Leeds's lost steel fabrication industry

[jim]

Prior to the 1950s when coil springs took over, most vehicles, road and rail alike, were fitted with leaf springs. These consisted of a number of curved leaves of diminishing length held together by a buckle. The curve in the leaves was specified by the designer, and the enormous quantity of springs needed would give rise to the trade, a smithing job, of spring bender. Coil springs were "wound" and in the days before automation there would be a similar trade of spring winder.

[zip55]

tilly wrote: zip55 wrote: On my birth certificate (1955) it states my dad's occupation as 'Spring Bender's Mate'. Any suggestions as to which co. this could have been (all I know is that we lived in Thwaite Gate & it was probably on Low Rd or Hunslet Rd) ? Hi zip55 It could have been Hunslet Engine Company on Jack Lane or John Fowlers there were a number of engineering firms in Hunslet at that time.Not so anymore this was were i lived in the fiftys you would not know to look around Hunslet today just how much was made in that area it was known all over the world. Hi, thanks everyone for their suggestions, it turns out he worked at James Leech.