Guest and Chrimes
Brass founders and Manufacturers
The first maker of water taps, James Payne, owned a small factory in Water Lane. Peter G Chrimes, a plumber in the town, patented an improvement in these taps, and for the purpose of manufacturing them, founded the firm of Guest and Chrimes.
According to directories, Edward Chrimes senior was in business as a plumber and glazier in Bridgegate, Rotherham during 1814-1817. Between 1822-1833 directories show the business at Market Place and by 1837 the title became 'Edward Chrimes and Sons'. His sons were Edward jnr, Richard and Peter but it is not clear whether they were all continuously associated with the same business throughout the next eight years.
In 1841, directories list 'Peter and Edward Chrimes'. In 1842 Edward senior, is described as a maltster when he and Richard guaranteed loans to Peter and Edward jnr. The same year Richard appears to be running his own business in Sheffield. The apprentice agreements between November 1844 and February 1845 were made by all three brothers and a directory lists 'Chrimes Brothers' in 1845, with the first mention of brassfounding business.
Some time before October 1845 Peter and Richard left and Edward Junior formed a short lived partnership with Thomas Neatby, the firm trading as 'Chrimes, Neatby and Co.' This ended with Edward Jnr's death in about 1847.
Later partners in the firm were George Eskholme and Charles Edward Chrimes (son of Edward jnr)
At this point Richard returned from a situation in London and formed a partnership with John Guest taking the present name of 'Guest and Chrimes'. In 1857/8 the business removed to a site at Don Street where the works were spacious and well adapted in every way to the object for which they were built. Messrs. Guest and Chrimes removed to the new premises from their former works in the Market-Place, because it was their desire to keep pace with the great extension of water-works at high pressure, and with sanitary progress in general; and no labour or expense was spared in bringing out and perfecting the most complete class of articles produced for the purpose.
Among the principal products manufactured by Guest and Chrimes were: Bateman, Moore's and Chrimes' Patent Hydrants or Fire Cocks, Improved Sluice Cocks, Chrimes' Patent High-pressure Single and Double Loose-valve and Screw-down Cocks, Pilbrow's Patent Water-Waste Preventer, Siemens' Patent Balance Water Meter, Bell and Chrimes' Patent Service Box Valve, and Guest and Chrimes' Registered Service Box. Fire-extinguishing Apparatus of every description, as hand or delivery pipes, jets, jet and spreader, to distribute water in imitation of rain; hose couplings; leather, India rubber, canvas hose, coupling wrenches, etc. Sanitary Vessels, Wash-hand Basins, Urinals, Closet Pans, Plug Basins, Hoppers, etc. of Ridgway's and the best Staffordshire make, and general plumbers' and gas-fitters' products.
The first floor housed the large showrooms for chandeliers, containing numerous tasteful specimens of these products. Above the show-rooms were spacious Warehouses, and adjoining several Turning and Fitting-Shops. A large number of buildings in the centre of the great quadrangle, were devoted to the manufacture of gas chandeliers. Platforms connected the various departments of the works; passing down one of these led to the ground floor where the Water Meter Testing Department was found. Guest and Chrimes were large contractors for the supply of water-meters. It was a strict rule that no goods should leave the works without having been subjected to a test, in order that their strength and soundness could be guaranteed.
A similar department was for testing Sluice Cocks. In one of the fitting-shops a large collection of costly turning, boring, drilling, planing, and slotting machines were housed. One boring-lathe was said to cost nearly £1,000. Here also was a travelling crane. From here, passing one of several huge chimneys, some 100 feet high, was the engine-house. The steam-power used for the machines on the premises was nearly fifty- horse power. After the engine-house, the next building was the Model Room.
The cupolas of the iron foundries where the castings were made was adjoining, with a department for mixing copper and zinc for brass. The Brass Casting Shop had twelve fires, and adjoining were several other shops devoted to the same purpose. Next was the Bar Iron Warehouses, the Coach-house, Stable, and the Warehouses for Castings.
The Smiths' Shop had eight fires. The Stamping shop was where the products were made using Steam-Power.
In the centre of the quadrangle were the Copper Warehouses, joined by the Pottery, where the crucibles were made. Next the Dipping, Bronzing, and Burnishing Rooms, and the stores containing acids, etc.
