GROVE ENGINEERING

[Stanley]

GROVE ENGINEERING

One of my friends showed me a pack of playing cards the other day and wanted to know if I could tell her anything about them. They were marked 'Grove Engineering Barnoldswick' and had a picture of a medical syringe on the backs of the cards. I gave her a brief explanation but since then I've looked up my research and here are more details.
Many of you will know that during the war the Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP) took over many local mills for shadow factories, places as far away from bombing as possible where essential aircraft work could be carried on safely. The Calf Hall Shed Company owned several of these mills and it's fortunate that thanks to Harold Duxbury I have access to a some of their records. When MAP took over the old mills they modernised them and after the war they were very attractive premises for anyone wanting to set up a business to take advantage of all the shortages that existed in post war Britain.
One such firm was Grove Engineering and I think they started in another mill that had been requisitioned, Grove Mill at Earby. However by August 1945 they were looking for larger premises and approached the Calf Hall company. They offered £1450 per annum for a lease on part of Butts Mill which at that time was still owned by MAP. The directors of CHSC agreed in principle on a lease for ten years and Grove approached MAP. On October 11 Mr Karam of Grove Engineering met the MAP at the Board of Trade in Leeds and the lease was agreed.
By February 20 1947 Grove were negotiating for additional space, the new building built on the old Conservative Club Bowling Green next to Butts Mill. By June, the CHSC had bought the land off the Conservative Club and leased it to Grove Engineering for £185 per annum. CHSC were now the sole owners of the mill and a new lease was drawn up giving Grove Engineering the tenancy of all of it.
In May 1948 Grove asked CHSC to install gas heating in the mill but by September 23 the shed company got word that Grove had gone into receivership. In April 1949 the Receiver paid out 2/6 in the pound to all unsecured creditors and in April 1950, Mr Wooley, manager and receiver for Grove gave notice that the business had ceased and that all the plant and machinery were to be sold by auction. He gave notice to vacate the tenancy on April 14 1950.
This was not an unusual story, many firms that started after the war failed to get a foothold in the new markets and went under. On February 16 1950 a report was given of a meeting on February 14th 1950 between Messrs Jacques, Duxbury and A V Hedges representing CHSC and the directors of John C Carlson Ltd at which it was agreed that portions of Butts Mill now occupied by Grove Engineering and being vacated by them on February 14th should be leased to Carlson's from April 15th 1950 for a term of 15 years with an option for the lessee to break on the 5th or 10th year at a yearly rent of £1600, the tenant being responsible for maintenance and insurance of the building and to have first option on any other part of Butts Mill becoming vacant.
This was to be more successful, as other small firms in Butts gradually failed or moved out, Carlson's took over the space until they were using the whole mill. They continued as tenants until some time in 1959 when they bought Butts outright and the firm is still in Butts to this day.

SCG/16/01/15

[Moh]

My mum was secretary to the head of heat treatment at Grove Mill, Earby when it was taken over by the Rover company.

[Stanley]

Grove after the 1905 fire. It was rebuilt.....

[Stanley]

Bumped and image restored.

[Stanley]

Bumped again. An interesting bit of Barlick History. See the Calf Hall Shed Company's minute books which I transcribed and put on the site.

[Stanley]

A corner of Barlick history that would have been forgotten had it not been for this site and the CHSC Minute Books which are here on the site as well.