The ESCC Friendly

The English Sewing Cotton Company was a very disparate company, with cotton mills in Lancashire, Derbyshire, Leicester and North Yorkshire among other places. In my mind, I've seen each of the mills as separate entities that had little to do with each other. So, it was interesting to glean from reports in the Craven Herald newspaper archive that during the 1920s, there seems to have been a social exchange between Dewhurst's mill in Skipton and the Ermen and Roby mill at Patricroft. 

On 1st July 1927 the Herald reported on a recent match between Belle Vue Mills Bowling Club (Skipton) and ESCC Patricroft branch. The match was called off due to the unseasonal weather in Skipton that Saturday. Instead, everyone retreated to the Belle Vue Mills welfare hall - which was located where the car park for B&M Bargains is now. A social and tea was provided for 150 people, followed by dancing to the Craven Symphonic Band. A display of exercises on parallel bars was also given by members of the welfare's gym class. 

Apparently the whole thing didn't pack up until 11pm - I wonder if the Patricroft visitors were put up overnight, or if some lucky charabanc driver had to negotiate the Pennines in the dark?

A recent view of Belle Vue Mill from Morrisons car park


Get English Sewing in the 20th Century: A History of the English Sewing Cotton Company and the Way We Used to Sew

I spent many years of bloody expensive research before writing this book so please see past the jealous 2 star review. I mean, what do people want for £5.99? You spend more in Costa or on a magazine. It's not Mrs Gaskell but I think it's an interesting way to pass half an hour. 

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