Victoria Engineering Works

The Victoria Works started life as a company called Clarke, Chapman and Gurney in circa 1874. William Clarke had previously owned a small factory at South Shore, Felling in 1864. In 1884 when Mr Gurney resigned, Charles Algernon Parsons bought a junior partnership in the firm. Parsons arrival at the Victoria Works coincided with the company's interest in developing electricity for use on board ship. Park House (HER 5094), an old mansion, was bought by the company for the development of electricity and Parsons developed his steam turbine in this building. The 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map shows this part of the works as the Sunbeam Lamp Works (HER 4360) which was formed in 1880. The Company became known as Clarke, Chapman, Parsons & Company until 1888, when Parsons left to further his development of the turbine at Heaton in Newcastle. Steam turbo-dynamos were made by the company. These were mainly used on board ships for electric lighting. The first generating plants were constructed by the company in 1884. In 1893 the Company was incororated and its name became Clarke, Chapman and Company Limited. The company fitted the Theatre Royal in Newcastle with a Butler gas engine and dynamo for electric lighting in 1895. They manufactured their first electric winch in 1896.