The Britannia Ironworks of Derby were established in about 1800. By 1848 the works were operated by Samuel Job Wright, who in that year sold his interest to Andrew Handyside, a Scottish engineer who had been living in Russia. He organized as Andrew Handyside & Co., Ltd., and under that name the business primarily produced architectural and bridge ironwork but also made steam engines, presses and a treadle-powered grinder. Handyside & Company remained in operation until 1931, although by their last few decades they had stopped making engines and other items of interest to us.

Information Sources

• 1851-11-08 The Illustrated London News, page 580.

  Iron Vase, by Handside, Derby. This is an 'object' which must not be passed over in silence; the extreme absurdity of the 'one idea,' calling for one word at least of reprobation. For the vase itself, it is a common, ordinary-looking wash-hand basin enough, of cast iron, partly gilt. The feature which excites our spleen is the gibbeting of the heads of Shakespeare, Wellington, Milton, Pell, Watt, Scott, and a lot more, midway up the pedestal—objects of commiseration and ridicule as long as the vase lasts, which we hope will not be long; for the sooner it is consigned to the melting-pot again, the better for Mr. Handyside reputation, and for our peace of mind.

  See the "Images" tab, above, if you would like to view this vase, which is graceful in appearance and a testament to Handyside's pattern-making and casting skills, if overly ornate for modern tastes. The 1851 Art-Journal Illustrated Catalogue, page 6, illustrates this same vase and provides this description.

  The establishment of Mr. Handyside, of Derby—the "Britannia Foundry"—is principally represented by the elegant Iron Vase which we engrave. It is of very large size and elegant character. The body of the Vase is decorated with an elaborate interlaced design, which we have engraved above it. The base is an octagon, having eight open-work screens hanging in front of the pedestal, which give singular lightness and elegance to the entire object. As an example of the taste and improvement which characterises the iron manufactures of our own country, we believe our readers will consider this work deserving of much attention: it is an excellent design, as excellently worked out, and reflects credit on the establishment from which it has emanated—one that from the magnitude of its operations is second to none in England.

• March 1879 Scientific Canadian article on Heavyside mowers and reapers. The article includes illustrations.
• 2018 book A-Z of Derby: Places-People-History, by Maxwell Craven.

  Andrew Handyside, and the iron-founding firm he took over in Derby, forms a major element in Derby's links with Russia... Handyside himself was born in Edinburgh in 1805, but his maternal uncle Charles Baird was an engineer in St. Petersburg where Andrew and his brothers all joined him on leaving school... The family remained in Russia until the revolution in 1917, but Andrew returned to Derby with his Russian bride in 1848, acquiring the Britannia Foundry, Duke Street (set up in 1818), from Samuel Job Wright, another Derby man who traded silk at St. Petersburg... Handyside dramatically increased the scope of the foundry, making ambitious installations for railways, buildings and ports, sometimes in collaboration with Sir Gilbert Scot and Sir Charles and Sir Francis Fox (both locally born). Their iconic red pillar boxes can be seen all over the British Isles and our former empire. Handyside himself died in 1887, but the firm continued under his son-in-law Alexander Buchanan (1829-1912), and built the Rolls-Royce factory in 1907. The foundry finally succumbed to the Great Depression in 1931.

• More history and machine information can be found at Grace’s Guide.
• Andrew Handyside and Co. on Archive.org. We have also imported these catalogs to our Publications section.
• 1900 J. A. Berly's Universal Electrical Directory and Advertiser. "Handyside, Andrew, & Co., Ltd., engineers & ironfounders, Britannia Iron Works, Derby (Telegrams: 'Handyside, Derby'); 104, Queen Victoria-st., London, E.C. (Telegrams: 'Handyside, London.' Telephone No. 969, Bank); 46, Brown-st., Manchester; 26, Gordon-st., Glasgow; & Bank-bldgs., St. Mary-st., Cardiff."