OneGuyFromBarlick

I wonder here if it is worth spliting out some of the general OGFB discussions on mills and sheds past and present and show as topic or theme threads, such as other historical site links - including Helmshore and Queen Street Burnley, as well as small scale production and repurposing of former production facilities.

(feel free to edit this !!)

Anyway going back to finding some family wedding presents, that had never been opened ( the family did not expand or move out as maybe expected and towels, tablecloths and bedding were common wedding gifts from friends and family in the 1940s to 1960s). Most have been such things made of Nylon (!), cotton and rayon mix for tablecloths and napkins from Ireland and N.Ireland but a few have been towel/ face cloth sets made in Lancashire. While I must have sold some off to other interested people a couple remain. Looking one up 'A Wavecrest' Product. Searching on the internet brings up a couple of websites of interest. https://patricktaylor.com/wttaylor-demolition Which covers W.T.Taylor of Horwich, and their 1200 loom production of Wavecrest trademark items and their later take over by Spirella Group as Chortex and later management buyout, closure at Horwich and demoliltion by 2007, this site has some interesting items in the comments section.

Another website popped up, but appears to have no in text links to Wavecrest https://makeitbritish.co.uk/uk-manufact ... ton-mills/ but again it is interesting and there are some replies to comments of people looking for family or industrial history in Lancashire.


The other thing I remember was the links to N Brown Mail Order sales of bedding and clothing, mainly based in Bingley, Yorkshire , but their owners had acquired other mills and were until relatively recently sourcing product from British Manufacturers.

Could someone confirm - as I have not checked the internet, if Houldsworths mill near Reddish is the company that made/makes seat fabrics for use in the main public transport (buses and trains ), and I would have thought the likes of pub seat and bench covers or is that a different company?

Wavecrest - Proudly declaring Made in Lancashire - sorry about the focus I have scanned with lid up - I dont have a device that has a large hinge flip lid at the present time so it got confused on the brightness and has problems with silver on black for the label.

Whyperion wrote: ↑05 Jun 2019, 16:10 Could someone confirm - as I have not checked the internet, if Houldsworths mill near Reddish is the company that made/makes seat fabrics for use in the main public transport (buses and trains ), and I would have thought the likes of pub seat and bench covers or is that a different company?

Plush velvet fabric used for seat covers for transport were made by Firth's, who I think were located in Cleckheaton or Heckmondwyke, and may have been called Firths Furnishings. There were 2 different companies called Firths very close to each other.* Sorry, it was over 30 years ago and I can't remember much about my visits there. I know the velvet was woven on special looms and then the fabric was slit down the middle to produce 2 lengths with a pile (like cutting a sponge cake horizontally in half to introduce the cream layer). I guess there would be other manufacturers engaged in producing this kind of fabric.

* One was called Firths Carpets in Bailiff Bridge - it wasn't this company that produced the seat cover material.

Double cloths were woven with two warps and separate weft for each. If heavy they could be split to produce one cloth with a pile finish where the cut was made. If fine they produced a cloth that was layered and had very good insulating properties. Airtex underwear is the best known light double cloth.