The Legacy of R. Blackett Charlton & Co: A Story of Tyneside Engineering

In the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne, amid the roaring furnaces and thriving shipyards of the Industrial Revolution, a young and ambitious engineer named Robert Blackett Charlton founded his own company in 1860. R. Blackett Charlton & Co was born at a time when Tyneside was establishing itself as a powerhouse of heavy industry. This was the era of steam, coal, and iron—the lifeblood of Victorian Britain.

Robert Charlton, just 34 at the time, had already earned a formidable reputation. He had served as chief draftsman for consulting engineers Thompson & Boyd and managed Henry Watson & Sons, manufacturers of valves, pumps, and hydraulic equipment. These roles helped Robert build invaluable relationships with notable figures such as Lord Armstrong of W.G. Armstrong & Co, Frank Marshall of Hawthorn Leslie, and William Boyd of Wallsend Slipway & Engineering. These connections would soon prove pivotal.

With vision and grit, Robert established a brass foundry at Manors, Newcastle, beside St. Andrew’s Convent and School. Although known as a "brass works," the company worked with a variety of materials, producing valves, pipework, and heating coils for tankers. The works quickly earned a reputation for excellence, supplying key clients like W.G. Armstrong's Elswick operations and the shipyards further down the Tyne.

The Manors works stood as a symbol of Newcastle's industrial prowess for over a century. But progress brought change. By the 1960s, the surge in car ownership spurred urban redevelopment. Newcastle’s Central Motorway East and the Manors Multistorey car park rose—built atop the old foundry grounds, bringing an end to an era.

But the Charlton legacy was far from over. In 1957, the company expanded into a new facility on White Street under the name Charlton Weddle & Co. This new site specialized in pipework for the oil and chemical industries and heating coils for VLCC oil tankers. By 1960, with both Manors and White Street in operation, the company employed around 300 people.

During the 1970s, as North Sea oil boomed, so did demand for exotic alloy pipework. R. Blackett Charlton responded by opening a specialist fabrication works in Ashington. Known for its advanced welding of Cunifer and Duplex materials, this site played a critical role in offshore engineering well into the 21st century.

The mid-1980s marked a turning point when the Blackett family sold their remaining interests in the company. Ownership changed hands several times—passing through Charlton Leslie Engineering, BTR Group, and Shepherd Offshore—until 1994, when Chieftain Group plc acquired the mothballed company for £250,000.

This acquisition marked a renaissance. Under the charismatic leadership of Chieftain CEO Bill Taylor and co-owner Peter Wardle, R. Blackett Charlton found new life. Bill's vision, energy, and people-first philosophy turned the company around. His first employee was "Frankie," a loyal maintenance engineer who showed up to work on day one despite the business being officially closed.

Bill and Peter built a robust team and expanded operations. Offices were opened in Teesside, Belfast, and Barrow-in-Furness, while the Low Walker site remained the company’s HQ. The business secured major contracts with clients like ABB, APL Offshore, Heerema, BASF, Amec, and ConocoPhillips. New divisions were launched, including a successful Manpower Services arm providing skilled labor for oil and gas installations.

By the early 2000s, R. Blackett Charlton had become a critical player in UK and Norwegian oil and gas supply chains. In 2007, Chieftain Group acquired Kevin Lloyd Ltd, expanding into structural steel fabrication. The business thrived, with over 430 staff delivering vital services to Teesside's chemical industry and beyond.

Though the company was eventually mothballed in 2016, the legacy of R. Blackett Charlton lives on. From a humble brass foundry in 1860 to a global supplier of high-spec engineering services, the story of Blackett’s is one of resilience, reinvention, and regional pride. It’s a story rooted in Tyneside's rich industrial heritage and driven by generations of engineers, craftsmen, and leaders dedicated to excellence.