View source for Vickers

{{Short description|British engineering company}}
{{for multi|the modern New Zealand aircraft company|Vickers Aircraft Company|other uses}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Vickers
| logo = Vickers plc logo.svg
| logo_size = 
| fate = Acquired
| successor = [[Rolls-Royce Holdings|Rolls-Royce plc]]
| foundation = 1828
| founder = Edward Vickers
| defunct = 1999
| location = London, England
| industry = Engineering
| key_people =
| products = Aircraft<br>[[Armaments]]<br>Ships
| num_employees =
| parent =
| subsid = [[Metropolitan-Vickers]]
}}

'''Vickers''' was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in [[Sheffield]] as a steel [[foundry]] by [[Edward Vickers]] and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting [[church bell]]s. The company went public in 1867, acquired more businesses, and began branching out into military hardware and shipbuilding. 

In 1911, the company expanded into [[aircraft manufacturer|aircraft manufacture]] and opened a flying school. They expanded even further into electrical and railway manufacturing, and in 1928 acquired an interest in the [[Supermarine]].<ref>{{cite book |title=A Dictionary of Aviation |first=David W. |last=Wragg |isbn=9780850451634 |edition=first |publisher=Osprey |year=1973 |page=274}}</ref>

Beginning in the 1960s, various parts of the company were nationalised, and in 1999 the rest of the company was acquired by [[Rolls-Royce Holdings|Rolls-Royce plc]], which sold the defence arm to [[Alvis plc]]. The Vickers name lived on in Alvis Vickers, until the latter was acquired by BAE Systems in 2004 to form [[BAE Systems Platforms & Services|BAE Systems Land Systems]].

==History==
===Early history===
Vickers was formed in [[Sheffield]] as a steel [[foundry]] by [[Edward Vickers]] and his father-in-law [[George Naylor (businessman)|George Naylor]] in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor & Sanderson and Vickers' brother William owned a steel rolling operation. Edward's investments in the railway industry allowed him to gain control of the company, based at [[Millsands]] and known as Naylor Vickers and Company. It began by making steel castings and quickly became famous for casting [[church bell]]s. In 1854 Vickers' sons Thomas (a [[militia]] officer known familiarly as 'Colonel Tom') and {{Interlanguage link multi|Albert Vickers|la|3=Albertus Vickers|lt=Albert}} joined the business and their considerable talents – Tom Vickers as a metallurgist and Albert as a team-builder and salesman – were key to its subsequent rapid development. "Its great architects," the historian Clive Trebilcock writes, "Colonel T.E. (1833–1915) and Albert (1838–1919) Vickers... provided ''both'' inspired technical leadership... and equally astute commercial direction. Both men were autocrats by temperament, but neither shunned advice or avoided delegation; each, but particularly Albert, had a marked gift for the selection of talented subordinates."<ref>Trebilcock, Clive. ''The Vickers Brothers: Armaments and Enterprise 1854–1914''. London: Europa Publications, 1977 pp.&nbsp;27,&nbsp;33,&nbsp;35,&nbsp;43,&nbsp;45–8,&nbsp;127–9.</ref>

In 1863 the company moved to a new site in Sheffield on the [[River Don, Yorkshire|River Don]] in [[Shiregreen and Brightside|Brightside]].

===Vickers, Sons & Company===
The company went public in 1867 as Vickers, Sons & Company and gradually acquired more businesses, branching out into various sectors. In 1868 Vickers began to manufacture marine shafts, in 1872 they began casting marine [[propeller]]s and in 1882 they set up a [[forging]] press. They were also supplying steel forgings for gun barrel manufacturers, including their future main competitor Armstrong, as early as 1870.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Warren |first=Kenneth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yEm2AAAAIAAJ&q=spring+1887 |title=Armstrongs of Elswick: Growth In Engineering And Armaments To The Merger With Vickers |date=1989 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |isbn=978-0-333-49759-3 |language=en}}</ref>

After a decline in lucrative tool steel demand in the US during the first half of 1880s, the stockholders logically decided in spring 1887 to diversify into large-scale armaments production and approved £1.5 million (1887, equivalent to £172.83 million in 2023)<ref name=":1" /> capital increase.<ref name=":0" /> By the end of 1888 Vickers produced and tested both their first artillery piece and first [[armour plate]].<ref name=":0" /> The time could have never been more fortunate, with the [[Naval Defence Act 1889]] significantly increasing the domestic demand and the invention of [[nickel steel]] armour rendering obsolete and worthless the investments of established producers into [[compound armour]].<ref name=":0" />

