Charles A. Clarke was an executive for machinery distributor Hill, Clarke & Co. In 1907 he established Universal Boring Machine Co. to make large horizontal boring mills. The firm continued in a low-profile way until 1949 when they were acquired by Bullard Machine Tool Co., who continued the product line under the Bullard-Universal name. Manufacturing was immediately relocated to Bridgeport, CT.

Information Sources

• The Massachusetts corporate registry database lists this company's first registration as 1907-03-27.
• 1907-04-18 Iron Trade Review.

  The Universal Boring Machine Co., Hudson, Massz, has been incorporated with a capital of $15,000. Charles A. Clarke, of Newton, Mass, is treasurer of the company.

• 1908-10-01 Iron Age article on "The new Universal Boring Machine".
• American Machinist, 05 Jan 1911 pg 93
• Ad in 1916-03-23 American Machinist.
• This firm's No. 3A universal horizontal boring machine was featured in the March 1917 issue of Boston Blue Bulletin from machinery distributor Hill, Clarke & Co.
• July 1918 "Machinery".

  Lieutenant Henry Ware Clarke, son of Charles A. Clarke of Hill, Clarke & Co. and Georgiania W. Clarke, was killed in action in France on May 29. Lieutenant Clarke was born in Chicago, where his parents then resided, on November 19, 1893, and returned with them to Newton, Mass., when he was two years old. He was educated in the public schools of that town and entered Harvard College, graduating in the class of 1916.

  Lieutenant Clarke went to Plattsburg in 1916-1917, and was commissioned from there as Second Lieutenant, volunteering at once for active service in France, where he arrived in September, 1917, and began training with different units, being finally assigned to the 16th Regiment, Regular Army, Machine Gun Company. In April of this year he received an honor chevron for six months’ service in the front zone. As his record shows, Lieutenant Clarke was one of the first to respond to the call of duty, inspired with that devotion to high and noble ideals which has characterized the youth of our country in her hour of need.

  Lieutenant Clarke was a member of the Doric Masonic Lodge of Hudson, Mass. After leaving Harvard he became associated with his father in the manufacturing business of the Universal Boring Machine Co. of Hudson.

• Article in January 1922 Machinery.
• From a 1944 issue of Machinery:

  Charles A. Clarke
  Charles Atherton Clarke, founder of the Universal Boring Machine Co., Hudson, Mass., and well known throughout the machinery industries, died in Watertown, Mass., on April 27 at the age of ninety ...

• From a 1944 issue of American Machinist.

  Charles A. Clarke,' founder of the Universal Boring Machine Co., died at his home in Watertown, Mass. on April 27, at the age of 90. He was associated with the firm of Hill, Clarke ft Co., assuming the presidency of that company at the time of his father's death. In 1907 he started manufacturing the Universal Boring Machine and was president of that company until 1941 when he became vice president. At the time...

• Advertisement in a late 1946 issue of Machinery.
• A 1949 issue of Western Machinery and Steel World has the following snippet.

  Bullard acquires Universal—The Bullard Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, manufacturers of vertical turret lathes ... of the Universal Boring Machine Compay of Hudson, Massachusetts. Manufacturing of these horizontal boring mills will be continued at the Bullard plant. The machines will be known as Bullard-Universal boring machines and will be offered in three sizes consisting of 3-inch, 4-inch, and 5 -inch spindle sizes. There are three sets of varied specifications of bed lengths, table sizes and vertical ranges for the 3- and 4-inch and 5-inch spindle sizes. Bullard will also continue the manufacture of the Universal precision machine-aligning level in 18-in. and 27-in , ...

• More on this maker in an owwm.org discussion.
• Machine serial numbers from 1919 to 1935 may found at Universal and the Bullard Co. serial number pages.