Hucknall Textile Factories

1898-1991 BUCK AND SON LTD
For many years, members from the Buck family used hand frames for making shawls. John Buck George Bettison formed a partnership in 1880 and opened a small work-shop on West terrace. Around 1900 John Buck established his firm on Derbyshire Lane manufacturing Shetland shawls and in later years they produced baby wear, fine mohair scarves and stoles. Part of the production was sold in France and America. The company employed around 30 employees. However in 1991 the company went into voluntary liquidation, this was a very sad time for Derek and Barbara Hawksworth when they had to close the family business

1864-1968 JOHN HARDY AND SONS
This firm was established around 1856 with the manufacturing of shawls, scarves and bed jackets from Shetland wool. In 1864, John Hardy was listed as a hosiery agent of Gilbert Street. In 1885, in White’s directory, their address was listed as Truman Street. The headlines in the Nottingham Evening Post, May the 8th 1968, commented on the end of the link with rare trade of shawls and falls.

1930-1987 REYNOLDS AND CO.
Mr Wilfred Reynolds started the business in 1930 manufacturing underwear. The firm was originally based on Papplewick Lane, but soon moved to premises on Watnall Road, when the company employed one hundred and forty people. In 1938, the firm amalgamated with Messrs. Newby, Groves and Meakin of Leicester but continued with its own ‘Renola’ brand. In 1987 the factory closed due to the introduction of cheap imports into the U.K. The premises are now a site for a gymnasium, called the “Muscle Factory”.

1911-1997 S TAYLORS
In May 1911 Stephen and Richard Taylor purchased a plot of land for their factory; the address later became King Edward Street. Later they bought extra land and extended the buildings. The company began manufacturing underwear; later branching out into making outerwear, fully fashioned and cut and sew knitwear. Over the years the premises was also known as: The Ewe Hosiery Company and Jaeger Knitwear Ltd. The factory commenced manufacturing in 1911 and finished on the 24’ October 1997. Part of the complex was purchased by F.J. Bamkin and Sons Ltd. and is still operational to the present day.

1995-2009 CERTO CITO
Mr D. Cooper commenced manufacturing school bags and screen prints from 1995 and is still successfully producing to the present day. Their products range from nylon book folders, swim bags, pencil cases, holdalls, back packs, shoe bags (with individual schools identity badge / logo). The firm is situated on Bolsover Street.

1886-2009 FJ BAMKINS AND SONS LTD
Sarah Bamkin along with her husband came to live in Hucknall from Whitwick; they lived on Whyburn Street where she started the family business. In 1886 the business grew and it was at this time the firm became a registered company, more machinery was purchased and they then moved into a large barn on Whyburn Street. 1925 saw the company move again to Portland Road, where Harry Bamkin ran the office and factory, whilst Cecilia Dixon was responsible for the production of the socks, many family members were employed within the company. The headlines in the 1987 Hucknall Dispatch stated, Boom Time at Bamkins, this prompted the Managing Director Mr Andrew Hamilton to thank both management and staff for all their hard work. When Princes Anne visited the company in 1995, there was a work force of 50 employees working from two sites, the one on Portland Road, and the other on Carlingford Road. Bamkins expanded again in June 1998 and purchased the old Taylors Factory, where brother and sister Mr Alex Hamilton and Mrs Vicky Bowen managed the company, and still do to the present date (2009).The company now employs 50 people who produce socks from old and new machinery. Production is today still made to the highest standards enabling the socks to be sold to a specialized niche in the market, and this allows Bamkins to compete with goods that are made abroad.

1959-2009 PRICE AND BUCKLAND LTD
The company began in Arnold in 1959 manufacturing knitted outwear. The directors being Mr G.F.Buckland and Mr J.H.Price, manufactures of knitted outerwear. The firm then moved to Benneworth Close in 1992 where today Mr Anthony and Mr Nicholas Buckland the sons of Mr G F Buckland still run the company. Supplying two thousand five hundred uniforms to schools around the country, the garments are personalised by the schools own embroidered motifs or badges.

1984-2006 M.Y. APPAREL
The men’s, ladies and children’s underwear firm was established in July 1984 by Yvonne and Malcolm Turner. They started their business in a spare bedroom from their house on Common Lane. Then moving on to the old Co-op dairy on Farley’s Lane (owned by Leivers and Millership) followed by a further move to a small unit in the old Reynolds factory building. The factory employed a small work force, although the bulk of the production was undertaken by outworkers. This was a busy and time consuming job for Yvonne going from one home to the next to keep the work flow constant. Yvonne and Malcolm decided to open their own shop on the ground floor of the factory. The shop was a great success and they moved into premises on Baker Street opposite the Market Place. They opened further shops on Broxtowe Lane, Aspley Lane and in Stapleford. When their supplies of elastic started to diminish they started to make it for themselves. This was a great task but an easy one for Malcolm, who had once been employed by Union Special, as mechanic/sales. With the foreign imports being brought into the UK, the firm found that they could not compete, and it was a very sad day for Hucknall when their doors were closed and they ceased trading.

