Nicholas Paris first made his mark in Warwick in 1670 as a blacksmith and clockmaker. In clockmaking he had been preceded by John Wyse who had learnt his craft as an apprentice in London, but it is the Paris family which would be better known. As well as clocks they made guns with wonderful ornamental designs.
Interestingly in his book on Warwick, Charles Lines notes the Napoleonic wars as kick starting manufacturing in the town, but with the weaving of worsted cloth rather than anything to do with metal. William Parkes factory employed 500 people and a 24 hp steam engine.
Of more enduring impact was William Glover a wheelwright whose Eagle Works went on to manufacture what we used to know as dustbin lorries. Eagle merged with Dennis and still manufacture in Leamington.
Another thriving Leamington business is Rangemaster which manufactures cookers. The iron for its AGA cookers was cast in Coalbrookdale. As with so many British companies, factory sites keep the old alongside the new. (the image taken from the canal)
Thwaites dumper trucks have been made in Leamington since 1937. I recall that a former client Newage Transmissions of Coventry supplied Thwaites.
Automotive Products had their main factory in Leamington. The company was set up in the 1920s to supply American components for motor vehicles left in the UK after the First World War. It developed into a group manufacturing in the UK Borg & Beck clutches and Lockheed brakes amongst others. In 1986 the company was bought by BBA plc.
The University of Warwick was well known for its mechanical engineering focused on the West Midlands motor industry. This focus expanded in 1980 by the formation of the Warwick Manufacturing Group with a mission on developing new technologies, products and skills in collaboration with manufacturing industry.
Further reading
Charles Lines, The Book ofWarwick (Buckingham: Barracuda Books, 1985)
Local residents will know their towns far better than I possibly can. Please use the feedback to highlight any glaring errors or omissions.
British Manufacturing History 
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