Description

Jacob had been apprenticed to John Hague of Cable Street and Bull Head Dock Rotherhithe, who had taken out a patent for a system of transmitting power by vacuum pipes, as early as 1827. The Samudas became heavily involved with gas lighting pioneer Samuel Clegg in promoting, and making equipment for atmospheric railways in Britain and France. They did well out of patent royalties, but probably realized there was no long term future for this system, because in 1843 firm moved to Orchard Place, Leamouth and diversified into iron shipbuilding. There was an inauspicious start, for during the trials of one of their first vessels, “Gipsy Queen” Jacob was killed by a burst steam pipe from an engine of his own design.

The firm continued under the style “Samuda Brothers”, moving to larger premises at Cubitt Town in 1852, where they established a considerable reputation for building warships and fast steam packets. Those bitter rivals the London Chatham and Dover, and the South Eastern Railway were regular customers, each hoping that its latest vessel might be a knot faster than the other’s.

Joseph died in 1885, and this share issue probably represents an attempt to keep the business going after his demise, but it closed in 1892 or 1893, an attempt to sell the business as a going concern for £20,000 having failed. An attractive item for framing, or perhaps as part of a collage.