Wardle Family Companies
From around 1875 the Wardle family owned and managed two dyeworks, and one textile
printing works, as separate companies. During the lifetime of these businesses, the names
were subject to alterations that reflected changes in partnership or legal status. In 1908, for
example, the company printworks was relocated from Hencroft to Pale Meadow, with the
company name changing to reflect transfer of ownership from Thomas Wardle to his son
Bernard Wardle. The pattern books held by the Whitworth Art Gallery mainly represent work
carried out at the Hencroft printworks prior to 1908, but the book recording colour recipes
(T.14011) stems from the new printworks at Pale Meadow. All the books were in the hands of
Bernard Wardle & Co. Ltd at the time they were given to the Whitworth Art Gallery in 1962.
Another firm, Wardle and
Company, appears to have
been set up by 1883, with its
official address at 54 Edward
Street, Leek, near the family
home at No. 62. The printing
blocks for four patterns are
listed as belonging to this firm
(T.14007, pp.175-6 & 191-96).
In addition, Thomas Wardle
set up a retailing company in
London that operated a shop
for about five years during the 1880s. Also mentioned here is Green Vale printworks because
this was owned by Thomas Welch, who was Bernard Wardle’s father-in-law. The Wardle and
Welch printworks appear to have had more than a straightforward business relationship, with
some sharing of expertise and roller printing equipment. The Welch family owned shares in
Bernard Wardle & Co. Ltd upon its formation in 1908.
Gulabi Yangla or Forest of Roses, the notes state that ‘the blocks belong to Wardle & Company’
Thomas Wardle participated in several joint business ventures (for example, the Leek Spun
Silk Spinning & Manufacturing Company created in the 1880s) but these were not family-
owned.
Leekbrook Dyeworks Joshua Wardle Joshua Wardle & Co
Est. 1830
Joshua Wardle, in partnership with William Milner from 1839
Dyeing
Joshua Wardle & Son(s)
From around 1850
Wardle’s sons, Thomas and George, became partners upon coming of age, as did in turn his grandsons Gilbert and Horace. Joshua Wardle
Dyeing
withdrew from the partnership in March 1868.
Joshua Wardle Ltd 1927 Works site demolished in 2004
Dyeing
Joshua Wardle, father of Thomas Wardle, was the founder of the family firm. He set up as a
dyer at Leekbrook in 1830. As his sons came of age, they entered the firm and the name was
changed to reflect the new partnership. The reputation gained over the years by the name
Joshua Wardle led to its continuation by other companies on the site long after the founder’s
death. Thus Joshua Wardle Ltd was established in 1927. The dyeworks site was finally
demolished in 2004 by Walter Forshaw Ltd. Before and after images can be seen on the
company’s website: www.walterforshaw.co.uk/01-Joshua-Wardle-Factory.html
Churnet Works (formerly one of the Mill Street Dyeworks) Wardle & Co purchased
around 1875 Dyeing and
finishing T. & A. Wardle around 1881 Arthur Wardle, manager from
1881 Dyeing and finishing
Sir T. & A. Wardle around 1897 The name changed to reflect Thomas’ knighthood
Dyeing and finishing
Sir T. & A. Wardle Ltd
1921 (public company from 1949)
Around 1967 acquired by Courtaulds. Part of the premises used for Courtaulds Jersey from 1982
Dyeing and finishing; later chemicals
The Churnet Works, founded by Samuel Tatton around 1853, was acquired by the Wardles
around 1875 to allow the expansion of their dyeing and finishing activities. An adjoining
dyeworks at Mill Street remained tenanted by the Hammersley firm of dyers. Papers in the
Bednall Archive provide relevant information about the water supply, and relations with
neighbours (see: www.bednallarchive.info ). The Churnet Works was directly managed by
Thomas Wardle’s son Arthur from around 1881. The Churnet Works was situated in close
proximity to the Hencroft Works and used water from the same source. In 1956 Sir T. and A.
Wardle Ltd acquired the Bridge End dyeworks from Brough, Nicholson and Hall, and
established a subsidiary there, Leek Chemicals Ltd.
Hencroft Works Thomas Wardle & Co
purchased 1872 Est. 1875
Thomas Wardle directed the works until his retirement in August 1896. Then Bernard and his brother Tom jr took over as managers, and designs were registered in the name of Bernard Wardle. Tom left the company in 1906.
Printing and dyeing
Wardle & Co 1901 closed 1908
From 1901, designs were registered in the name of Wardle & Co, and this may
Printing and dyeing
reflect a change in partnership or management
The site of Hencroft Works was bought in 1847 by Samuel Tatton, who established a
dyeworks there. Thomas Wardle purchased the works in March 1872, although it remained
tenanted until 1875 when Thomas Wardle set it up
as a printworks. It was here that Wardle’s
celebrated collaboration with William Morris took
place, as well as most of the work represented by
the surviving pattern books. From 1896 Bernard
Wardle assumed management of the works, and in
1901 further control of the company may have been
passed over to him from his father. In 1908,
Bernard Wardle closed Hencroft in order to set up at
Pale Meadow. The offices at Pale Meadow Printworks, 1912
Pale Meadow Works, Bridgnorth Bernard Wardle & Co Ltd
Est.1908 Bernard Wardle The new company retained the exclusive right to the name Wardle & Company.
Printing
Bernard Wardle & Co 91923) Ltd
Est.1923 The old firm was wound up voluntarily in order to restructure the company.
Printing
Bernard Wardle established a new company at Pale Meadow in 1908. A drawing of the
offices at Pale Meadow is pasted into the front of one of the pattern books (T.14007). The
site was later used for radio, telephone and television engineering (1940s to 1980s), before
conversion to a housing estate.
Green Vale Printworks, Westhoughton Thomas Welch Est. around 1866 Henry Barnes
By 1881, taken over by his son-in-law Thomas Welch, and by 1901 run by his widow Elizabeth
Dyeing and printing cotton, indigo
The calico printer, Henry Barnes, had moved to Green Vale by 1866, when his daughter
Elizabeth married Thomas Welch. At the time of the 1871 census, Barnes farmed a
smallholding in addition to his calico printing business employing 80 hands. It appears that
Thomas Welch inherited or took over his father-in-law’s businesses by the time of the next
census when Welch was a farmer of 6 acres and employer of 106 hands at the printworks.
Bernard Wardle was to marry Welch’s daughter Annie Barnes Welch in October 1891, thus
linking two families of textile dyers and printers. Thomas Welch probably died before 1901,
and the printworks was run by Elizabeth Welch for some time afterward. The Green Vale
works printed cotton for export markets, including indigo-dyed goods.
The Green Vale works is presently occupied by Bellhouse
Hartwell & Co Ltd, makers of aircraft equipment and
supplies. Planning permission for conversion to flats was
recently rejected.
A note below this roller-printed sample states ‘belongs to Mr Welch’
71 New Bond Street, London retail shop Wardle & Co Est. 1882
wound up 1888 William Brough, manager Operations at New Bond Street closed at the end of 1886, and stock sold 1887
Retailing of ‘art’ fabrics
By Dr Philip Sykas
Top Related