South Molton Woollen Industry
Researched by Shirley Bray
1238 From the Devon Eyre, Devon & Cornwall Record Society (copy in Museum)
Walter the Miller – drowned under the wheel of South Molton Mill
Roger De Carlescote – sold clothes contrary to the Assize in South Molton so he is in mercy, this was also in contrary to the Magna Carta selling cloth under the specified width, ie, two ells, (one ell = 18”) – source Germanic name for Elbow!
(Fulling -
12th Century
Water powered Fulling Mills
1326 Reference to a Fulling Mill in South Molton
1634 Three Fulling Mills in South Molton
South Molton was one of the five chief manufacturing towns of the County – making coarse woollens for Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany – ref Lysons
18th Century
Woollen industry in South Molton reached peak of prosperity
1705 Work of spinning and such other work “touching the woollen manufacture” to be provided for all poor people sent to work in mills
1711 Blue Coat Charity School opened and children to be provided with clothes “to be died blew”
1716 New Borough Seal with a Fleece between the Crown and Mitre, representing monarchy, episcopacy and woollen trade
18th & 19th Centuries
Most inhabitants worked in cottages as wool combers, spinners and weavers
Wool spun in villages and brought to town to be woven for blankets, coats and cloaks
1743 Article in Daily Post, London – decline in trade leading to 200 deaths in one year from poverty and “gaol pestilence”
Bawden & Co
1800 Bawden, Cresswell & Bawden opened first mechanised factory in South Molton
Mainly serges woven by hand for East India Company
Bulk of wool combed and made into Tops for Yorkshire market
Numbers of houses increased – scores of homes were without “the commonest conveniences of civilised life”
1814 Woollen workers take part in grand parade to celebrate end of Napoleonic wars
"250 women weavers with their shuttles, some gilded, some painted blue, but all fastened on the top of white rods with garlands and ribbons” …then the combers in Holland shirts, white stockings, and their hair powdered … the combers had all caps and belts made of wool and ribbons”
(Holland -
A Long Ell was a measurement of Cloth – around 18in or 46cm)
1822/3 South Molton was described as having “long been celebrated for its manufacture of serges, long ells, baize, flannels, druggets etc with considerable quantities being exported to Spain, America and the West Indies. Three manufacturers listed. ref Piggot & Co’s Directory
(A Drugget was a coarse woollen fabric, felted or woven, self coloured or printed one side)
1824 New lace factory opened by Maunder & Son
1828 Lace and woollen factory completely destroyed by fire which could be seen from 20 miles away
The insurance was not enough to meet the loss and a large number of people were thrown out of work
The factory was rebuilt and continued manufacturing
1833 Two suspected arson attacks within a week, the first destroying the rear of the premises including a considerable quantity of wool. Both blazes were quickly discovered and although there was prompt action by neighbours and the fire brigade 5 adjoining houses were also destroyed.
The local newspaper reported that Mr Hitchcock employed at least 100 people and was a good employer, however, he was considering closing his business which would throw many out of a job.
Mr Hitchcock did not close his business but went into partnership with his son Francis and James, Edwin and Robert Maunder.
1836/7 William Hitchcock was elected Mayor and died in 1846 aged 67
William Hitchcock – 1779 – 1846
William Hitchcock ran his woollen manufacturing business from premises in East Street
Working Conditions in Woollen factories:
1837 NDJ reported William Widgery broke both arms whilst working in woollen factory
1841 Woman named Partridge badly scalded her legs when she fell into a large furnace
1843 Dr J E Cutliffe wrote that children employed were not so strong and healthy as agricultural children and many suffered breathing problems
Children as young as six were employed
Many single females employed and local farmers found it difficult to obtain female servants
South Molton Surgeon, James Flexman, reported that medical aid was often needed as workers were more prone to disease.
Lace makers in particular suffered diseases of the eye and chest.
1844 Pigots Trade Directory names three woollen manufacturers in the town:
Humphrey John Norris Bawden, South Molton
Hitchcock, Maunder & Hitchcock, East Street and Exweeke
Maunder James & Sons, Heasley Mill, North Molton
1850 Bawden’s business closed and was purchased by Hitchcock Maunder & Hitchcock and seemed to prosper at first
1851 Census records 65 men, 46 women, 23 boys and 80 girls employed by Hitchcock, Maunder & Hitchcock
1853 Up to 34 carts laden with wool were seen to pass through the town to the factories of Hitchcock & Co
On St Blaize Day 100 woollen workers sat down to the annual dinner at the Ring of Bells in Duke Street – (now a private house)
(St Blaize – The Patron Saint of Wool Combers)
Mr Hitchcock said the factory would soon be enlarged with new machinery and the business extended
1855 The Crimean War brought a boost to business and Hitchcock & Co won a contract to supply blankets to the army
1856 At a large procession to mark the end of the Crimean War the industry was represented by wool sorters carrying two decorated banners.
Two wool combers were shown at work in a carriage with the wool combers trade flag flying
There were wool combers with sashes of wool and female wool spinners carrying small flags and bobbins with streamers
The warpers carried banners “Gentleness”, “Love”, “Peace”, “Patience”, “Meekness” and “Temperance”.
Mrs Francis Maunder Hitchcock presented 68 children working at the factory with new bonnets and hats “nicely trimmed, which had a very pretty appearance”.
1854/4 & 1858/9
Francis Maunder Hitchcock elected Mayor
1857 M Billings Directory stated during “the good old coaching days” South Molton did a considerable trade but that since the introduction of “steam” a visible decline had taken place
.
