F. W. Grafton and Co
of Broad Oak Printworks, Accrington, (formerly Fort, Taylor and Bury, then Hargreaves, Dugdale and Co.), calico printers.
of 65 Oxford Street, Manchester, 1. London Showroom at 127 Oxford Street. (1947)
See Frederick William Grafton and his son Francis Frederick Grafton
This firm benefited from the management and scientific expertise of John Emmanuel Lightfoot, his brother Thomas Lightfoot and Thomas’ son John Lightfoot. The dye, aniline black, was discovered by John Lightfoot. Broad Oak Printworks was also the site for experiments by John Mercer, works chemist and later partner at Oakenshaw Printworks, whose ‘mercerisation’ process improved the finish of cotton fibre.
Business memoranda books, notes and diaries of John Lightfoot, his sons Thomas and John Emanuel Lightfoot and grandson John, 1818-1869; trial books, 1831-post December 1864 (9 volumes); receipt books, 1831-1871 (12 volumes); swatch books, 1841-1871 (8 volumes); pattern books and pattern samples, 1840s, 1867-1872 and un-dated; pattern books, 1850-post 1857, 1863 (2 volumes); newspaper cuttings, 20th century; papers and notes on patents with printed specifications.[1]
1891 Directory (Accrington): Listed as Calico printers. More details
1899 Merged into the Calico Printers Association.[2]
1899 Francis Frederick Grafton: Director and Chairman and Assheton Neville Clegg, Francis Venables Williams are Directors of the Calico Printers Association.[3]
1947 Listed Exhibitor - British Industries Fair. Manufacturers of machine Screen and Hand Block Printed Linens. Glazed Chintzes, Satins, Cretonnes, Casements, Shadow Tissues. Piece Dyed Linens, Repps, Casements, Yarn Dyed Tapestries, Damasks, Brocades, Folkweaves. (Earls Court, Ground Floor, Stand No. 81)
1947 British Industries Fair Advert for "Chinese Lagoon" anti-shrink (fabrics for Dress Goods and Lingerie). Fully Guaranteed to wash perfectly and not to shrink, Stretch nor Fade. (Textiles Section - Earls Court, Ground Floor, Stand No. 156) [4]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Available at Manchester Archives
- ↑ The Times, December 14, 1899
- ↑ Truth - Thursday 14 December 1899
- ↑ 1947 British Industries Fair Advert 142; and p120