This venerable maker of steam engines and boilers traces its roots to 1856, when Stephen Wilcox of Rhode Island patented a new type of boiler. In 1867, he established a partnership with George Babcock, creating Babcock, Wilcox & Co. In 1873 they were granted patents for an improved boiler and a stationary steam engine. In 1881, the company was incorporated as The Babcock & Wilcox Co.
Ad from December 1869 "Manufacturer & Builder"
In 1923 the company's Canadian operations, located in Galt, Ontario, purchased Goldie & McCulloch Co., Ltd., a maker of safes, boilers, engines, and woodworking machinery. The merged firm became Babcock-Wilcox & Goldie-McCulloch Ltd., and subsequently Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd.
In 2000 B&W went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy because of asbestos-related claims.
Information Sources
- A British archives site has a history of Babcock & Wilcox that provided some of the history given here.
- See the entry for Goldie & McCulloch Co., Ltd. for references related to the Goldie-Babcock merger.
- American Steam Engine Builders: 1800-1900 by Kenneth L. Cope, 2006 page 24.