company closed down in 1852. The works were leased by the London and North Western Railway, who then bought it outright in 1860, forming the nucleus of the Earlestown railway works. John Jones and Son One partner, John Jones, however carried on as John Jones and Son' with a factory in Liverpool to continue building locomotives, until 1863. The firm continued beyond his death in 1866, making marine boilers and marine steam engines in the St George's Engine Works. In adverts the firm claimed to have been established in 1832, which is when John Jones dissolved his partnership with William Yates at the Newton-le-Willows Viaduct Foundry. By 1900 the firm was building ships at their yard in Tranmere Bay, such as the steam ferries Lily and Rose built for Wallasey corporation in 1900. In December 1900, noting the decline in shipbuilding in the Mersey area, it was said that Laird Brothers Ltd and John Jones and Sons were the only 2 remaining firms who are in any sense producers of new shipping. During 1900 Messrs John Jones & Sons (of Liverpool and Tranmere) had produced 13 small vessels with an aggregate tonnage of 2802 tons. The ship building facility appears to have been sold to the Tranmere Bay Development Company (formed by Laird Brothers at the end of 1902), but the production of engines at the St George's Engine Works continued. As examples of their production, in 1872 Messrs John Jones & Sons built the 80 nominal HP engines for two screw steamers, Miguel Saenz and Moratin. In 1894 they are noted as producing the boilers for the Dublin Steam Packet "Liverpool" - at 80 tons the largest boilers ever made in Liverpool. Messrs John Jones & Sons of Liverpool built the Eastham Ferry paddle steamers Ruby and Pearl in 1897 and the Sapphire in 1898. These operated until 1929 and were the last paddle steamers on the Mersey. In Lloyd's List for 1901 the company is referred to as Messrs John Jones & Sons of Tranmere, and production for 1901 was 12 vessels aggregating 4745 tons. The twin-screw steam tug 'Seti' launched by the Tranmere Bay Development company on April 30th 1904, was then to have its engines and boiler installed by John Jones & Bros at their St George's works. References External links The Viaduct Foundry Locomotive manufacturers of the United Kingdom British companies established in 1837