In 1908, electrical engineer Frank Parkinson established F. Parkinson & Co. to manufacture motors. In 1913 his brother Albert joined the business, which changed its name to F. & A. Parkinson & Co. In 1927 their firm merged with Crompton & Co., Ltd. to create Crompton Parkinson. See the Crompton entry for the subsequent history.

Information Sources

• Grace's Guide has pages on F. Parkinson & Co. and F. & A. Parkinson & Co.
• From a 1918 issue of Iron and Coal Trades Review.

  Messrs F. Parkinson & Company, Wells Works, Guiseley, Leeds, with the object of meeting the increased demand for their alternating current motors, have considerably enlarged their business under the title of F. & A. Parkinson, Limited.

• Snippet from a 1946 issue of Mass Production.

  Mr. F. Parkinson, chairman and joint managing director of Crompton, Parkinson, Limited, and the associated group of companies, died suddenly at his home, Sunninghill, Berkshire, last week, at the age of 58. He founded F. Parkinson & Company, at Leeds, in 1908. In 1913 he was joined by his brother, Mr. Albert Parkinson, M.B.E., and the firm was later known as F. & A. Parkinson Limited. In 1927, an amalgamation was arranged with Crompton & Co., Ltd., with the late Col. R. E. Crompton on the board of directors ; thus was founded Crompton Parkinson, Ltd., the beginning of a group of companies of which the best known are: the British Electric Transformer Co., Ltd.; Derby Cables. Ltd.; Young Accumulators Ltd., Electricars, Ltd., A. E. Morrison & Son, Ltd. A mere catalogue of business development is not to attempt a description of the great qualities of Frank Parkinson the man... At the unanimous invitation of the members of the Board Mr. Albert Parkinson, M.B.E., has succeeded his brother, the late Mr. Frank Parkinson, as Chairman and Joint Managing Director of Crompton Parkinson Limited, and associated companies. Frank Parkinson was a leading electrical engineer of the present day, trained at Leeds University.