Weekly meeting - Club Speaker John Clay
Mon, Oct 3rd 2016 at 7:15 pm - 8:15 pm
Weekly meeting - Club Speaker John Clay "Flock Felt Wool"
| The Rotary Club of Birstall Luddites.
Club Speaker John Clay "Flock Felt and Wool" Mon 4th Oct |
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| Above - President Bill (left) with speaker John Clay (centre) shaking hands with Club Sec
speaker finder Paul. |
| John addressed the club about his family business Edward Clay and Sons Ossett. The last mill in Ossett.
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| John talked of the founding of the business in 1870 in Ossett by Edward Clay JP, first Mayor of the Borough of Ossett, and began life in premises off Prospect Road as Rag Merchants. In 1889 the firm had 50 women sorting old unwashed bales of clothes. They sorted the rags into shades and qualities. In 1905
the firm was primarily trading as Rag Merchants at this stage but the manufacture of shoddy and mungo was an up and coming business and this was a natural follow through from rag sorting. John talked of the differences between Shoddy and Mungo that was spun to yarn. Edward Wilson Clay returned home from the First World War in Palestine to take over the running of the mill with his grandfather. During the twenties and thirties the mill went through two slumps but managed to survive and during the Second World War it was made a Limited Company. By this time the firm had four 24” rag machines. Batley district was now being supplied with rags from every part of the civilized world - and from some parts we regard as uncivilised." At this stage there was still some rag sorting and manufacture of shoddy but a chance meeting with a representative of Slumberland changed the future of the mill. the manufacture of flock was a similar process using the same machinery as for shoddy it was agreed to start making flock for Slumberland bedding industry with which it is still connected today. Subsidised materials from Turkey led to undercutting of their bedding business. The centre of bed manufacture in Batley led to a 100 tons of material going to Batley for mattresses. Far east undercutting as led John to find new markets. He found a lucrative market with felt for hanging baskets using cotton tea bags from Betttys.B&Q gave the far east the patterns and the trade stopped. He now as a joint venture for a COOL BOX to keep fresh food cool for Internet suppliers. He hopes this will lead to NHS version to keep drugs cool to extend their life. John presently employs 50 people at Ossett. The Company has expanded into many different areas of non woven textile manufacture and now make thermal bonded as well as needle punch products with the most up to date and modern equipment. In addition to mattress and upholstery fillings the firm manufactures felts for the horticulture, packaging and insulation industries. Rotarian Keith gave thanks for Johns talk. |
| LINKS Edward Clay and Sons
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| Heavy Woollen District
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