 The
History of Parsons Mathway Marine
Parsons Mathway Marine started life
as the Parsons Engine Company formed in the early 1900's and based
itself at town quay in Southampton England.
Parsons main roll was to build engines based on the
Ford petrol and then later diesel engines. Parsons bought the engine
from Fords, completely dismantled them then after their modifications
had been added they rebuilt the engines. As time went on Parsons
also developed their own gearboxes, at first these were built for
many applications such as pump houses, tanks and various other requirements
before being asked to build for the war office marine sector due
to there robust but simple workings. These gearboxes were of the
epicycle motion allowing for very little wearing parts giving greater
reliability. After the war Parsons continued to supply to the Ministry
of defence but then also to other engine manufacturers such as,
Rolls Royce, Perkins, Enfield, Russell Newbury, Lister, Petters
and many more.
From the engine suppliers came the boat builders,
these were across the board from sail to power with big companies
such as Fairy Marine, Freeman Boats, Camper & Nicholson yachts and
the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
 Parsons
also developed their own exhaust mixer boxes of different sizes
as well as clutched pumps. In the later years of the 60's and 70's
manufacturing and productions slowed with the growing influx of
other engines and gearboxes from America, Italy and Germany. In
the 70's Parsons stopped manufacturing their engines and gearboxes
but continued to repair both and manufacture the exhaust mixer boxes.
At this point in time Parsons became part of the British
Polar Engine Company, who also owned Mathway Marine
steering.
 Mathway
Marine Steering had begun manufacture back in the mid 1900's and
was one of the only steering manufacturers in the UK supplying the
war office (MOD) and major commercial and leisure ship/boat builders,
e.g. Vosper Thornycroft, RNLI, Camper & Nicholson Moody's, William
Osbourns and Berthon Boats.
As
well as this robust, positive steering Mathway also manufacture
one of the most robust gearboxes, designed for the MOD and used
in conjunction with the Rolls Royce engines in vessels such as the
RAF air sea rescue triple screw vessels RAF sea plane tenders Motor
torpedo boats and many other commercial vessels.
In
the early 1980's Mr "Ivor Jenkins" then employed by British Polar
engines in Glasgow was the manager for Parsons and Mathway and brought
both companies together to become Parsons Mathway Marine,
which for many years was based at the Hamble. In the late 1980's
Mr Jenkins purchased the company from British Polar and continued
running the company at the Hamble until ill health forced a company
move to Fareham and nearer to home, in 1999 Mr Jenkins retired.
His son continues to help customers/owners with Parsons or Mathway
Products in a enthusiasts/technical & advisory roll with occasional
repairs rather than a business now. This is done with life long
served knowledge, old ledgers/registers,drawings and some old stock
for help when required.
Parsons
Mathway Marine is still a house hold name within the commercial
and leisure sectors of the marine industry not only here in the
UK but around the world as well.
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