John Wallis Titt


John Wallis Titt was a late nineteenth-century English mechanical engineer and builder of a particular design of large wind engine.

Early life

Titt was born in 1841 at Elm Farm, Chitterne, Wiltshire to John Titt and Eliza Titt. The farm had a post mill, which he worked for his father until he left in 1865 to join Messrs Wallis, Haslan and Stevens, agricultural engineers and steam engine manufacturers of Basingstoke, Hampshire. Titt worked for them for two years as a commercial traveller. In 1867, he joined the millwrighting firm of Brown & May, based in Devizes, Wiltshire. He remained with them for five years. From 1870, Titt was an agent for Brown and May.

Later life

In 1872, Titt established himself at Portway, Devizes as an agricultural engineer, employed by Brown & May. He was also an agent for Messrs Fowler's of Leeds, Yorkshire. In 1874 he entered business on his own account and in 1876 he established the Woodcock Ironworks at Warminster. At first, he manufactured elevators. Titt continued in business as an agricultural engineer and iron founder. In 1884, Titt manufactured his first wind engine, for the Boyton estate. Titt continued to run the firm until he retired through ill health in 1903, the year in which he exhibited three wind engines at the Royal Agricultural Societys show, Park Royal, London. He died in May 1910.
After his death, the firm was run by his two sons. At its peak, 150 people were employed. Apart from the agricultural side of the business, the firm also handled bicycles and motor cars. The firm declined until in 1929 only 25 people were employed. In the 1940s, under the management of G. T. Frost, the firm expanded again, employing 60 people in 1952. A branch was established at Frome, Somerset. The Warminster headquarters closed in 1986 but the firm continued in business in Frome until 2009.

Titt wind engines

Titt made three main types of wind engine: the Woodcock, Simplex direct and the Simplex geared. After the firm was taken over by his sons, another standard type of windpump, the Imperial, was produced.

Woodcock engines

The Woodcock engine was a conventional iron windpump. It came in two sizes, with wind wheels of and and could be supplied with a wood or steel tower. The Woodcock wind engine could pump water to a total height of.

Simplex direct engines

The Simplex engines came either as direct drive or geared drive. The direct drive engines had a wind wheel diameter of,,, and . A high tower was supplied as standard, but could be made to any height a customer desired at extra cost. The blades of the wind wheel were similar in design and operation to the shutters on a Spring or Patent sail. Some of the larger direct engines were turned to wind by a fantail. A single or double fantail could be had, per the customer's wishes.

Simplex geared engines

The geared engines came in the same sizes as the direct engines, and were also available in, and diameter. A tower was standard for the smallest three sizes and the largere sizes came with a as standard. Again, a taller tower could be supplied at extra cost. The geared Simplex engines were turned into wind by a fantail.

