Reminiscences of Rotherham
by G. Gummer, J.P.
« « prevpremises in Drummond street. This business belonged to the father of the present Editor of the “Advertiser.” Fawley’s in Church street, and Dransfield’s in Sheffield road, also contributed to the town’s output of this useful commodity.
ENGINEERING
Light engineering has never been in Rotherham, as in some other towns, a special feature, though several attempts have been made with varying success, The largest works were those of William Joseph Walker who carried on business in premises behind Beatson’s Glass Works. I remember it was considered a great privilege to get a lad apprenticed under the Walkers. All the apprentices wore a special dress and were known as Walkers’ boys. There were a fair number of hands employed and a prosperous business was carried on for some years. Unfortunately for the town, the works closed and the hands were discharged.One of the best engineers of this type was George Wright, a man of great ability but short of business acumen. Inventive and full of ideas for increasing production, he produced tools that were used by the light trades. Like many inventors, Wright never waited to reap the result of his labours before launching out on other ideas, the result being the failure that usually follows this course.
Badger and Son, of Masbro’, were another well-known firm, The head, William Badger, gave freely of his services to public affairs and for many years sat as a Guardian of the Poor.
Harris’s foundry in Westgate produced some of the largest castings in the district. It was a common sight to see these being conveyed on low trucks, drawn sometimes by eight and ten horses to their destination, a slow and laborious method compared with the mechanically propelled vehicles of to-day. Orders or huge castings weighing from 40 to 60 tons were undertaken by this firm.
BEATSON’S
Beatson’s Glass Works is one of the oldest industries we have and has probably suffered more from foreign competition than any other. One readily recalls the names of some of their employees, men well known in their day, such Robert Hill(more often called Bob. John Fletcher, who later kept the Junction Inn, Johnny Walker, afterwards the well known host of The Elephant and Castle and William Warburton, whose last years were spent in the Unionist cause.There were also Beatsons Chemical Works which stood opposite Chadwick’s and covered nearly all the ground to Falding Street; the Holmes Pottery, then owned by George Shaw and John Jackson; Hawley’s Pottery at Northfleld; and I. Walker’s Charcoal and Flint Works, in Glasshouse street; Nat. Booth’s carriage works in Sheffield road; Walter Spencer’s file works, now occupied by Cottam and Co.; Clarborough’s Timber Yard in Greasbro’ road, destroyed by fire; Newsums Timber Yard in Forge lane’, and the shovel works of George Wragg (a gentleman well known in the municipal life of the town); and of G. Parkin and John Kitchen, All the these I remember as prosperous businesses, but, unfortunately, many of them are now defunct.
FLAXMILL
Another industry that used to flourish in our midst but which closed down many years was ago was that of flax spinning.At the foot of Millgate, on the land opposite the new Turf Tavern, stood a large flax mill, where a large number of females was employed, and it used to be one of the sights of the town when they were leaving their work. Dressed in white overalls and white caps, and apparently well pleased with their work, they made a pretty industrial picture. This being the only place in Rotherham where a large number of females were engaged, it was great misfortune when the industry came to an end. The proprietor, Percy Smith, resided at Herringthorpe House, and could be seen every morning riding on horse back to his business. One of the operatives at these Mills became a leading citizen, and later had great influence in moulding the character and development of the town. Edwin Kelsey, elected a councillor in 1872, alderman in 1879, Mayor in 1882. and re-elected in 1883, was, I believe, employed in the engine house. » next
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