Thomas Green & Son
Thomas Green & Son was a Leeds engineering manufacturer known for lawnmowers, steam tram engines, locomotives, road rollers and other industrial machinery.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Thomas Green & Son was a diversified engineering company established in Leeds in 1835 by Thomas Green, who had moved there from Carlton-on-Trent near Newark. The business began at 34 Lower Head Row, now part of Eastgate, and initially concentrated on wirework, including wire weaving and galvanising. Its later identity was shaped by the development of the Smithfield Foundry on North Street. The company acquired the site in 1848, erected its first buildings there in 1850, and subsequently expanded its premises and commercial reach. In 1863 it opened a London office to support overseas trade, followed in 1881 by Surrey Works at Blackfriars and, in 1902, a larger New Surrey Works. The company manufactured a notably broad range of equipment rather than remaining tied to one product category. Green became especially associated with lawnmowers, beginning production in 1855. The firm improved the earlier Budding mower concept by reducing weight and adding a rake to raise grass before cutting. A Green machine won first prize at the first London lawnmower trial at the London Horticultural Gardens, Chiswick, in 1858. The range eventually included machines from approximately 8 to 42 inches, including the chain-driven Silens Messor and the Multum in Parvo. Green also briefly marketed a steam-powered mower in 1902. Before the First World War, the company was one of the leading British mower manufacturers alongside Ransomes and Shanks. After the war, it developed motorized mowers, first using Young two-stroke engines and later Dalman engines; in 1923 it began manufacturing engines itself. Gang mowers for cricket grounds and playing fields became an important later line, with equipment used at venues including Headingley and Trent Bridge. Another major business was steam traction and municipal engineering equipment. Green began building steam tramway locomotives in 1885, initially producing Wilkinson patent designs under licence. After 39 Wilkinson-type machines, it developed its own horizontal-boiler design with inclined cylinders and Joy valve gear. Green tram engines were designed for the restrictive operating conditions imposed by British legislation, including speed, noise, smoke and machinery-visibility requirements. Approximately 157 steam tram engines were built, with customers in Britain and Ireland as well as overseas destinations such as Penang and Kimberley in South Africa. The company also entered conventional railway locomotive production. Its first conventional locomotive, an 0-4-0 well tank, was built in 1888 for Australia. Subsequent orders included industrial, construction, fairground and railway locomotives, including machines for the West Clare Railway, Dublin and Blessington, Cork and Muskerry, the Lima Railway in Peru and the Société Générale de Paris. Some Green locomotives have survived in preservation, including locomotive Barber, now associated with the South Tynedale Railway. Road vehicles were another important field. Green began producing steam rollers in 1872, supplied a convertible traction-engine and road-roller design in 1880, and introduced a horizontal-boiler model in 1881. Its range covered machines from roughly three to twelve tons, including tandem and triple rollers, and about 300 were supplied. Petrol rollers followed in 1905, while diesel models such as the DRM and its lighter DRL and DRX successors were developed in the 1930s. In the 1960s the company produced the Workman and the heavier Pacemaker. During the First World War, Smithfield Foundry continued making road rollers while also producing military-related items such as mine sinkers, lathes, bombs, mortar shells and artillery wheels. During the Second World War, production focused largely on parts for Blackburn aircraft. Blackburn took control of the business in 1951. After Blackburn became part of the wider Hawker Siddeley aircraft-industrial group, Hawker Siddeley assumed control in 1960. The arrangement did not prove successful, and in 1975 the business was sold to Atkinsons of Clitheroe. The Leeds works then closed, ending the company's manufacturing presence at Smithfield Foundry. Surviving locomotives, rollers, cast-iron furniture and other products remain evidence of the company's long and unusually diverse engineering history.
