Hi, I worked at Wormald's around late sixties early seventies starting as weftman; there were two weftmen and we had the job of supplying the weaving shed it being a heavy job. Later I learned of two top secret buildings also at Wormald's and as no one knew anything about them I applied for a job; I was sworn to secrecy unable to discuss these buildings with anyone other than those associated with them. These two buildings were in fact S11 & S12 each having a single huge American Fiber Weaving Loom. S11 had four carding machines feeding the apron whilst the newer S12 had two huge carding machines feeding the apron the apron in turn taking the warp and fiber sandwich through the loom; each loom had four passes each pass had a top and bottom board covered with long barbed extremely sharp needles. The woven blanked was wound onto very big 600 yard bobbins these having special carts to wheel them around on. My first job was looking after the hoppers keeping these topped up with fiber a second operative was on the bridge straddling the apron looking after the warps the department operator was in in charge of the department looking after the loom; in S11 the cards drawing so much power only one card could be started at a time so from the loom both I and the warp guy would watch each card as it started ensuring it came up to speed without throwing a belt; the loom operator at the control panel would shout "look out #1 and then look out #2 etc; once all cards were up to speed then the loom was started; this was very impressive indeed. I progressed to being in charge of the new department S12 whilst my colleague Granville was in charge of S11. Three shifts ran with Saturday morning for routine maintenance but I worked seven days a week due to my mechanical engineering background assisting Richard who was in overall charge looking after maintenance in both departments; built like a stick insect I could get right into the loom for repairs such as attaching fiber glass cloth patches soaked in epoxy resin; happy days but I left the company when I married and moved to Huddersfield. It's so incredibly sad to see our mills closed down. Kind regards, Colin Wood.
Grew up in Dewsbury all my family on both sides worked in the mills thank you for this watching I’m wondering if any of those young girls were from my family.
I have no connection with this industry, just dropped by to learn about what life was like. And to mourn another British industry long gone. These old industries formed our National identity - hard working, family orientated, social workers. I mourn this lifestyle. Yes, we were overworked and underpaid, yes we were treated like slave labour, yes we didn't have many other options, but you were part of a solid caring society. And had a purpose in life. Take that away from a town and it is destroyed. I feel for the workers who saw it all shut down. Generations worked in these mills, and were proud to. So when these industries shut down, millions were totally confused as to what they should do. Tragic for our culture.
It was not. Back in the day (late 1800s - early 1900s) the lung irritation caused by the fibers made people more susceptible to tuberculosis, and other lung diseases. By the 1970s, there were studies done that indicated how damaging those fibers are. blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2021/03/02/textile-workers/
I am born and bred ( 1960) Dewsbury. My nanna who was born in 1902 worked int mills all her life. Makes my job as a bricklayer seem quite easy!
Hi,
I worked at Wormald's around late sixties early seventies starting as weftman; there were two weftmen and we had the job of supplying the weaving shed it being a heavy job. Later I learned of two top secret buildings also at Wormald's and as no one knew anything about them I applied for a job; I was sworn to secrecy unable to discuss these buildings with anyone other than those associated with them. These two buildings were in fact S11 & S12 each having a single huge American Fiber Weaving Loom.
S11 had four carding machines feeding the apron whilst the newer S12 had two huge carding machines feeding the apron the apron in turn taking the warp and fiber sandwich through the loom; each loom had four passes each pass had a top and bottom board covered with long barbed extremely sharp needles. The woven blanked was wound onto very big 600 yard bobbins these having special carts to wheel them around on.
My first job was looking after the hoppers keeping these topped up with fiber a second operative was on the bridge straddling the apron looking after the warps the department operator was in in charge of the department looking after the loom; in S11 the cards drawing so much power only one card could be started at a time so from the loom both I and the warp guy would watch each card as it started ensuring it came up to speed without throwing a belt; the loom operator at the control panel would shout "look out #1 and then look out #2 etc; once all cards were up to speed then the loom was started; this was very impressive indeed.
I progressed to being in charge of the new department S12 whilst my colleague Granville was in charge of S11. Three shifts ran with Saturday morning for routine maintenance but I worked seven days a week due to my mechanical engineering background assisting Richard who was in overall charge looking after maintenance in both departments; built like a stick insect I could get right into the loom for repairs such as attaching fiber glass cloth patches soaked in epoxy resin; happy days but I left the company when I married and moved to Huddersfield.
It's so incredibly sad to see our mills closed down.
Kind regards, Colin Wood.
Grew up in Dewsbury all my family on both sides worked in the mills thank you for this watching I’m wondering if any of those young girls were from my family.
Fantastic good documentation of a proud industry that i am still a part of.
I was born in 1992 but my grandmother worked in the mills near Drighlington, I always wondered what it was like for her!
I left school in 1972. My 1st job was as a creeler in the weaving shed at BMK Carpets Liversedge.
Brilliant all.my working life has been spent in the textile industry a proud tradition
I have no connection with this industry, just dropped by to learn about what life was like. And to mourn another British industry long gone. These old industries formed our National identity - hard working, family orientated, social workers. I mourn this lifestyle. Yes, we were overworked and underpaid, yes we were treated like slave labour, yes we didn't have many other options, but you were part of a solid caring society. And had a purpose in life. Take that away from a town and it is destroyed. I feel for the workers who saw it all shut down. Generations worked in these mills, and were proud to. So when these industries shut down, millions were totally confused as to what they should do. Tragic for our culture.
All that fibres in the air could not be good for the lungs
It was not. Back in the day (late 1800s - early 1900s) the lung irritation caused by the fibers made people more susceptible to tuberculosis, and other lung diseases. By the 1970s, there were studies done that indicated how damaging those fibers are. blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2021/03/02/textile-workers/
Or the ears - my grandad had a 1/2 inch pulled from both.
Black & White clips are pre-1970 while colour is about (1994-1995).
Really enjoy watching 👀 that 👏 rossendale lancashire
Gordon Bennett guys, insane, kids, okay