Phoenix Foundry

Advert for Phoenix FoundryImage courtesy of http://www.gracesguide.co.uk
Advert for Phoenix Foundry Image courtesy of http://www.gracesguide.co.uk

PHOENIX FOUNDRY was one of Glasgow’s oldest iron foundries, established by Thomas Edington originally in Queen St, around 1800. The premises were located in Garscube Road from 1847-1890. The firm produced the main entrance gates to Glasgow Necropolis. The oldest cast iron gates in Glasgow, they were restored to their former splendour in 2011.

The foundry also produced ordnance for the British army, some of which was used in the Crimean war.

The foundry occupied the Woodside site until 1890 and the following year they were commissioned by ‘Sweetie’ Buchanan, a local confectioner, to produce an ornamental fountain for the people of Glasgow which was situated in Phoenix Park, built on the site after the foundry moved.

In the early 19th century  there was a chronic shortage of  “small change” for the working people. This was partly due to the reluctance of the Royal Mint to produce coinage in anything other than precious metals.

To address this, between the years of  1811-1820 penny and copper tokens were produced in large quantities by a number of industrialists. These copper tokens were used to pay wages to workers and although not official coinage, they were generally accepted in exchange for goods in the communities in which they were issued