Blue plaque unveiled to honour Wakefield engineering company’s contribution to mining industry

An event to commemorate the history of British Jeffrey Diamond was organised by Wakefield Civic Society.

The business was established in Normanton in 1897 and expanded to produce a range of mining machinery, operating at Stennard Island, on the edge of the city centre, and at a site in Flanshaw from 1902.

The company moved to purpose-built premises on a 27-acre site at Thornes in the 1960s but production ceased in 2000.

The firm was founded by Sir William Garforth as the Diamond Coalcutter Company but changed names after merging with US-based Jeffrey Manufacturing Company in

1926.As demand for coal mining products dropped, the firm’s closure saw staff made redundant and the firm’s assets sold.

In 2001, as part of the sale, the firm’s crushing division was bought by a newly-established company, BJD Crushers, and a number of staff were re-employed.

BJD Crushers was later acquired by Wakefield-based Group Rhodes in 2024.

The name British Jeffrey Diamond has since been re-registered with Companies House.

Mark Ridgway, chief executive of Group Rhodes, spoke at the unveiling ceremony at Wakefield Exchange.

He said: “The plaque that is to be unveiled today is not longing for the memory of the company that once was.

“It’s the living continuation of a business that still designs, still builds, still exports, and still provides skilled employment here in Wakefield.

“A business that belongs to an industrial sector of advanced engineering, that forms an integral part of Wakefield Council’s strategy for our future economic prosperity.

“A business is its people, their ideas, their willingness to adapt, to innovate and to persevere.

“As long as that spirit endures, British Jeffrey Diamond endures.

“Today we do more than commemorate the past.

“We reaffirm the commitment to engineering excellence, to continuity, innovation and the next generation who will in time stand on our shoulders.”

Civic society president Kevin Trickett said the plaque would be installed at firm’s former site on Tornes Moor Road within weeks.

A Friends of British Jeffrey Diamond group continues to operate on Facebook and the idea for the plaque was suggested by former employee Carole Walker.

Mr Trickett previously said: “We discussed the matter, and I’m pleased to say that Carole was able to secure all the necessary permissions and, together with support from local councillors, we were able to obtain a grant from Wakefield Council’s community grants scheme to cover the costs associated with the plaque and the unveiling event.”