C F Wilson and Company Limited
C F Wilson of Aberdeen was established about 1886 by Charles F Wilson. Originally it concerned itself with manufacturing agricultural implements from premises at 88 College Street, Aberdeen. By the mid 1890s the firm described itself as engineers and blacksmiths. By 1906 the firm was manufacturing oil engines and claiming Charles Wilson had invented the cold starting diesel engine.
Like many business it was hard hit by the Depression and in 1932 it was restructured. It still manufactured engines but moved premises to Constitution Street, Aberdeen. During the 1950s to the 1970s production was broadened to include steel drum reconditioning plant, fish gutting machinery, paper cutting machines and automatic vehicle washing units.
The company remained at Constitution Street until the 1970s when it was taken over by another Aberdeen based company, John M. Henderson.
Known examples:
A 35hp single cylinder open crank crude oil engine manufactured by CF Wilson & Co can be seen at the Waterworks Museum in Hereford. The engine, which has a 75 inch flywheel, is the driving power for the Massington Lineshaft Display, designed to be redolent of a water supply system in the early 20th century. The Wilson engine drives a triple throw pump set via the original Lineshaft from Massington Pumping Station, which served Ledbury in Herefordshire. (2022)
Copies of articles and catalogues in collection are on file.
Details of two known engines in Australia and a photo of an engine taken New Zealand and one in America are in the correspondence file for C F Wilson.
See also correspondence in Allan Brothers file.
