Crime at the English Sewing Cotton Company #1

On Friday 5th December 1902, the Craven Herald and Pioneer newspaper reported on a bit of a to-do at the English Sewing Cotton Company:


“Considerable sensation has been caused in connection with the English Sewing Cotton Company by the sudden and mysterious disappearance of one of their officials, holding the position of cashier, at the famous Strutt Mills Belper. The gentleman in question (Mr WB Hole) was last seen on Monday, the 24th in Leicester, whither he had journeyed to attend to some secretarial duties.  He left the house of a married daughter residing at Leicester at about 7 o'clock, ostensibly to attend a business meeting, and all attempts to trace his whereabouts since have been fruitless. According to arrangements, he was expected back at the company's offices in Belper on Tuesday morning last week.  His non appearance there gave rise to concern and a telegraphic message was at once dispatched to Leicester.  This elicited the reply that he had left there on Monday evening at the time previously stated, and if he had not arrived in Belper, something must have happened to him. Communications were then made with the police of Leicester, who made enquiries at the hospitals and of the railway officials in the district, Mr Hole being a well-known figure. Further, and more complete enquiries have since been made, but with no result.  Mr Hole, who is between 60 and 70 years of age, was for 30 years manager of the Mills of Messrs Rayworth of Leicester, one of the firms merged into the English Sewing Cotton Company. A year ago  he was transferred to Belper along with the Rayworth business, this being part of the scheme of centralisation.  Mr Hole has enjoyed the fullest confidence of the company in his capacity as cashier and is said to have worked amicably with the other officials.  This makes his sudden disappearance all the more mysterious. On Thursday week, the safe of the Belper offices of which Mr Hole alone held the key, was forced open in the presence of an official from Manchester, but nothing transpired to clear up the mystery.  Some years ago, Mr Hole had the misfortune to lose one of his legs and he has since worn an artificial limb.  This would render identification all the more easy.  

The sequel to the mysterious disappearance of Mr Hole has been the issuing of a warrant for his arrest. This was applied for and granted by a Belper magistrate on Wednesday. One of the company's officials from the head offices in Manchester made the application. Mr Hole was last seen, so it is alleged, at the home of a married daughter in Leicester.”


As a follow up to the story on Friday December 26th 1902:

“William Benedict Hole, recently a cashier at the Belper branch of the English Sewing Cotton Company was on Tuesday committed for trial on charges of falsification of accounts, and larceny of 50 pounds. The accused had been associated with the Leicester and Belper branches of the company for 40 years and was highly respected.”



Above - Belper mill and station...where Mr Hole was conspicuous by his absence.

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