History
Thomas Green founded the company in Leeds in 1835 after moving from Carlton-on-Trent near Newark. Its first premises were at 34 Lower Head Row, where it specialized in wirework, wire weaving and galvanising. The company purchased the Smithfield Foundry site on North Street in 1848 and began constructing buildings there in 1850. The former Smithfield Hotel was acquired in 1900 and converted into the foundry's entrance and offices. Commercial expansion included a London office opened in 1863 for overseas trade, Surrey Works at Blackfriars in 1881 and New Surrey Works in 1902. Green began producing lawnmowers in 1855 and refined the established Budding design with a lighter machine and a grass-lifting rake. One of its machines won the 1858 trial at the London Horticultural Gardens in Chiswick. The company later sold a wide range of mower sizes and named models, including Silens Messor and Multum in Parvo. It briefly experimented with steam power for mowing in 1902. Alongside Ransomes and Shanks, Green was among the principal British lawnmower makers before the First World War. Following the war, its hand mowers were fitted with Young and later Dalman two-stroke engines. Green began making engines in 1923 and developed gang mowers for major cricket grounds and playing fields. The company entered steam tramway production in 1885. Its first machines were Wilkinson patent designs built under licence, but after 39 examples Green developed a proprietary horizontal-boiler locomotive with inclined cylinders and Joy valve gear. The resulting engines were adapted to the legal and technical requirements governing British steam tramways. Around 157 were built, serving municipal and private tramway operators throughout Britain and Ireland, with additional exports to Penang and Kimberley. Conventional railway locomotive construction began with an 0-4-0 well tank for Australia in 1888. Later output included industrial locomotives, fairground engines and machines supplied to railways in Ireland, Peru and France. Green also built three locomotives with circular railways for fairgrounds in 1895. The surviving locomotive Barber, built in 1908, is associated with the South Tynedale Railway; other Green locomotives have been preserved in Australia and Victoria. Road vehicles became a central part of the business. Green's first steam roller was built in 1872 for the Royal Gardens at Windsor. Convertible traction-engine and roller designs appeared in 1880, followed by a conventional horizontal-boiler machine in 1881. The company supplied rollers from approximately three to twelve tons, including tandem and triple types, and produced about 300. Petrol rollers were introduced in 1905, with diesel DRM machines and lighter DRL and DRX models following in the 1930s. The Workman and Pacemaker were developed in the 1960s. The manufacturer also produced gas and petrol engines, boilers, food-processing machinery, stable fittings, garden furniture, ornamental ironwork and portable electric lighting sets. During the First World War it continued roller production and made military items including bombs, mortar shells, artillery wheels and mine sinkers. During the Second World War its output consisted primarily of components for Blackburn aircraft. Blackburn took control in 1951, and Hawker Siddeley followed in 1960. Hawker Siddeley's ownership was unsuccessful; the business was sold to Atkinsons of Clitheroe in 1975, after which the Leeds works closed. Although the company is defunct, preserved locomotives, steam rollers, cast-iron tables and other surviving equipment document its contribution to British engineering.
- 1975
Sale to Atkinsons and closure of Leeds works
[1]Atkinsons of Clitheroe acquired the company, after which the Smithfield Foundry works closed.
- 1960
Hawker Siddeley takes over
[1]Hawker Siddeley acquired the business during postwar consolidation in the British aircraft industry.
- 1951
Blackburn takes control
[1]Blackburn Aeroplane Company assumed control after Green's wartime aircraft-component work.
- 1923
Engine manufacture begins
[1]After using Young and Dalman engines in motor mowers, Green undertook its own engine production.
- 1905
Petrol road rollers introduced
[1]Green expanded beyond steam with petrol-powered rollers intended in part for sports-ground work.
- 1888
First conventional railway locomotive built
[1]The company constructed an 0-4-0 well-tank locomotive for Australia.
- 1885
Steam tram locomotive production begins
[1]Green entered the steam tramway market with Wilkinson patent designs built under licence.
- 1881
Surrey Works opens
[1]The company expanded its London manufacturing presence with Surrey Works at Blackfriars.
