I haven’t found out very much about the old Ford Foundry that was along the Old Warwick Road in Leamington Spa.

Seems it may have started life in the 1860s as the Imperial Stove Company of Radclyffe and Co, for making large cast-iron stoves, after a dispute with Flavel’s who were then at the Eagle Works over copying their products it then was taken over by Flavells Foundry between 1902 and 1939.

In 1939 it was purchased by the Ford Motor Company and during WW2 it became a manufacturer of ammunition boxes.

Subsequently, the foundry produced agriculture equipment, some for Ransomes Sims and Jefferies of Ipswich, producing ploughs under licence and some parts for the Fordson Tractor.

It concentrated solely on automotive parts from 1984 producing Brake Drums and Gearbox Casings. Finally closed altogether on the 27th July 2007 being declared uncompetitive from other sources.

There were no compulsory redundancies, employees were offered the choice of early retirement, voluntary redundancy or relocation and there were enhanced pay-offs if they maintain uninterrupted production until the site closed.

It is now the site of Morrison’s Supermarket.

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Fords Foundry after closing and before demolition from a group called the 28dayslater Group.

More derelict photos from a Flicker account.