The end of an era

IT’S the end of an era for the old Whessoe factory on Jamestown Road, Finglas, which is now demolished after being part of the local landscape going back more than 50 years.

The Whessoe story began in on August 18, 1959 when Universal Fabricators Ltd began the fabrication of storage tanks, ladders and rainwater goods.

The factory was the manufacturing plant of Carthorn Ltd, a company set up ten years previously. The plant manufactured its products under licence from Darlington based engineering company, Whessoe, and Harry Bambrick was a director of both Carthorn and Universal Fabricators.

He was born on July 25, 1913, in Lullymore Terrace, Dublin, off the South Circular Road at Dolphin’s Barn. His father was a clerk in the rubber business.

Harry was educated at the Synge Street CBS. His early career after school was varied and limited by the availability of work.

He was a ledger clerk with Howth Demesne Dairies in the 1930s and worked for a number of years in England. His family at this time lived in Harold’s Cross.

In 1964 Whessoe bought out Carthorn and Universal Fabricators, renaming the business Whessoe (Ireland) Ltd. Harry Bambrick was appointed managing director of the company in 1965.

In 1975, while President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, he was appointed by the Minister of Industry & Commerce as a director in Irish Steel Holdings at Haulbowline.

He retired on 31 January 1976 but remained on as a non-executive director with Whessoe (Irl) and died on 2nd October, 1998 at St Vincent’s Hospital, Elm Park.

Local legend has it that Universal Fabricators was owned by Harry Reynolds, who also happened to own Leeds United football club. Although he lived in Leeds Harry travelled regularly to Finglas. It was said that if Leeds were beaten on a Saturday, Harry would arrive in Finglas the following Monday and sack at least ten workers.

Naturally enough, the employees, it’s claimed, declared themselves devout Leeds United fans, both for job security and for the fact that Irish soccer legend, John Giles, was the team’s midfield general.

In 1992 Whessoe (Irl) Ltd was bought out by its then managing director, Martin McEvoy, and its name changed to WIL Steelworks, but it will always be remembered as Whessoe in Finglas.