The Beckett Engine and Boiler Works was an expansive factory that almost took up this entire block. Its massive 109 foot-tall chimney was a landmark in Hamilton, visible throughout the entire city. The factory produced steam engines and boilers for industrial, agricultural, forest and marine use. Attracted by the recent railway boom, Henry Beckett and his sons originally moved to Hamilton in the mid 1850’s. Henry’s son Frederick was responsible for an ambitious expansion program that saw the foundry’s workforce grow to 120 workers from 1863 to 1871. Despite the Beckett’s financial success, they remained dedicated workers, commonly seen on the factory floor, “mingling in the busy throng with upturned sleeves and exercising a personal supervision of the business.”  

Photo Credit: Hamilton Public Library
Source: Hamilton Industrial Trail