Horrockses, Crewdson and Co
of 107 Picadilly, Manchester (1908)
Horrockses 1768 - 1960
1791 Company established by John Horrocks, then a small spinner of Bolton, who built a mill in that year at Preston, and became one of the pioneers of the Lancashire "factory system" by which the cotton industry was revolutionized. Within ten years he owned seven large mills.
1802 John Horrocks became one of two MPs for Preston.
1804 John Horrocks died at the age of 36 having been previously joined in partnership by John Whitehead and Thomas Miller trading as Horrockses, Miller and Co. His brother Samuel Horrocks took his place in the firm.
1887 Horrockses, Crewdson and Co was established. The company was registered on 7 June, to amalgamate the businesses of Horrockses, Miller and Co, cotton spinners and manufacturers of Preston; Crewdson, Crosses and Co, cotton spinners of Bolton and Hollins, Brothers and Co, cotton manufacturers of Preston. [1]
The merger with Crewdson followed the merger with Hollins, Bothers and Co in 1885. The mergers increased the size of the company and extended production into Manchester and Bolton.
Under Sir Frank Hollins, the company started to deal directly with retail outlets instead of through independent warehouses. This increased their profits.
After 1887, Horrockses, Crewdson and Co greatly expanded colonial and home trade. Labels were produced tailor made for each market.
1891
- Rose Hill Mill, Nelson Street, Bolton
- Lorne Street Mill, Moses Gate, Farnworth; 42,782 spindles, 708/1001 weft; 2,581 looms, shirtings, India twills, etc; and
- Yard Works, Stanley Street, Preston
- Soverign Mill, Preston
- New Preston Mill, Preston. 131,200 spindles, 308/608 twist and weft; 4,405 looms, shirtings, India twills, long cloths, etc.
Registered office - 55, Piccadilly, Manchester; London office - Love Lane, Wood Street; Glasgow office - Buchanan Street. Telegrams, "Horrockses, Preston". Factory at Yard Works, Stanley Street, Preston, Lancs. Telephone: Preston 3821.
1891 Directory (Bolton): Listed as Cotton spinners and manufacturers. More details.
1891 Directory (Preston): Listed as Cotton spinners and manufacturers. More details.
1891 Directory (Farnworth): Listed as Cotton spinner and manufacturers. More details.
1914 Cotton spinners and manufacturers. Specialities: longcloths, twilled shirtings, cambrics, nainsooks, pillow cottons, plain and twilled sheetings and ready-made sheets, harvards and fancies, flannelettes. [2]
1920 Acquired by the Amalgamated Cotton Mills Trust.[3]
1947 of Yard Works. British Industries Fair Advert for "the Greatest Name in Cotton". Manufacturers of Cotton and Rayon Dress and Overall Fabrics, Sheets, Pillowcases, Towels and Towelling, Flannelettes, Winceyettes, Dress Goods, Shirtings, Furnishings, Utility Fabrics, Calicoes, Drills, etc. (Textiles Section) [4]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Stock Exchange Year Book 1908
- ↑ 1914 Whitakers Red Book
- ↑ The Times, December 15, 1920
- ↑ 1947 British Industries Fair Advert 467; and p139
- [1] Follow the Yarn