Geo. Hattersley
Encyclopedia
Geo. Hattersley was a textile machinery manufacturer from Keighley
, West Yorkshire
in England, founded in 1789 and responsible for the Hattersley Standard Loom and other types of loom.
for weaving worsted
cloth which previously had only been woven on handlooms The first loom was produced in 1834, it was never delivered as it was smashed up in transit by a group of handloom weavers of the Luddite
persuasion fearful for their livelihood.
The replacement was delivered. Hattersley's prospered developing an extensive catalogue, adding new products to their range which included as tobacco machines and garden furniture. Hattersley's continued to prosper with the number of employees peaking to around 1100 just prior to the First World War. The also ventured into production and the subsidiary companies have survived where the parent did not. It closed in 1983.
Hattersley Dobby Loom
In 1867 George Hattersley and Sons created a loom with a dobby head. A dobby a mechanical heald lifting device which allowed weaving of much more intricate patterns on any looms to which it was fitted.
Hattersley Narrow Fabric Loom
In 1908 Hattersley developed the world's first smallware (or narrow fabric) loom, these were suitable for weaving wicks for oil lamps, and the webbing that is used in the automotive industry. To demonstrate this loom, the firm bought the Cabbage Mills and later the Greegate Shed in Keitghley where they started production of these products. The firm survives today as Hattersley Aladdin Ltd.
Hattersley Standard Loom
In 1921 the Hattersley Standard Loom, designed and built by the company, was to sell in its thousands, bringing considerable financial success to the company. After the recapitalisation boom of 1919 cotton yarn production peaked in 1926, a further investment was sparse. Rayon
, artificial silk, was invented in the 1930s in Silsden
nearby, and the Hattersley Silk Loom was adapted to weave this new fabric.
Hattersley Domestic Loom
The Hattersley Domestic Loom was part of the Hattersley Domestic System that include other machines such as pirn winder and warping mill. It was a compact machine, combing all the know how and precision engineering of the nineteenth century with the need for a treadle
operated loom. This looms has tappets to control up to 8 shafts, healds or boards; most simply have 4 shafts and a set of four 2/2 Twill tappets and four plain weave tappets. 5,6,7,and 8 pick tappets were available. In order to cope with the different gearings the tappet drive cog on the bottom drive shaft could be adjusted and there are two sizes of tapped mounting drive cogs. There was also a Dobby version.
The first thirty Hattersley's were sent to the Outer Hebrides
in 1919. These were 36 inches in the reed space and single shuttle
. In 1924 the first six shuttle, 40 inch reed space looms arrived in Stornoway
and this type of loom was the most commonly used loom in the islands' Harris Tweed
Industry.
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
in England, founded in 1789 and responsible for the Hattersley Standard Loom and other types of loom.
History
Richard Hattersley the founder of the company served his apprenticeship at Kirkstall Forge. He set up his own business in 1789 at Stubbings Mill, Airworth, manufacturing nuts, bolts, screws and small parts for textile machines. Richard's son George came into the business and took over its running. In 1834 he was asked to build a power loomPower loom
A power loom is a mechanized loom powered by a line shaft. The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright and first built in 1785. It was refined over the next 47 years until a design by Kenworthy and Bullough, made the operation completely automatic. This was known as the...
for weaving worsted
Worsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
cloth which previously had only been woven on handlooms The first loom was produced in 1834, it was never delivered as it was smashed up in transit by a group of handloom weavers of the Luddite
Luddite
The Luddites were a social movement of 19th-century English textile artisans who protested – often by destroying mechanised looms – against the changes produced by the Industrial Revolution, which they felt were leaving them without work and changing their way of life...
persuasion fearful for their livelihood.
The replacement was delivered. Hattersley's prospered developing an extensive catalogue, adding new products to their range which included as tobacco machines and garden furniture. Hattersley's continued to prosper with the number of employees peaking to around 1100 just prior to the First World War. The also ventured into production and the subsidiary companies have survived where the parent did not. It closed in 1983.
Products
Hattersley produced a huge range of types of looms over 120 years for all sectors of the market, from the narrow band looms to sheeting looms, have about 26 basic models in their catalogue at one time.Hattersley Dobby Loom
In 1867 George Hattersley and Sons created a loom with a dobby head. A dobby a mechanical heald lifting device which allowed weaving of much more intricate patterns on any looms to which it was fitted.
Hattersley Narrow Fabric Loom
In 1908 Hattersley developed the world's first smallware (or narrow fabric) loom, these were suitable for weaving wicks for oil lamps, and the webbing that is used in the automotive industry. To demonstrate this loom, the firm bought the Cabbage Mills and later the Greegate Shed in Keitghley where they started production of these products. The firm survives today as Hattersley Aladdin Ltd.
Hattersley Standard Loom
In 1921 the Hattersley Standard Loom, designed and built by the company, was to sell in its thousands, bringing considerable financial success to the company. After the recapitalisation boom of 1919 cotton yarn production peaked in 1926, a further investment was sparse. Rayon
Rayon
Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulose fiber. Because it is produced from naturally occurring polymers, it is neither a truly synthetic fiber nor a natural fiber; it is a semi-synthetic or artificial fiber. Rayon is known by the names viscose rayon and art silk in the textile industry...
, artificial silk, was invented in the 1930s in Silsden
Silsden
Silsden is a town and civil parish situated in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the northern slope of the Aire Valley between Keighley and Skipton. It is about from the river. Along the lower edge of the town is the Leeds and Liverpool Canal...
nearby, and the Hattersley Silk Loom was adapted to weave this new fabric.
Hattersley Domestic Loom
The Hattersley Domestic Loom was part of the Hattersley Domestic System that include other machines such as pirn winder and warping mill. It was a compact machine, combing all the know how and precision engineering of the nineteenth century with the need for a treadle
Treadle
A treadle [from OE tredan = to tread] is a part of a machine which is operated by the foot to produce reciprocating or rotary motion in a machine such as a weaving loom or grinder...
operated loom. This looms has tappets to control up to 8 shafts, healds or boards; most simply have 4 shafts and a set of four 2/2 Twill tappets and four plain weave tappets. 5,6,7,and 8 pick tappets were available. In order to cope with the different gearings the tappet drive cog on the bottom drive shaft could be adjusted and there are two sizes of tapped mounting drive cogs. There was also a Dobby version.
The first thirty Hattersley's were sent to the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
in 1919. These were 36 inches in the reed space and single shuttle
Shuttle
The original meaning of the word shuttle is the device used in weaving to carry the weft. By reference to the continual to-and-fro motion associated with that, the term was then applied in transportation and then in other spheres...
. In 1924 the first six shuttle, 40 inch reed space looms arrived in Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
and this type of loom was the most commonly used loom in the islands' Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed
Harris Tweed is a cloth that has been handwoven by the islanders on the Isles of Harris, Lewis, Uist and Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, using local wool....
Industry.