Pritchett and Webley
c1885 William Pritchett and William Webley entered into a business partnership together; both were from local glove-making families.
Webley seems to have been largely responsible for constructing a glove factory in Newland, Witney shortly after the partnership began. This was a mechanised, steam-powered factory which specialised in officers' dress-gloves and waterproof driving gloves among other goods.
c.1896 Pritchett and Webley went into the blanket making, acquiring Worsham Mill from Henry Early.
1899 The Newland building, although primarily a glove factory, was shown on the 1899 Ordnance Survey map as a 'Glove and Blanket Factory'.
c.1910 The blanket side of the business ceased trading shortly before the First World War when Worsham Mill was acquired by George Howitt, the son of a local farmer (although gloving was carried on at Witney for some years afterwards).
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Witney Blankets