However, Messrs Hitchcock, Maunder & Co still ran two factories employing “a good number of hands” and appeared to be flourishing. The two factories were at the lower end of East Street and fed by the River Mole.
1866 The Kelly’s Trade Directory states that although there were two woollen factories in the town little business was done and the firm was now in financial difficulties having invested in a declining industry.
Francis Maunder Hitchcock and William Maunder Hitchcock had deposited the Title Deeds of several properties, including the two South Molton woollen mills, at the National Provincial Bank as security for money loaned to them.
The money owing the Bank amounted to £17,762.19.6d, and it was agreed that a formal mortgage should be taken out, however, Hitchcock & Co., could not meet their financial commitment to the Bank and the Higher and Lower Mole Mills were put up for sale.
The next owner of the South Molton mills appears to be J. Fulford Vicary who also owned woollen mills at Chagford and North Tawton.
1871 The census records numbers working in woollen industry:
• men had dropped to 14
• women workers had increased to 89
• only 7 boys and 8 girls were working at the factory
• John Jacomb was employed as Factory Manager.
1876 In January the South Molton Gazette reported that Mr.Fulford Vicary had provided an annual entertainment for his employees at the George Hotel.
1882 An article in the same paper said that machinery from Mr. J. Fulford’s mills at Chagford had been brought to his mills at South Molton yet less than a year later the woollen mills were idle.
1883 In September an article under the heading “There’s a Good Time Coming” was published reporting that the woollen mills had been repaired and begun work again
1886 By the end of the year the woollen factories at South Molton had finally closed and over 100 people were thrown out of a job.
The closure had a devastating effect, not only affecting those who had lost their jobs at the factories but also the tradesmen of the town.
1887 Mr. Fulford Vicary died in July at the age of 55. It had been anticipated that on his death the factories would come under new ownership and reopen but this did not happen.
1888 There was an attempt to salvage the industry through the South Molton Woollen Factories Company
The price being asked for both factories, with machinery, steam engine, fields, cottages etc., was £3000 but the response to raise the capital was not sufficient and the scheme failed.
1889 The factory plant and machinery was sold over two days in 1889 after which, according to Mr. Warren, the factories lay derelict for two or three years.
On Saturday December 14th 1889 The South Molton Gazette reported on the sale of the plant and machinery, which included the whole of the contents of the Higher & Lower Serge & Woollen Mills at Mole Bridge.
Among the items sold were a
• 12hp steam engine with Cornish boiler;
• 100 weavers’ looms;
• blower;
• sharking,
• breaking and carding machines;
• turn lathes;
• carpenters’ benches;
• valuable shafting with drums and pulleys;
• complete working plant for small gas-
The amount raised was £400 in addition to the engine, which was subsequently sold for £60.
1890 The lower woollen mill was sold to Mr. Sanders, who used it as a corn mill.
1890 The South Molton Shirt & Collar Company opened as a Limited Company and occupied a portion of the warehouses of the higher woollen factory providing employment for 30 people, mainly women. The Shirt and Collar factory survived until the mid 20th century.
1920/30 David and George Hobbs were the proprietors. At this time barley was fetched from the boat at Avonmouth and brought to South Molton by rail and then delivered to the mill where it was tipped into a bunker.
The mill acted as a "bank"for local corn dealers such as Frank Morrish and Tom Vickery. Barley meal was then sold on for feeding pigs.
During the first half of the twentieth century the Exe Valley Electricity Company
used the higher woollen factory as a power station producing hydro-
1945 On VE day, 8th May, Barry Brayley and Gordon Dennis rang the former factory
bell for 5 minutes -
Early
1950s The large mill chimney was taken down
Mid
1990’s The building was converted into flats and named Riverside Apartments.
Legacies from South Molton’s woollen trade can still be traced today -
Mill Street was once known as Mill Lane and led all the way from Cooks Cross to the mills powered by the river Mole. A house in Poltimore Road is named “Tucking Mill” and a residential site of mobile homes is named “Mill on the Mole”
The former Lower Woollen Mill c1900 – converted to flats in the 1990s
On 7th March 1866 the following sale notification was printed in the Exeter Flying Post:
Mr. John Blackford will sell by auction at The George Hotel, South Molton on Monday 26th March next at 2 o’clock precisely the old and well established woollen mills known as the Higher and Lower Mole Mills, together with plots of Meadow land adjoining thereto.
These valuable properties have been for many years most successfully worked as woollen
factories and are furnished with most abundant and powerful supplies of water. With
each mill will be sold several acres of adjoining Meadow Land. A commodious and well-
Holes Ham Estate Tucking Mill ** The Rack Closes Quicks Ground
A most comfortable dwelling house and garden with front and side entrance thereto occupied by Mrs. Furse. And in convenient lots thirteen excellent cottages situate near the factories above mentioned and now in the occupation of respectable tenants.
The whole of this important property is freehold or held for the residue of a term of 2,100 years, except Tucking Mill, which is held for the life of a gentleman aged 50 years.
Detailed particulars and maps and further information may be obtained from the Auctioneers or from Messrs. Dymond & Son, Surveyors, Exeter or Messrs. Pearse & Crosse, Solicitors, South Molton
*This house is present day Eastleigh Residential Care Home
** The Tucking Mill had burnt down in 1861 and was never rebuilt.
Transcript of a recorded talk given in 1981 by South Moltonian, Mr. Sidney Warren (Town Clerk during the 1950s and1960s), to the South Molton Archive in 1981
His uncle, Billy Bradford, had started work at the mill at the age of 9 as a half-
