The Company was founded by William Thompson as a general engineering concern in or around 1820 in Wolverhampton. In 1850 the business passed to William's brother, Stephen, and in 1860 it passed to William's son, John, and within ten years it was concentrating on manufacturing boilers. By 1914 it had expanded into motor pressings; during World War I it made cowlings for Sopwith aircraft and in World War II it made airscrews for Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft. In 1970 the business was acquired by Clarke Chapman and in 2004 the Ettingshall Works finally closed.