===Vickers, Sons & Maxim===
[[File:Vickers, Sons & Maxim's Naval Construction Works (ca. 1900).jpg|thumb|Vickers, Sons & Maxim's Naval Construction Works ({{Circa|1900}})]]
[[File:Emblem Wolseley-Siddeley V S & M copy.png|thumb|right|Name plate: Vickers, Sons & Maxim<br>Wolseley Siddeley]]
Vickers bought out the [[Barrow-in-Furness]] shipbuilder The Barrow Shipbuilding Company in 1897, acquiring its subsidiary the [[Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Company]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.submarineheritage.com/history.html |title=Submarine Heritage Centre |access-date=22 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070704042341/http://www.submarineheritage.com/history.html |archive-date=4 July 2007 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> at the same time, to become Vickers, Sons & Maxim.

Ordnance and ammunition made during this period, including [[World War I]], was stamped V.S.M.

The yard at Barrow became the "Construction Yard". With these acquisitions, Vickers could now produce a complete selection of products, from ships and marine fittings to armour plate and a whole suite of ordnance. In 1901 the [[Royal Navy]]'s first submarine, ''[[Holland 1]]'', was launched at the Naval Construction Yard. In 1902 Vickers took a half share in the famous [[River Clyde|Clyde]] shipyard [[John Brown & Company]].

Further diversification occurred in 1901 with the acquisition of [[The Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Company|a proposed business]] which was incorporated as [[Wolseley Motors|The Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company]] and in 1905 the goodwill and patent rights of the Siddeley car. In 1911 a controlling interest was acquired in [[torpedo]] manufacturer [[Whitehead & Company]].

===Vickers Limited===
{{main|Vickers Limited}}
[[File:Vickers Advertisement Janes 1914.jpg|thumb|300px|left|{{center|1914 advertisement in [[Jane's Fighting Ships|Jane's]] presenting Vickers broad naval capabilities}}]]
In 1911 the company name was changed to Vickers Ltd and expanded its operations into [[aircraft manufacturer|aircraft manufacture]] by the formation of Vickers Ltd (Aviation Department) and a Vickers School of Flying was opened at [[Brooklands]], Surrey on 20 January 1912. In 1919, the [[British Westinghouse]] electrical company was taken over as the [[Metropolitan-Vickers|Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Company]]; Metrovick. At the same time they came into Metropolitan's railway interests.

===Reorganisation===
A reorganisation during 1926 led to the retention of the rolling stock group: Metropolitan Carriage Wagon and Finance Company and The Metropolitan -Vickers Company and the disposal of: Vickers-Petters Limited, British Lighting and Ignition Company, the Plywood department at Crayford Creek, Canadian Vickers, William Beardmore and Co, and Wolseley Motors.<ref>City Notes ''[[The Times]]'', 30 April 1927; p.&nbsp;18; issue 44569.</ref>

===Merger with Armstrong Whitworth===
{{main|Vickers-Armstrongs}}
In 1927, Vickers merged with [[Tyneside]] based engineering company [[Armstrong Whitworth]] to become [[Vickers-Armstrongs]]. Armstrong Whitworth had developed along similar lines to Vickers, expanding into various military sectors and was notable for their artillery manufacture at [[Elswick, Tyne and Wear|Elswick]] and shipbuilding at a yard at [[High Walker]] on the [[River Tyne]]. Armstrongs shipbuilding interests became the "Naval Yard", those of Vickers on the west coast the "Naval Construction Yard". [[Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft]] was not absorbed by the new company.

In 1928, the Aviation Department became Vickers (Aviation) Ltd and soon after acquired [[Supermarine]], which became the "Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Ltd". In 1938, both companies were re-organised as Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd, although the former Supermarine and Vickers works continued to brand their products under their former names. 1929 saw the merger of the acquired railway business with those of [[Cammell Laird]] to form [[Metro-Cammell|Metropolitan Cammell Carriage & Wagon]].

===Nationalisation===
In 1960, the aircraft interests were merged with those of the [[Bristol Aeroplane Company|Bristol]], [[English Electric]] and [[Hunting Aircraft]] to form the [[British Aircraft Corporation]] (BAC). This was owned by Vickers, English Electric and Bristol (holding 40%, 40% and 20% respectively). BAC in turn owned 70% of Hunting. The Supermarine operation was closed in 1963 and the Vickers name for aircraft was dropped in 1965. Under the terms of the [[Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977|Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act]] BAC was nationalised in 1977 to become part of [[British Aerospace]], which exists today in the guise of [[BAE Systems]].

The Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act also led to the nationalisation of Vickers' shipbuilding division as part of [[British Shipbuilders]]. These had been renamed Vickers Armstrong Shipbuilders in 1955, changing again to Vickers Limited Shipbuilding Group in 1968. This division was privatised as [[Vickers Shipbuilding & Engineering]] in 1986, later part of [[General Electric Company|GEC's]] Marconi Marine. It remains in operation to this day as [[BAE Systems Submarines]].

===Vickers plc===
[[File:Vickers works in Leeds.jpg|thumb|right|The Vickers works in [[Cross Gates]], [[Leeds]]]]
{{main|Vickers plc}}
With their steelworking operations also nationalised into [[British Steel Corporation]] the remnants of Vickers became [[Vickers plc]]. In 1986, Vickers acquired the armaments manufacturer [[Royal Ordnance Factory]], [[Leeds]], which became Vickers Defence Systems. Other acquisitions included automotive engineers [[Cosworth]] in 1990, [[pump-jet|waterjet]] manufacturer [[Kamewa]] in 1986 and Norwegian marine propulsion and engineering company [[Ulstein Group|Ulstein]] in 1998. 1998 also saw the sale of Rolls-Royce Motors and Cosworth to [[Volkswagen Group]] for £430&nbsp;million, beating out [[BMW]]'s offer of £340&nbsp;million.

===Current status of Vickers===
In 1927, Vickers merged with the Tyneside-based engineering firm Armstrong Whitworth to form Vickers-Armstrongs. Armstrong Whitworth developed in a similar way to Vickers, expanding into various military fields and became famous for its artillery construction at Elswick and shipbuilding at its yard at High Walker upon Tyne.
In 1928, the Aviation Department changed its name to Vickers (Aviation) Ltd and shortly afterwards acquired Supermarine, which became 'Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Ltd'.
In 1938, the two companies were reorganised as Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd, although the former Supermarine and Vickers works continued to brand their products under their former names. In 1929, the acquired railway business was merged with that of Cammell Laird to form Metropolitan Cammell Carriage & Wagon.

1.6 Fifth change of the company
After the Second World War Vickers-Armstrongs manufactured commercial aircraft. In 1959 it introduced the VC10 jet aircraft and in the same year the government forced a merger with Bristol Aeroplane Company, English Electric and Hunting Aircraft to form the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC).
Alongside the achievements of BAC, the Hawker Siddeley Group were also experiencing success with the likes of the Hawker Harrier 'Jump Jet' and Hawker Siddeley Trident passenger aircraft. The two companies competed side by side for contracts throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, until the British Government expressed a desire for the two entities to merge. Finally, on 29 April 1977, the two companies were finally nationalised and a new company, British Aerospace Plc, emerged.
The rail business acquired by Vickers was sold to Alstom in 1989.

==See also==
* [[Canadian Vickers]], a Vickers subsidiary from 1911 to 1944
* [[List of preserved Vickers aircraft]]
* [[Oto Melara]], an Italian weapons manufacturer, originally a joint venture between Vickers and Terni Steelworks
* [[Supermarine]]
* [[Vickers hardness test]]
* [[Vickers machine gun]]

== Citations ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Anon (1898), ''Vickers, Sons and Maxim Limited: Their Works and Manufactures'', "Engineering", London
*Beynon, Huw & Wainwright, Hilary “The Workers’ Report on Vickers” (Pluto Press, London 1979)
* Evans, Harold. ''Vickers: Against the Odds 1956–1977'' (1978)
* Grant, Jonathan A. Grant, ''Between Depression and Disarmament: The International Armaments Business, 1919–1939'' (Cambridge UP,  2018). [https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=53757  Online review]
* Richardson, Alex (1902), ''Vickers Sons and Maxim Ltd: Their Works and Manufactures'', Ships, Guns, Engines etc. Offices of Engineering, 35 and 36, Bedford Street, Strand, W.C., London; illustrated with 70 engravings (photo engravings)
* Scott, J. D. (1962), ''Vickers: A History'', Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London

==External links==
{{Commons category|Vickers}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001552/http://www.level-two.co.uk/report.php?locname=brooklands Vickers Air-raid Shelter]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100328090903/http://www.dockmuseum.org.uk/archive/index.asp Vickers Photographic Archive]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050829135402/http://www.tilthammer.com/bio/vick.html Biography of Thomas and Albert Vickers]
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/destinysagent/3138834648/ The Vickers company canteen at Crayford, Kent, expected to become a restaurant with flats above]

{{FT 30 constituents}}
{{Sheffield companies|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Vickers| ]]
[[Category:Companies disestablished in 2004]]
[[Category:Defunct companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Engine manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Former defence companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:History of the tank]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1828]]
[[Category:Marine engine manufacturers]]