A large fire-proof department housed spirits of wine, lacquer, etc. After this were the Carpenters' Shops, where the models were made, and the Pan-Closet and Copper-Ball rooms for water- tanks. Here, also, were Turning and Burnishing Shops with the Chrimes' high-pressure water cocks, for which the proprietors held a patent. In the Water-Meter Department, Siemens' patent water-meters were made - a very valuable invention.
From the Carpenters' shop, was a large department for fitting the high-pressure cocks, joined by a shop in which meters were made; also patent ball-cocks, plumbers' fittings, ferrules for water mains, union joints etc. This room had seventeen turning lathes.
Besides the rooms already mentioned, there were glass-cutting rooms, and other departments.
The Gas-Fitting Rooms were on the second floor. Over a bridge were the stores for rough castings, brass tubes, etc. The finishing and packing departments were nearby.
In 1861 about 300 workmen were employed, and the proprietors of the works had a branch in London, at 37, Southampton Street, The Strand.
Richard Chrimes
Born about 1819, he married Mary Myers of Masbrough. In 1881 he was living at Grove House, Moorgate Rotherham. He was employing 240 men, 3 women, 90 boys and 4 girls.
For the greater part of a century few names have been better known to the people of Rotherham than that of Richard Chrimes.
Richard Chrimes. took a serious view of the responsibilities and a deep sense of the obligations his success in business placed upon him. As head of Guest and Chrimes, he displayed keen business acumen and ability which put his firm in the forefront and gained for it a world-wide reputation. He used his wealth for the benefit of others and he never forgot human infirmity or the poor. No individual or firm were more liberal in their help when appealed to on behalf of deserving and charitable objects. During the Franco German War in 1870, he subscribed large sums of money to the Red Cross Society.
Mr. Chrimes kept as series of diaries from 1868 to 1882, Rotherham archives have details of the 5 volumes.
Charles Edward Chrimes
For sixty years Charles Edward Chrimes was associated with the firm, eventually becoming the head. It was generally due to his efforts that the firm was so successful.
It seems he took no active part in public matters, devoting the most part of his time to his business and the care of his workers.
He was elected a member of the Royal Society of Arts in 1897.
He died on 28 November 1914 at the age of 75.
He was succeeded by his nephew F. Mackman Watson and other members of the Watson family.
John Guest
Rotherham’s historian John Guest, was born in Rotherham on the 5th May, 1799, and lived to the ripe old age of 81, He served an apprenticeship to the grocery business, but later drifted into a lawyer’s office. Leaving the lawyer’s office, he became representative for Messrs. Sandford and Owen, and afterwards joined Mr. Chrimes at the brassworks
A member of the old Local Board, he sought election as a councillor when the Rotherham Borough was incorporated, and at the first meeting his colleagues elected him an Alderman. He refused the offer of becoming the first Mayor of Rotherham, stating as his reason that he could never, as chief magistrate, punish a man for doing what he had so often done himself.
He was married to Hannah (Nee Shaw).
Extract from 'Our Exemplars, Poor and Rich', by Matthew Davenport Hill, 1861:
Mr. John Guest of Rotherham, may be properly called a self-made man, and, in his locality, a public benefactor, being foremost in every social and benevolent movement that takes place in that neighbourhood. He is an energetic member of the Rotherham Mechanics' Institution. He was the first to introduce building societies into that town. He is a leading member of the Total Abstinence Society, a man of refined manners, of good literary taste, and, in his earlier years, was a frequent contributor, both in poetry and prose, to the local literature of this part of the country. He is an energetic sanitary reformer. Mr. G. possesses an extensive library, and a large gallery of good modern pictures by many of the best modern masters, including Reynolds, Gainsborough, Collins, Uwins, and the best men of the transition period. Mr. G.'s wife is happily a fit companion for a man of his taste and accomplishments; and many a cottage inmate in Rotherham and its vicinity may be heard to bless her name. She is a true sister of charity, benevolent and unostentatious. Without this couple Rotherham would be a wilderness.
My Life as a Pattern Maker at Guest & Chrimes told by Derek Jacobs
©2004