We recently received a donation of material regarding the Peter Brotherhood company. It was kindly donated to us by a gentleman from the Peter Brotherhood Family & Friends Past & Present group. It is primarily a collection of photographs showing machinery and the people who worked at Peter Brotherhood. A sketch (picture featured below) from the collection and we will work to identify the individual in it. At the moment the collection is an accession, so it cannot be seen on our catalogue. However, customers may be able to view collections not yet catalogued. Please contact us on archives.service@peterboroughlimited.co.uk or call 01733 864160 if you wish to check if we have a collection.
Born in 1838, Peter Brotherhood attended King's College School London between 1852 and 1855. His father Rowland Brotherhood was a contractor for the Great Western Railway and set up business in Chippenham Wiltshire producing iron railway fittings and bridge parts.
The engineering business of Peter Brotherhood began in 1867 when Peter established premises in Compton Street Clerkenwell London. The business was formerly 'William Fox', then 'Kittoe and Brotherhood', then 'Brotherhood and Hardingham', finally becoming 'Peter Brotherhood'. In 1872 Brotherhood patented a three-cylinder radial engine and the product range extended to include pumps, compressors and dynamo electric machines. The three-cylinder engine appeared on the company's badge. Their products were sold to many foreign countries through agents.
In 1881 the firm moved to Belvedere Road Lambeth London and developed new products including a four-cylinder motor car. Following Peter's death in 1902, his son Stanley Brotherhood managed the company. By 1906 the company outgrew its Lambeth site and moved to Walton Peterborough.
During WW1 the factory produced military equipment for the Admiralty including engines for tanks, torpedoes and planes. During WW2 the factory again produced equipment for the Admiralty. Post war, Peter Brotherhood produced synthetic fibre machinery and turbo alternators for the marine industry.
From 2008 Peter Brotherhood has been acquired by several companies and the most recent purchaser of Peter Brotherhood was the Howden Group.