frank Whittle by brazing some metal work for him as he worked in a shed next door, and one day the roof blew off in an explosion, and not long after the jet engine project moved to Lutterworth.
Does anyone know what became of the BTH technical records for magnetos, particularly the aircraft ones from the 1930s?
I have just partially restored a very heavy old cast iron AK linisher machine, it is driven by a BTH 1/2 horsepower motor and it still runs beautifully. Its catalogue number is D15377 type BKS2412. I think it may be the last one working in the country! I would love to know its date of manufacture. The history of this company is very impressive.. Regards David.
With reference to Bruce Dodd’s comment of 04/02/19. My late father in law Basil Joseph Terrell (Coton House) was working with Whittle at that time, and if anyone has any memories of that or pictures etc I would be very happy to know. Both Whittle and my father in law were called to serve in the war, Whittle returned to continue his work, my father in law went to work on the turbine development for ships, at Wallsend in Newcastle. However while at BTH in Rugby he married a local girl.
Another note re the BTH works, Rugby. I saw four works engines there in the 1950s/1960s. Two different designs of 0-4-0 saddle tanks: ‘Herbertson’ and ‘Asteroid’. There was also a Sentinel-type steam locomotive which I never saw outside its shed actually working. The other engine, a diesel, was named ‘Mazda’ (the Mazda lamp factory was located at Rugby).
On 19th February 1929, my grandfather George Alsop, a BTH transport worker was killed in an accident at the BTH shunting yards. Also, his father (also George Alsop) was killed in 1918 in a power house explosion at BTH. Is anything else known/recorded regarding either of these occurrences?
Hello all, I restore classic British motorcycles for a living and quite often find myself repairing BTH magnetos. I find they’re built to a far higher standard when compared to their Lucas equivalent.
I am looking, at the moment, for a 15 to 20 hp BTH 3 phase electric motor built in the British Standard Ventilated frame type. It must be 4 or 6 pole and able to be wired in star configuration at approximately 415v. Most of these motors appear to have been scrapped in favour of modern TEFC types. I’d be most grateful for any leads to trying to find one.
Very interesting page, thanks.
My grandfather Richard Albert Davis 1897-1975 was an engineer at BTH after WW1 (his was tasked with laying communication cables in no man’s land in Ypres so had electrical knowledge) he travelled the world, including Ford’s of Detroit, Buenos Aires, South Africa, India and Australia fitting all types of engines for the company. He had a lot to do with Frank Whittle apparently working out expansion and contraction of types of metals for construction of the jet engines. I think he met my grandmother there too.
I joined BTH in September 1958 as a student apprentice. I remember the names of a number of the others who joined at the same time but I have lost touch with them. It would be nice to know if they are still around. They are:
Kent Robinson
Brian Loader
Douglas Lamont
Ralph Chantrill
Hi there, my great uncle was seconded from BTH to Whittle’s team that developed the first jet engine. This was between 1935 to about 1940. His name was Norman Hardy and lived in Daventry until his passing. My father told me that he designed/built the turbine blades. He also patented a lathe and a web search will find the details. What I don’t have are any records of Norman’s work on the jet engine. As an engineer myself just seeing something with his name would be of personal value. e.g. an engineering drawing. Does anyone have further details to offer of where I can search?
I bought a old engineers booklet and inside was a old tax/pay slip for BTH Co Ltd, dated 29 March, 1957, name on it was H W B faldo
Back then for the year he earned £330-17s-10p and paid £14-16s-0p
Thought it may interest someone.
Did BTH have anything to do with the development of radar?
Reference Trevor Rhodes 8/9/2021 Kent Robinson & Brian Loader were co-members of ” The Groovers” playing saxophone and piano respectively under the leadership of Arthur Parker trumpeter during period at Rugby Engineering College. Myself guitarist also a member!
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