Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Title

John F. Swinnerton, Inc.Foundry Street, circa 1930's

Description

"Best known as the Smith & Anthony Stove Company, the original foundry building on the west side of the Boston & Maine Railroad tracks was erected in 1854 by Abner Blanchard, Charles Tarbell, William Stewart and J.F. Dane, under the name of Blanchard, Tarbell & Co. The company prospered and demand for their products was such that it became necessary to increase the capital in 1856. A stock company was formed under the name of Boston & Maine Foundry Company and investors included the founders, as well as Cyrus Wakefield, Sewall Mack and others. The company was profitable until a fire in 1866. Although the new buildings were quickly erected, and 'the foundry and its connections were the most complete in New England,' the company failed and was bought by the Franklin Foundry Company in 1871. In April 1879, the foundry was purchased by the Smith & Anthony Stove Company. William Smith served as president, and E.W. Anthony was treasurer. The company's line of stoves, furnaces and ranges, made under the name and trademark of Hub, 'were known everywhere, and excelled by none.' The company also built a brass foundry and finishing shop to accommodate its growing plumbing and water closet business. The company is said to have made the country's first enameled bathtub. Smith & Anthony Stove Company, which once had a payroll of $3,000 per week, went out of business in 1917. George Gibby of East Boston purchased the Smith & Anthony interests in April 1917 and operated the plant for several years before moving the equipment to East Boston, while maintaining ownership of the building. The building was later occupied by A.C. Purrington for the manufacture of pipes and fittings, and by John F. Swinnerton, Inc. which made pipes, valves, fittings and boilers. Swinnerton's company left in 1937, and the building was torn down in August 1938. In June 1938, the separate Smith & Anthony brass foundry building on the east side of Foundry Street was purchased by the Diamond Tank and Welding Company, which specialized in the manufacture of oil tanks. The company was owned by William A. Hickey of Hickey Coal and Oil Company and sold the tanks to the fuel oil jobbers and other engaged in tank installation."

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2018

Photo courtesy of the Wakefield Historical Society.

Contributor

Institution: Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Coverage

Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Wakefield

Foundry Street (Wakefield, Mass.)

Date

1930-1939

Format

image/jpeg

Publisher

Wakefield, Mass. : Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department

Subject

Foundries

John F. Swinnerton Inc. (Wakefield, Mass.)

Type

still image

Photographs

Original Format

1 picture: b & w

Extent

34 x 16 cm.