Locations

Two remaining wind engines made by John Wallis Titt are on show at the Wind Energy Museum in Repps with Bastwick, Norfolk.
Titt wind engines are known to have been built at the following locations:- unless otherwise indicated
LocationTypeNotes
Almondsbury, GloucestershireErected c1894 for the Cattybrook Brick Co Ltd.
Amesbury, WiltshireA wind engine was erected at Amesbury Junction for the London and South Western Railway.
Barrowby, LincolnshireErected by 1899 for the Duke of Devonshire.
Basingstoke, HampshireErected in 1898 at Pitt Hall Farm, Upper Wooton.
Bentworth, HampshireSimplexA wind engine was erected in 1901 at Bentworth and Lasham station on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway. It is present on a photo of the station dated 1928, just visible behind the station building.
Bitterne, HampshireErected at Thornhill Park in 1894.
Boyton, WiltshireFirst wind engine supplied by Titt in 1884.
Bridgwater, SomersetErected in 1893 at Stowey Farm.
Broome, ShropshireErected in 1895 at Broome Station for the London and North Western Railway.
Burderop, WiltshireErected by 1899 on the Burderop Estate for Lt-Col Calley.
Burnham-on-Sea, SomersetErected for Holt Bros, Burnham Brewery by 1894.
Bury St Edmunds, SuffolkSimplex wind engine driving chain pumps.Erected in 1898 for Bury St Edmunds Town Council at a sewerage works in the town.
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk geared Simplex wind engine on a steel tower, itself erected on a brick tower.The largest Titt engine to date when built. The overall height of the engine was. The 50 sails were long, tapering from at the tip to at the heel. Equipped with twin fantails. Supplied the town with water. Proposal in 1900 to adapt it to generate electricity too.
Calne, WiltshireErected by 1900 at Bowood House for the Marquess of Lansdowne.
Castletown, Isle of ManErected in May 1892, replaced a steam engine.
Chesfield, HertfordshireErected at Chesfield Park by 1896. Supplied water from a well deep to a tank.
Chitterne, WiltshireWoodcockErected at Manor Farm in 1905, standing 1936.
Cliddesden, HampshireSimplexA wind engine was erected in 1901 at Cliddesden railway station on the Basingstoke and Alton Light Railway. It was demolished in the late 1940s. The wind engine can be seen briefly in the film Oh, Mr Porter!
Codford St. Mary, WiltshireErected by 1893.
Cookham, Berkshire geared Simplex on hexagonal tower.Powered a chaff cutter, corn grinder, oat crusher and peat moss breaker. Erected at Sutton Farm for F D Lambert by 1894.
Croscombe, Somerset SimplexErected in 1899 for Shepton Mallett Rural District Council. Used a double suction pump to pump water to a height of.
Crux Easton, Hampshire
 Simplex geared wind engine on a hexagonal steel tower Erected in 1891, last worked in the 1920s, sails removed in the 1960s and restoration completed in 2002.
Dover, KentErected at the Infectious Diseases Hospital by 1893 for Dover Corporation.
Dunwich, SuffolkErected by 1895 for the Grey Friars.
Dursley, GloucestershireErected by 1901 at Cam Mills.
Dursley, Gloucestershire Simplex on a steel tower.Erected in 1898. Supplied over thirty properties in Dursley with water. Reservoir was from the wind engine.
Elsenham, EssexSimplexDrove an oat crusher in addition to pumping water. Erected for Walter Gilbey.
Faringdon, BerkshireErected by 1900 at Royal Prize Farm, Wadley House.
Foxhill, Wanborough, WiltshireErected by 1896.
Gillingham, DorsetSimplex wind engine on a brick water tower.Erected at The Kendalls by 1895.
Glastonbury, SomersetSupplied water to The Elms. Erected by 1892.
Great Brington, Northamptonshire diameter Simplex geared wind engine.Supplied Great Brington and Little Brington with water from a well deep. Capacity per day. Erected for Earl Spencer by 1894.
Heytesbury, WiltshireErected by 1893 on the Tytherington Estate. Supplied water to a reservoir away. Water raised a total of in height.
Heytesbury, WiltshireErected in 1895 at Bolesbro' Knoll for Lord Heytesbury.
Highworth, WiltshireErected by 1898 at Hannington Hall. Supplied water to the house, farm and stables.
Hinton Charterhouse, SomersetWind engine erected in 1895 for Bath Union Rural District Council. Auxiliary power supplied by a horse. The engine was from the reservoir and lower than it was.
Hundon, SuffolkSimplex on hexagonal steel towerBuilt at North Street, Hundon. Extant in 1940.
Knighton, LeicestershireErected at Narborough Wood Farm by 1896.
