"Vinculum cast stone : advert isssued by Tarmac Ltd, Wolverhampton : in Specification : Architectural Press : London : 1934
An advert from the 1934 edition of "Specification", issued annually by the Architectural Press and containing an index of building and construction subjects, relevant specifications along with allied contractors and materials. This is for Vinculum cast stone, a produce made by a subsidiary of the large Tarmac Ltd whose head offices were based at Ettingshall in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.
Tarmac Ltd had been founded in 1905 by the Wolverhampton worthy Sir Alfred Hickman whose iron works at Ettingshall produced the waste material slag that formed the basis of 'tarmac' along with tar. The product had been the brain child of one Edgar Hooley who had in 1902/3 first patented the mix and formed the first works at Denby. These had foundered and Hickman bought the concern out. Tarmac prospered as the need for durable roads and surfaces became vital as road traffic increased and by the 1930s they had several works close to iron works so as to be able to utilise the waste materials.
Vinculum was another product born out of such waste - in this case, slag dust bound with Portland cement and cast into reinforced forms. The material was not only used to help Tarmac expand into the growing council house construction market but was also, as here, sold as an ideal material for the 'decoration' of suitably imporessive civic and commercial building facades. So here we have six views of municipal swimming baths and pools - one of which certainly bears a local Wolverhampton coat of arms so I think that nails a possible location for that one! The others - well..
The design of the advert is quite charming if 'staid' in graphic design terms but the use of the fish motif along with bubbling water certainly adds to the theme!
"Vinculum cast stone : advert isssued by Tarmac Ltd, Wolverhampton : in Specification : Architectural Press : London : 1934
An advert from the 1934 edition of "Specification", issued annually by the Architectural Press and containing an index of building and construction subjects, relevant specifications along with allied contractors and materials. This is for Vinculum cast stone, a produce made by a subsidiary of the large Tarmac Ltd whose head offices were based at Ettingshall in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.
Tarmac Ltd had been founded in 1905 by the Wolverhampton worthy Sir Alfred Hickman whose iron works at Ettingshall produced the waste material slag that formed the basis of 'tarmac' along with tar. The product had been the brain child of one Edgar Hooley who had in 1902/3 first patented the mix and formed the first works at Denby. These had foundered and Hickman bought the concern out. Tarmac prospered as the need for durable roads and surfaces became vital as road traffic increased and by the 1930s they had several works close to iron works so as to be able to utilise the waste materials.
Vinculum was another product born out of such waste - in this case, slag dust bound with Portland cement and cast into reinforced forms. The material was not only used to help Tarmac expand into the growing council house construction market but was also, as here, sold as an ideal material for the 'decoration' of suitably imporessive civic and commercial building facades. So here we have six views of municipal swimming baths and pools - one of which certainly bears a local Wolverhampton coat of arms so I think that nails a possible location for that one! The others - well..
The design of the advert is quite charming if 'staid' in graphic design terms but the use of the fish motif along with bubbling water certainly adds to the theme!