Subject

Founder based in Thames Ditton. From Exploring Surrey's Past: The foundry was established in Summer Road, Thames Ditton, in 1874 by Cox and Sons, ecclesiastical suppliers, to cast ornaments and statues in bronze, and the hand operated gantry crane, which moved the entire foundry floor to facilitate all major lifting work, was an integral part of the building constructed for this work. The business, which produced a large number of major castings, became Drew and Co in 1880, then Moore and Co in 1883, and was taken over by A J Hollinshead and A B Burton in 1897, and after the former's death in 1902 acquired the title of A B Burton, which it retained until his death in 1933. Burton's son in law, L R Tricker, closed the business and sold the foundry in 1939, when it seemed likely that it would be taken over for munitions manufacture. Thereafter it was used by London Metal Warehouses for making industrial castings, and then by Metal Centres Ltd, as a metal warehouse, until 1971/2 when it was sold to the District Council. The foundry was demolished in 1976 and the crane removed for preservation by the Surrey Archaeological Society.