Tasker village apartments
![tasker village apartments tasker village apartments](https://www.lowincomehousing.us/gallery/109062_michner-court-apartments_rma.jpg)
![tasker village apartments tasker village apartments](http://www.rhls.org/wp-content/uploads/WP_20150402_022-300x169.jpg)
This lasted until 1857 when Williams first two children were old enougth to take over the firm. William tasker entered a partnership with a relative of Robert Taskers wife Martha called Geoege Fowle, as Robert Tasker had no children to take over his share. It has been suggested that he wanted to spend more time on religious and charitable work, but the reason was not recorded. In 1836, Robert Tasker decided to end his active role in managing the business, even though he was only just over fifty. Robert had a house known as Clatford Lodge and William one known as Brookside. In the mid-1830s, the brothers built themselves houses in Anna Valley, close to the new works which was by then expanding. Examples of feed troughs, signposts exist with the Tasker foundry name on. It is also known to have produced window frames and door knockers, which were used in houses built by Tasker for their workforce. The new works produced ploughshares, complete ploughs, iron tyres, gates, railings, garden rollers, cooking stoves & seed drills, according to early billheads. The exact date of the new works is unknown but is believed to be Just after the battle of Waterloo that it takes its name from in 1815. A water supply was also available from the nearby Pillhill Brook to power a waterwheelĪround this time Robert was joined by his brother William. The canal provided links to Southampton to bring in raw materials like coke and iron to supply a foundry. It was cheap land and could be reclaimed easily using chalk waste from the local pit. A couple of miles from the site the road to Andover crossed the Andover to Redbridge Canal. In the Anna Valley, a short distance from the existing forge was Clatford Marsh, and nearby a chalk pit. A new site was obtained near by for a new Iron works. The arrival of the Andover Canal also provide operability for expansion easing transport probles to obtain supplies and ship goods out. with Hampshire being a relatively rural agricultural industry based area there was local demand. The addition of the foundry allowed production this new product. Robert tasker saw the opportunity offered by the new cast ploughshares with there longer life. But the inaccessible of the village and the small site was to led Robert Tasker to look for a new factory site to expand. So he expanded the forge to became the Abbotts Ann Ironworks by adding a foundry. Robert had to finding customers from places further away like Newbury and Southampton to stay in business.Īs an ambitious man he saw the growing industrial as an opportunity, but realised an ordinary blacksmith's shop could not supply what the customers were requiring in the way of cast Iron parts instead of hand forge iron. But this caused conflict with the local business owners and Landowners in the area, who were members of the established church, and saw any kind of dissent as a threat to their authority. His strong beielifs lead him to open his cottage for Sunday evening prayer meetings. And attending the nonconformist Andover Congregational Church. Robert was noted as being a strong believer in the Christian faith. Robert Tasker moved to Abbotts Ann and became assistant to local blacksmith Thomas Maslen at his forge. In the early years of the 19th century, Robert Tasker and his brother, William, started a business that was to become the Waterloo Ironworks. The Eldest son Robert left Wiltshire in February 1806 Robert Tasker and his brother Wiliam, were born in Stanton-St-Bernard in Wiltshire, were their father operated a blacksmith's shop with a forge. 1.4 Taskers (1932) Ltd / Taskers of Andover Ltd.