Based in in Darlaston in the industrial “Black Country” of England, Rubery Owen was founded in 1884 and was once one of the largest private employers in Europe, becoming Rubery Owen when John Rubery was joined by Alfred Ernest Owen in 1903.
“Project Q4” was named “Queen Elizabeth the Second” when she was launched.
Owen bought out the partnership in 1912 and saw expansion after expansion during the war and during the 1960s employed 17,000 people working through 63 companies over 5 continents. Whilst many know of their more publicised projects (Such as the BRM racing team or the record breaking “Bluebird” which made the land speed record driven by Donald Campbell), when Genus digitised their company magazine ‘Goodwill’, many more exciting projects came to light.
Using their expertise from the Rubery Owen Welding Division, the Rowen-Arc department were instrumental in the construction of “Project Q4” by the Cunard Steamship Company in 1967. The Q4 would be launched on September 20th 1967 with the name “Queen Elizabeth the Second”, with QE2 becoming one of the most famous, most travelled ships in the world.
The Victoria Bridge in Bewdley, part of the Severn Valley Railway line.
Far from only being involved in vehicles, Rubery Owen also had quite a hand in the development of the landscape of the country. They were involved in the renovation of the 120 year old Victoria Bridge in Bewdley, the company supplying, delivering and fixing the components to reconstitute the original bridge which would go on to be classified as Grade II listed. RO Steelworks worked alongside the consulting engineer from Severn Valley Railway to make sure that the fittings would be appropriate to the heritage of the rail line. Projects like this, which was the fourth project for the railway that RO completed, were mixed with various other construction works, with Rubery Owen assisting in the construction of everything from tower block homes and factories to the College of Technology in Birmingham, inaugurated by the Queen in 1955.
Rubery Owen also had a hand in another landmark that might be familiar to readers: the Bull Ring Centre market of Birmingham, the above featured image. Launched by Prince Phillip in 1964, it was a product of the Wrexham factory from Rubery Owen & Company Ltd with the total space of the project spanning 130 acres and though heavily developed since, the outdoor market is still there to this day.
Rubery Owen’s extensive archive, including the Goodwill magazines that these images came from, can be found in three separate locations. Documentation can be found at the Warwick Record Centre, Photographs and negatives are kept in storage at the Birmingham Central Library the film archive is held by MACE, including period footage Rubery Owen film, as well as external film footage and news reports and other material related to the company. More images of the reconstruction of the Victoria bridge can be found at this article, studying the collection of former employee Ted Hickinbottom.
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