George Orton, Sons & Spooner Ltd (1875 - 1977)
Dates
- Existence: 1875 - 1977
- Usage: 1925 - 1977
Biography
Orton, Sons and Spooner Ltd., were an engineering company, which produced some of the most sophisticated and sought after rides, wagons and show fronts in the British fairgrounds at the turn of the nineteenth century. The company gained an unrivalled reputation, applying industrial and artistic design to produce some of the most spectacular rides in the sector through a combination of innovative engineering, entrepreneurship and decorative finishes applied by some of the best artists and carvers in the trade.
Orton and Spooner elevated ride manufacturing from its humble man and animal powered beginnings in the pre-industrial revolution to sensorial experiences of beauty, speed, discovery and thrill, matching the social aspirations of an entire nation.
George Orton first stablished the Lion Carriage Works in 1875, making Gipsy and other transportation wagons. It wasn't until 1883 that Orton started trading with fairground showmen by building highly decorative living wagons, which exteriors worked as showfonts. This diversification signified the company’s transition from the transport industry to the entertainment industry.
Charles Spooner was a skilled woodcarver mainly supplying the thriving Burton-on-Trent brewing industry with drays and handcarts. Spooner set up his own business in 1892. His impressive finesse as a woodcarver brought him to the attention of George Orton in 1894. Initially, Orton sub-contracted Spooner to supply carvings for his living wagons and showfronts. Their skills were so complementary that the business became dependant on each other and Orton and Spooner entered into a long partnership, which resulted in the amalgamation of their companies in 1925.
The manufacturing of living wagons soon evolved into lavish showfronts and ambitious rides that dominated the market, especially after the company’s main competitor, Fredrick Savage of King’s Lynn, went into liquidation in 1910.
The company was requisitioned by the government during both world wars; during WWI to manufacture portable aircraft hangers and during WWII to build military vehicles.
Orton and Spooner managed to resume business in the supply of the entertainment sector after both wars, but started winding down the manufacturing of fairground equipment after WWII as the company experienced the effects of fundamental changes on labour conditions and market demand.
From the end of WWII until 1953 they diversified into the manufacturing of light engineering products to offset the unpredictability of the entertainment sector. Orton, Sons and Spooner Ltd., finally stopped trading in fairground equipment in 1954 to specialise exclusively in the manufacturing of mechanical handling equipment until 1977 when the company finally closed.
Found in 806 Collections and/or Records:
No.54 Dodgem Plan, February 1932
Plan showing No.54 dodgem's steel plates, scale 1 and 1/2".
No.54 Dodgem Plan, c1920 - 1939
Plan for No.54 dodgem.
No.54 Noah's Ark Plan, c1930 - 1939
Section of plan for Rhyl's No.54 Noah's Ark, scale 1".
No.54 Noah's Ark Plan, c1930 - 1939
Plan for No.54 Rhyl's Noah's Ark top structure and rafter pole, scale 1".
No.57 Dodgem Elevation, c1920 - 1939
Elevation of front section of No.57 dodgem showing column decoration and section of floor plan.
No.57 Dodgem Plan, c1920 - 1939
Pencil drawing of dodgem tracks.
No.61 Ark Frontage Sketch, c1930 - 1939
Colour sketch of section of Corrigan's No.61 Ark's frontage.
No.64 Ark and No.1 Swoop Trucks Elevations, c1920 - 1939
Side elevations of new rides' centre trucks, scale 1".
No.64 Ark Elevation, c1880 - 1899
Elevation of No.64 centre and hanging frames, scale 3/4".
No.64 Ark Sections Drawing, c1930 - 1939
Sections of No.64 Ark with eighteen platforms and 20 sections, scale 3/4".
No.64 Noah's Ark Plan, c1930 - 1939
Plan for No.64 Noah's ark, containing twenty sections and eighteen platforms, scale 1/2".
No.66 Dodgem Plan, c1930 - 1939
Plan for No.66 dodgem track and side elevation, scale 1/2".
No.68 and No.69 Dodgems Plan, November 1936 - February 1937
Complete track plan for No.68 and No.69 dodgems.
Noah's Ark Blueprint, c1930 - 1939
Five ton crane cast steel trailer wheel with special housing. Scale full size.
Noah's Ark Diagrams, c1930 - 1939
Large and small diagrams of Noah's Ark platfrom elevation.
Noah's Ark Elevation, c1930 - 1939
Side elevations of small Noah's ark track and gate shutters, scale 1".
Noah's Ark Elevation, c1930 - 1939
Elevation drawings of sections of Noah's Ark's joists, axel and wheel.
Noah's Ark Elevations, c1930 - 1939
Elevation drawings of sections of large Noah's Ark including tracks and rails. Scale 1".
Noah's Ark Plan, c1920 - 1939
Noah's ark rail suggestion section.
Noah's Ark Plan, c1930 - 1939
Noah's ark sleeper plan, scale 1/2" by Geo. Orton, Sons & Spooner Ltd, Burton-on-Trent.