Dudbridge Mill, Stroud

of Stroud

The medieval Dudbridge Mill was recorded from the late 12th century, when Gilbert Canis held it.

By 1608, the mill was occupied by Henry Halliday

Mid-18th century, Daniel Chance had three fulling mills, one corn mill, one gig mill and a dyehouse with eight drying racks here. The Stroudwater Canal plan marks the site as "Mr. Chances Mills".

Possibly as early as 1794, or early in the 19th century, John Apperly took a lease of the mill, and for the next 140 years the family ran it as a woollen cloth-making firm.

1834 the management of the business passed to John's sons James and David.

Many of the buildings were rebuilt in brick in the 1860s and 1870s

1868 A mill building on the south side of the site, called Lower Mill, was sold. It was used by Tubbs and Lewis, elastic manufacturers, who gave it up in 1881 and, about 1890, it was taken over by Thomas Bond Worth of Stourport, carpet manufacturers, who later moved to Ham Mill, Stroud.

1872 David's son Sir Alfred Apperly took control.

1891 There was a major fire, some of the buildings had to be rebuilt afterwards.

1895 the firm was incorporated as Apperley, Curtis and Co. Ltd.

1889 there were 90 looms and 6,950 spindles at the mill

1897 Apperly, Curtis and Co.

1902 Lower Mill was bought back by Apperley Curtis & Co.

1933 The firm became bankrupt and Redler Conveyers took over the site.

Two other companies also had a presence on the site. Copeland Chatterson (known locally as Cope Chat) was established in 1913 to manufacture loose-leaf ledgers, and later established itself as the leading manufacturer of business systems for buyers and accounting forms. The Stroud Metal Co. was once a leading manufacturer of umbrella components.

See Also

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Sources of Information

• [1] Digital Stroud