Catalogue description GEORGE STARBUCK AND COMPANY; GEORGE F. MILNES AND COMPANY; G.C.MILNES VOSS AND COMPANY (and related tramcar manufacturers)

BUSINESS RECORDS

George Starbuck and Company Ltd, 1871-1872

Starbuck Car and Wagon Company Ltd, 1872-1886

George F Milnes and Co, 1886-1905

United Electric Car Company Ltd

Milnes Voss and Co

Accns. 1174, 1176-81, 1187-8, 1190, 1202, 1207

The tramcars for George Francis Train's Birkenhead Street Railway (opened in Aug. 1860) were assembled locally from American parts: but about two years later one of Train's partners, George Starbuck, established the first tramcar factory outside America at 227 Cleveland Street, BIRKENHEAD. The business was incorporated as George Starbuck and Company Ltd., on the 12 Sep. 1871 and re-registered as the Starbuck Car and Wagon Company Ltd., on the 6 Nov. 1872. George Frederick Milnes of Fallowfield, Manchester, became the Company Secretary in 1878 and purchased the factory and assets following the winding-up of the Company in 1886. George F.Milnes and Co. were highly successful tramcar manufacturers, with customers throughout Britain and a substantial export trade. On the 10 Sep. 1898 the business was registered as a limited company, and the following year the site for a new and larger works was purchased at HADLEY, near WELLINGTON, in Shropshire. Production commenced at HADLEY in Jun.1900; but the Birkenhead works were not closed until 1902. During the very early years of the century most existing horse and steam tramway systems were converted to electric traction, and Milnes, among other manufacturers, gained a great deal of business from this trend; but the market had begun to contract by the beginning of 1903. The Company went into receivership in September and, after some complex manoeuvering, became part of the United Electric Car Company Ltd. in Jun. 1905. The U.E.C. inherited factories at PRESTON and TRAFFORD PARK, MACHESTER, as well as HADLEY, but eventually concentrated production at PRESTON. The Hadley Works were leased to other companies and were then sold in 1910 to Joseph Sankey and Co. In the meantime, production of tramcars in BIRKENHEAD, was continued by Milnes's son, George Comer Milnes, in partnership with Thomas Voss. Milnes Voss & Co. in fact specialised in the supply of tramcar parts and the fitting of patent "top covers" to existing open-top trams, but they manufactured a small number of complete tramcars. The Milnes Voss works were also in Celeveland Street but on a different site. The business was wound-up during 1913-14. There are very few surviving records of these tramcar manufacturers and the present collection has been put together from a variety of sources; many of which are indicated in the list.

• View Record