Over here we call them a Scotch Derrick I have heard it said that the first one of its species was invented in Renfrew Scotland, and that they became very popular when they were supplied for use at the building of Buckingham Palace London, Personally i think "the jury is still out" until i get definitive proof, My thoughts are they are descended from some of the old cranes from the medieval period used by the old masons to build the huge cathedrals etc.
About 1955 a very interesting steam powered derrick crane,was still in place at Alexandria Dumbartonshire Scotland, I think the building it sat behind had been part of the old Turkey Red Dying Co, Some years ago i screwed up some "Engineering Academics" explaining this crane, Nothing particular about steam derricks you might ask, They have a boiler and the engines on the platform, But this one didnt, It took its steam off the mill main boilers,and the steam came via an underground pipe to a swivel stuffing box, and then up the hollow centre King post, to a chest with a throttle to control the engines which were attached to this post not unlike the construction of the winch in todays posting Could i get them to grasp the concept, There is none so blind as those who will not see
Even more intriguing is the fact that the Anderson Grice Co of Carnoustie built one similar, about 1976 for Malaysia, Possibly the last of its kind ever built, for a rubber process plant lots of waste steam and pollution i would bet ! And the last steam derricks i observed working were at the building of the Clyde Tunnel construction works in Glasgow in the late 1960/s These were big Butters from memory