- 1872
Steam roller production begins
[1]Green built its first steam road roller for the Royal Gardens at Windsor.
- 1863
London office opened
[1]The company opened a London office principally to develop and serve overseas trade.
Products and positioning
A diversified British engineering manufacturer whose reputation rested on practical machinery for municipal transport, horticulture, construction, agriculture, industry and entertainment. The company combined custom engineering with repeatable product ranges, and competed particularly strongly in lawnmowers, steam tram engines and road rollers.
Horticultural machinery · 1855
Lawnmowers
Green began lawnmower production in 1855 and improved the earlier Budding design by reducing weight and adding a rake to lift grass. Its range extended from small hand machines to large gang mowers for sports grounds. Named models included Silens Messor, described as Britain's first chain-driven mower, and Multum in Parvo. After the First World War, motorized versions used Young and Dalman engines, and Green later manufactured engines itself.
Tramway locomotives · 1885
Steam tram engines
Green entered steam tram locomotive production in 1885 with Wilkinson patent machines built under licence. It later developed a proprietary horizontal-boiler design with inclined cylinders and Joy valve gear. The locomotives were engineered to comply with British restrictions on speed, smoke, noise and exposed machinery. Approximately 157 were built for operators in Britain and Ireland and for export destinations including Penang and Kimberley.
Railway equipment · 1888
Railway and industrial locomotives
The first conventional Green locomotive was an 0-4-0 well tank built for Australia in 1888. Later production covered side- and saddle-tank locomotives for construction sites, gasworks, industrial railways, fairgrounds and overseas railways. Customers and destinations included the West Clare Railway, Dublin and Blessington, Cork and Muskerry, the Lima Railway and the Société Générale de Paris. Several examples survive in preservation.
Construction machinery · 1872
Steam road rollers
Green built its first steam roller in 1872 and developed convertible traction-engine and roller designs in 1880, followed by a horizontal-boiler model in 1881. The range covered machines weighing approximately three to twelve tons and included tandem and triple rollers. Around 300 machines were supplied. The company later added petrol and diesel-powered rollers and produced the Workman and Pacemaker models during the 1960s.
Construction machinery · 1905
Petrol and diesel rollers
Petrol-powered rollers were introduced in 1905, partly to serve sports grounds. Diesel models included the DRM, developed in the 1930s, followed by lighter DRL and DRX variants. The later Workman and heavier Pacemaker designs extended the company's road-roller range into the postwar period.
Power equipment · 1892
Portable electric lighting sets
Green manufactured approximately several dozen portable steam-powered electric lighting sets between the 1890s and early twentieth century, chiefly for travelling showmen and fairground use. These sets formed a small but distinctive part of the company's broader engineering portfolio.
Brand decisions
1975
Sell the business to Atkinsons of ClitheroeM&ABackground
Hawker Siddeley's ownership of the engineering business was described as unsuccessful after its 1960 takeover.
Action taken
Hawker Siddeley sold Thomas Green & Son to Atkinsons of Clitheroe.
Aftermath
The Leeds works closed, ending the company's historic manufacturing operation at Smithfield Foundry.
1923
Move into in-house engine manufactureStrategyBackground
After the First World War, Green motorized its mower range using Young and then Dalman two-stroke engines.
Action taken
The company began manufacturing engines itself and developed engine designs suited to its mower products.
Aftermath
Engine production supported the expansion of motorized mowers and later gang-mower equipment.
1885
Enter the steam tramway locomotive marketProduct launchBackground
Changes to British regulation in 1878 made steam tramway operation more practical, creating an opportunity for manufacturers able to meet strict limits on speed, smoke, noise and exposed machinery.
Action taken
Thomas Green & Son began building Wilkinson patent tram engines under licence and subsequently developed its own horizontal-boiler design with inclined cylinders and Joy valve gear.
Aftermath
The company became a significant steam tram locomotive supplier and built approximately 157 machines for domestic and overseas customers.
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