Parkinson Cowan

History

• 1900: The company is formed by the amalgamation of W. Parkinson Ltd, founded by William Parkinson of London and Birmingham, and W. and B. Cowan Ltd of London, Manchester, Edinburgh and New South Wales. The new enterprise is known as Parkinson and W. and B. Cowan.
• 1919: The company opens a new factory at Stretford, Manchester to manufacture gas meters.
• 1928 The company is renamed Parkinson and Cowan. Henry Cowan, Unionist member of parliament, is chairman around this time.
• 1937: Parkinson and Cowan Ltd is a listed exhibitor at the British Industries Fair.
• 1939: The company, like many other engineering concerns of the period, becomes an aircraft industry supplier.
• c.1960 to 1966: Kenneth Corfield is chairman.
• 1971: The company is taken over by Thorn, becoming part of Thorn Gas Appliances and continuing to make gas meters.
• 1987: Electrolux purchases the white goods division of Thorn-EMI, including the Parkinson Cowan brand.
• 1989: Gas metering operations, now under the banner of Thorn EMI Gas Metering, are sold to Schlumberger
• 1991: Sales, marketing and logistics functions of the Parkinson Cowan appliance business relocate to the former Coca-Cola distribution facility in Minworth, Birmingham. Moffat sub-brand of built-in appliances re-launched.
• 1993: Closure of the Minworth site.
• 1995: Production of gas cookers ceases at the Stechford, Birmingham factory. Gas cooking appliances marketed under the Parkinson Cowan brand are made at the Electrolux cooker factory in Spennymoor, County Durham.
• 2008: Electrolux close the site at Spennymoor and move production to Poland.

Cultural references