ALBION SHED INDEX ENTRIES 20/07/11

[Stanley]

ALBION SHED INDEX ENTRIES 20/07/11



1890
Albion Shed built by the Earby Shed Company, let to Bracewell and Son of Gargrave who also took over Old Shed on New Road and ran about 1300 looms but banked in 1903, hence the restart in 1904.
1904
United Metallic Packings order book. Nov 24th 1904. Page 66. Burnley Ironworks order for packings re. Earby Shed Co Ltd now Albion Shed Co Ltd. 1 HP and 1 LP 2445 and 2446. 1 LP, 2447.
1905
Rupert Nutter and Son were weaving at Albion and Grove Shed in Earby.
1911
After the alterations of 1911 the middle room was taken over by James Stockdale and William Jones with 280 looms. They finished after a few years and the space was taken by the Coates Manufacturing Co of Barlick, MD Walter Wilkinson who took over Stockdale and Jones and the Seal Manufacturing Co. In 1932 the Victoria Man. Co took over most of the Coates Man Co space and ran it as a cooperative shed under Percy Lowe as manager but this didn't survive for long. When Albion was restarted in 1904 A J Birley took space for 400 looms. Birleys ran about 2,500 looms in different sheds.
1929
CH article based on an interview with John Bailey who was born at Bawhead near Earby in 1819. He started as a bobbin winder and hand loom weaver at home, went into grocery and amassed capital. In 1890 he was one of the instigators of the Earby Shed Co who built Albion Shed on the 'Selcroft' (Seal Croft) which was part of School Farm which he had bought. In 1896 John Bailey also built Spring Mill in Earby, C W Bailey and Co ran it for many years (548 looms). The first tenant at Albion was Henry Bracewell and Son of Gargrave who leased the shed for 14 years. In 1904 when Albion Shed restarted the tenants were A J Birley 396 looms, J S Watson and Sons, 396 looms and Nutter and Turner with 264 looms, they also had 280 looms in Sough Bridge Mill. (CH 24/05/1935)
1932
CH 06/05/1932 reported that Sough Bridge, Albion and Grove sheds were closed and 200 people out of work. This was when Percy Lowe stepped in and shortly afterwards brought Johnson and Johnson into Earby. CH 03/06/1932 Sough Bridge to reopen as a cooperative shed.
1932
Birleys concentrated all their weaving in Albion Mill and wove until May 1st 1959 which was when Booth and Speak took over. (A J was 56 at the time, born 1876 The Birleys were reputed to have woven sailcloth for the Elizabethan Navy.)
1959
Craven Herald 26/03/1959. There was a chance that Albion mill, home to A J Birley Ltd might be taken over by Burco Dean of Burnley but this fell through. The information was given to the operatives in the following letter signed by Mrs Blanche A Brooks of Thornton in Craven, chairman of directors: “Dear Friends, Owing to the very adverse trading conditions Miss Birley and I are compelled to close the mill. …. A J Birley will close down on May 1st. (Didn't happen, Booth and Speak bought the mill.)
1960
Albion engine William Roberts, Nelson. 350hp, tandem compound, 17” and 25” 3ft stroke. Corliss valves on replacement Burnley Ironworks cylinder all on top. Boiler pressure 140psi, 65rpm, 15ft flywheel, direct drive to shaft. Named ENTERPRISE. Indicated on 12/10/1960, 299hp at 68rpm and 140psi.
1961
Dotcliffe Mill was owned by a company called E S Sayek of Manchester which was a trading branch of Victor Sassoon's family who owned mills all over the world. His three sons, Victor Junior, Frank and Charles were the directors. Frank Speak of A Speak and Sons Manchester bought Dotcliffe off the Sassoons in 1956. During the Cotton Reorganisation Scheme Booth and Speak came into being after Frank Speak's son Geoffrey and a man called Job Speak amalgamated their interests. They bought Spring Mill as well in 1958. After the fire at Dotcliffe in 1959 Booth and Speak bought Albion from the Birley and Brooks family and had over 1300 looms weaving on a full day shift and a Housewife's shift in the evening for four hours. (Bob King info, he worked for Booth and Speak.)
1978
LTP. 78/AH/09, page 1. Fred Inman talks about his dad working as a tackler for A J Birley at Albion Shed. Days that Birleys had some continuous orders and tended to weave for stock in slack times but by the 1930s this was a dangerous strategy. Short time working became common. Birleys, Nutter Brothers and Watsons were all in Albion. Nutters banked (1934?) James Watson moved to Brook Shed and Birley moved his 1000 looms from Victoria into Albion and took over the whole shed with 1056 looms. (The engine would be very heavily loaded. I have an indicator diagram from 12 October 1960 showing just over 500hp. Booth and Speak would be weaving there then after Birleys.)
1979
LTP. 79/AG/12. Page two. Newton Pickles told me that in his dad's time the high pressure valve stuck and let boiler pressure into the low pressure cylinder which blew both lids off the cylinder and buried them in the wall. In later years Newton put a new Edward's air pump in and a new flywheel shaft and crank.

SCG/20/07/11