Textile heritage

Black and white photograph of workers at Calvert Bros. Ropery in Wrenthorpe c.1900. The image shows men and young boys in the process of manufacturing rope. Calvert's Ropery was founded c.1787 and ceased manufacturing rope and twine from jute in 1962.

Black and white photograph of workers at Calvert Bros. Ropery on Jerry Clay Lane Wrenthorpe c.1900. The image shows six men and four young boys holding rope making tools. Calvert's Ropery was founded c.1787 and ceased manufacturing rope and twine from jute in 1962.

Photograph of mills at Westgate End around 1900

Black and white photograph of 15 men and 1 boy unloading coal for G. and J. Stubley's eight Lancashire boilers. Stubley's were woollen and mungo manufacturer at Calder Mills and Castle Bank Mills in Portobello Road, Wakefield. Joseph Petch (standing on the river Calder, 7th from the left) was scalded to death here in 1930 when a boiler pipe burst. The company then gave a job to his son.

An aerial view of the textile mill buildings on Alverthorpe Road.

A black and white studio portrait possibly of J.S. Booth who owned of Castle Bank Mills. The photographs details are printed in gold lettering below the image: ‘G. Parkin, 15 York Street, Wakefield’. Inscription in pencil on the reverse reads 'believe, do, be, J. S. Booth Esq, Castle Bank Mill’.

Black and white photograph of Broadbent's flock catcher in use at G. and J. Stubley's wool manufacturers. The firm was established in 1850 by George and James Stubley were leading shoddy and mungo manufacturers with processing sites in Batley and Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Sites included Bottoms Mill in Batley, Calder Mills, Wakefield and Castle Bank Mills in Portobello Road, Wakefield.

Copy of a black and white photograph of two female spinning operators at working at M.P. Stonehouse in Albion Mills in Wakefield in 1923. M.P. Stonehouse was worsted spinner founded in 1853 by Mathew Porritt Stonehouse and was based at Albion Mills in Wakefield. The factory’s main focus was carding and spinning uncombed worsted yarn for carpets and for hand-knitting.

Black and white photograph of a female spinning operator at working at M.P. Stonehouse in Albion Mills in Wakefield in 1983. M.P. Stonehouse was worsted spinner founded in 1853 by Mathew Porritt Stonehouse and was based at Albion Mills in Wakefield. The factory’s main focus was carding and spinning uncombed worsted yarn for carpets and for hand-knitting.

Black and white photograph of a female spinning operator at working at M.P. Stonehouse in Albion Mills in Wakefield in 1983. M.P. Stonehouse was worsted spinner founded in 1853 by Mathew Porritt Stonehouse and was based at Albion Mills in Wakefield. The factory’s main focus was carding and spinning uncombed worsted yarn for carpets and for hand-knitting.

Prison built looms inside Wakefield Prison. from 1791 prisoners were employed in picking cotton and spinning worsted. By 1870 the prison had a prosperous trade in mat making and were exporting them to America.

Black and white photograph of the Readicut Wool Shop c.1950. The photograph was produced by shop fitters Drake and Water Ltd. of Wakefield. The Readicut Wool Company was founded by Ralph Hirst in 1928 and was based a Terry Mills in Ossett. Hirst had the idea of supplying pre-cut wool which would save home rug makers the time and effort of carefully cutting yarn to size. In 2013 Readicut was still trading as part of the Orbital Group.

Aerial view of mills and houses along Alverthorpe Road, with the partly built Flanshaw estate at the top left.

An aerial view of the new and old bridges over the Calder, with the docks and mills of Calder waterfront beyond. Picture copyright of Yorkshire Post Newspapers.

This aerial view of Alverthorpe village, with Alverthorpe mills and the Osset railway line clearly visible, was taken for Wakefield City Council in 1961.

This aerial view of fields behind Flanshaw Mills was taken for Wakefield City Council in 1961.

Black and white aerial view of M.P. Stonehouse's mills off Ings Road was taken for Wakefield City Council in 1961. M. P. Stonehouse was oringally a worsted spinner founded in 1853 by Mathew Porritt Stonehouse and was based at Albion Mills in Wakefield. The factory’s main focus was carding and spinning uncombed worsted yarn for carpets and for hand-knitting. In 1855 M P Stonehouse is recorded as having employed 16 people, 100 workers in 1869 and by 1874 was paying wages to approximately 200 workers.

This aerial view of riverside textile mills along Barnsley Road, Wakefield was taken for Wakefield City Council in 1961.

This aerial view of textile mills and the sewage works at Ossett Spa was taken in 1961 for Wakefield City Council.

This engine was built in Leeds by J & H McLaren of Jack Lane (No 113 of April 1882) and was owned by G & J Stubley Ltd. It was sold by them sometime after October 1891 to Scotland at the time when they bought a road locomotive from John Fowler’s at Leeds. (Information from Leeds and District Traction Engine Club). The engine is on its way across Chantry Bridge from Wakefield, with a load of wool bales. G & J Stubley Ltd was established in 1850 by George and James Stubley and was a leading shoddy and mungo manufacturers with processing sites in Batley and Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Sites included Hick Lane Mills & Bottom Mills in Batley and Calder Mill in Wakefield.

Black and white photograph of Ambler's worsted spinning mill in East Ardsley in 1953. The images shows a groups of four people standing in front of a banner which reads ‘Amblers of Ardsley Fine Worsted Spinners…’.

Henry Umpleby on his retirement from Burberrys. Photograph courtesy of the Pontefract and Castleford Express.

Young man working at Berwin and Berwin Ltd. factory in South Kirkby c. 1980s. The company are still manufacturing men's clothing today.

Photograph of the knitting yarn manufacturer Patons and Baldwins trade stand c. 1920. In the foreground are two cases containing raw wool samples and carding and winding machines. In the 1770s James Baldwin of Halifax and John Paton of Alloa (Scotland) founded two yarn spinning companies. During their early years both companies produced mainly hosiery yarn for machine knitters however in the mid-nineteenth century they diversified to make hand knitting yarns and patterns. In 1920 the two companies amalgamated to form Patons and Baldwins Limited with mills in Halifax and Wakefield (Thornes Mills and Rutland Mills).