Leiston, SuffolkErected by 1892.
Leiston, Suffolk SimplexErected in 1924 on the site of a smock mill. Standing in 1979.
Leiston, SuffolkErected by 1891 for C P Ogilvie. Supplied Sizewell house with water.
Limavady, Co Londonderry geared Simplex on a hexagonal steel tower. Drove an diameter scoop wheel.Erected at Limavady Junction.
Littleham, DevonSupplied Heale House via a water tank.
Lockinge, Berkshire geared Simplex on a hexagonal steel towerErected on Lockinge Downs in 1895 to supply Lockinge House with water.
Lower Assendon, Oxfordshire ImperialExtant in 1977.
Lydbury North, ShropshireErected in 1895 at the Walcot Estate for Lord Powis.
Lydbury North, ShropshireErected in 1896 at the Walcot Estate for Lord Powis, replacing a steam engine. Supplied water from a well deep to a height of. The tank was from the wind engine.
Marchwood, Hampshire engine on a steel tower.Erected in 1893 at a cost of £155.
Margherita di Savoia, ItalyGeared SimplexA wind engine was erected for the Italian Government.
Micheldever, HampshireErected by 1898 on the Stratton Estate for the Earl of Northbrook.
Narborough, Leicestershire
Odstock, WiltshireErected by 1886 for the Earl of Radnor.
Par, CornwallTwo Simplex enginesErected at Trenython, Par Station for the Bishop of Truro by 1894.
Radyr, GlamorganshireErected by 1894.
Repps, Norfolk
A Titt wind engine is preserved at Morse's Wind Engine Park, Repps. Photographs show it to be a small Simplex on a tower.
Repps, Norfolk
A second Titt wind engine is preserved at Morse's Wind Engine Park, Repps.
Salisbury, WiltshireErected by 1890.
Ross-on-Wye, HerefordshireGeared SimplexA geared Simplex wind engine driving horizontal treble barrel plunger pumps was erected at a waterworks at Ross-on-Wye.
Savernake Forest, WiltshireErected at Chisbury Farm by 1888 for the Marquess of Ailesbury.
Shute, DevonErected in 1900 for Baronet de la Pole. Supplied Shute House with water.
Southport, LancashireSimplex mounted on a water towerErected by 1894 for Southport Corporation.
Stockbridge, HampshireErected by 1900 at Marshcourt for Herbert Johnson.
Southwold, SuffolkSimplexErected c1886 for Southwold Corporation. Standing in 1893.
Stourton, WiltshireErected at Search Farm by 1888, replaced a Halliday's wind engine which had blown down.
Sutton Veny, WiltshireErected at The Beeches by 1895. Auxiliary drive powered by horse.
Swindon, WiltshireA wind engine was erected in 1907 at Swindon Works to pump water for use by locomotives.
Tisbury, WiltshireErected in 1888 for V F Bennett-Stanfore, Pyt House. Supplied Pyt House and Home Farm with water.
West Ardsley, Yorkshire Simplex on a hexagonal steel tower, itself built on a stone base.Erected in February 1899 at Boyle Hall for Luther Colbeck. Generated electricity. A dynamo powered 110 lights, mostly rated at 16 candlepower, with some rated at 8 candlepower.
Westbury, Wiltshire engine on a steel towerErected by 1892, supplied water to Courtleigh.
West Dean, West Sussex wind engineErected in 1898. Supplied water from a well deep.
West Dean, West Sussex wind engineErected in 1898. Supplied water from a well deep.
West Stow, SuffolkErected at the sewage works c1898.
Westwick, Norfolk wind engine on a steel towerErected in November 1893 at Westwick Hall. Supplied a tank at a total height to.
Winterbourne Stoke, WiltshireErected in 1899 at Hill Farm.
Wold Newton, LincolnshireTwo wind pumpsIn 1910 a borehole was sunk in the middle of the village, which is situated in a valley. One pump was erected to move water up the hill to a reservoir which then supplied the village by gravity. This pump was later converted to electricity before being removed when mains water arrived in the 1970s. A second pump moved water further up the hill to a second reservoir which then fed water troughs for livestock.

The name "Simplex" was independently used by an Australian windmill manufacturer for its windmills, with the name used to describe greatness in simplicity. The windmill and its design had no association with Titt's machines. A restored IBC Direct Acting Simplex windmill is part of the National Museum of Australia collection. It is 13 metres high with a six-metre sail diameter. The windmill drew water from the Great Artesian Basin at Kenya Station in central Queensland from the 1920s until 1988, when it was decommissioned. It was subsequently donated to the museum in 2008 and installed in 2011.