1950-1997 WILLIAM HOLLINS AND CO.
The firm started manufacturing in the old Splendour Factory on Caddaw Avenue, making shirts, blouses, night dresses and pyjamas. They employed over 500 employees. The factory became quite unique for it’s time, in Hucknall, by having its own onsite nursery facilities. The decision to close the factory was made on 31st of December 1997. The site was redeveloped for new housing.

1986-1 999 PAMELA K
Pam and Ken Devonshire ran a small family business that started in the Nottingham Fashion Centre making shirts for the ‘Cannon Williams’ F1 racing team’. They moved to premises on Beardall Street and then on to Allen Street employing around 90 workers until they ceased trading in 1999.

1990-2005 NETZ SPORTSWEAR
The firm was established in 1990 by Bob Norris on the top floor of the Primitive Methodist Church building on the corner of Watnall Road and Beardall Street. They produced football kits and employed approximately 20 workers. The company closed in 2005.

1966-2002 WUNDOVER STRETCH
The chairman, Mr Norman Flitcroft and factory manager, Mr Keith Norman ran their business from a building on the corner of Station Road and High Street. They employed around 10 people for making stretch covers. They changed their production from making stretch covers to nightwear, and needing more space they moved to premises in Bulwell around 1977. They moved back into Hucknall 1990 and took over the old bakery building on West Street. They employed around 50 workers by the time the company closed on the 26 of November 2002.

1928-2001 HIGH FIELDS KNITTING CO.
Established by Mr John Robinson Hardy Jnr, the company started manufacturing on Whyburn Street, formerly used by Bamkins. They employed around 20 people making knitted outerwear. The company moved to Byron Street. Mr Hardy’s health began to fail and a Mr Donald Ross purchased the company and made it into a limited company called “Highfields Knitting Co. Ltd”. He later changed it to “Highfields Production Ltd”. The company then moved to the opposite side of the road. Soon after the war, in 1946, they started to advertise for more workers. In 1950, the 18th August edition of the Hucknall Dispatch, the headline announced that machinery was being flown in from Germany arriving at Tollerton Aerodrome. By 1952 there were 200 employees. Highfields became a member of the Courtaulds Group in 1986. They closed the factory in 2000 with a loss of 95 jobs. In 2002 the site was redeveloped for new housing.

1940-1946 CHARLES WILLIAMS AND CO LTD
This company, which manufactured Army/Air Force uniforms, was managed by three brothers: Mr Cyril, Mr Harry and Mr Charles Williams. They came to Hucknall after being bombed out in the east end of London. They acquired floor space in the Splendor factory, on Caddaw Avenue. The workforce consisted of around two hundred workers.

1980 -2009 HILLARY’S UNDERWEAR I P&S HEALTHCARE
Hillary’ underwear was established in 1980 by Peter O’Regan in Radford Nottingham, making traditional underwear. 1n1982, Peter welcomed son Paul into the business. The company moved to premises on Farleys Lane in Hucknall in 1990.

In 1998, a subsidiary company, P&S Healthcare was established by Samantha O’Regan, Paul’s wife, making a range of products for the National Health Service. P&S was taken from the joint names of Paul and Samantha. The move to Farleys Lane was followed by subsequent moves to Mancor House on Bolsover Street in 1999 and then Edward House on King Edward Street in 2001. The company successfully continues to trade to this day, making traditional underwear and healthcare products

1932-1962 ANGLO-PLAUEN
The company was established in 1932 in an aircraft hangar near Hucknall airfield which was just the right size for the length of the machines. The factory made Schiffli Lace. To make this special lace, a pattern was embroidered onto plain net which was afterwards dissolved away to leave the lace. Eventually, the company had a total workforce of about eighty people and in later years was owned by Hewitsons of Macclesfield. Mr Ingram was the managing director and the workforce had a special name for him; “Daddy”.

1938-2009 JONES HOSIERY/JOSERY.
Mr R E Jones formed the company on Byron Street in September 1938 for the production of men’s socks. Around 1941 the company moved to Countesthorpe in Leicestershire, then in1947, the company returned to Hucknall to Truman Street. 1953, another move was made to Occupation Road. In 1959 the company began to experiment with fabrics, and this proved to be so successful that a new extension to the building was needed. In 1960 when crimplene fabric became the height of fashion, the company concentrated on the production of crimplene. In 1968 Welbeck Fabric was producing fabric for the home dressmaking market. In 1975 they changed directions again by knitting track-suit material so they could manufacture their own sportswear under the label of Welbeck Sports. In 1982 more space was needed so another move was made to Benneworth Close where they reside to-day. Jeff Robinson joined the company in 1990 his position there today is fabric sales. Screen-printing and embroidery are all done on the premises, and also customers can use these facilities to personalise their orders to their own requirements. Directors Tim, Sue and Katie Jones, successfully manage the company today, producing fabrics and workmanship to the highest possible standards.