Notable Hat Manufacturers near Denton & Stockport

Initially, hat manufacture was mostly a cottage industry. Farmers in the area engaged in hat making in small workshops attached to their homes to supplement their primary income. During the 18th century this developed into an artisan-based industry whereby a master hatter was in business with his son or sons, employing a few apprentices and journeymen*. This specialised industry was centred in Denton and Stockport and to a lesser extent in nearby towns such as Manchester, Ashton-under-Lyne, Hooley Hill, Audenshaw, Hyde, Romiley, Hollinwood and Failsworth.

The Bower family houses and hat factory were situated on the north side of Atkinson St (formerly Cupid’s Alley) and the west side of Deansgate in the Spinningfields District of Manchester. It is probably the oldest hatting site to be examined archaeologically. It was founded prior to 1740 by the Bower family, possibly the most prominent of Manchester’s 18th century hat masters. The later Hardman St now cuts through the site.

The Trade Directory of Manchester and Salford for 1772, lists Miles and John Bowers (father and son) as hatters and the Trade Directory for 1788, lists Joseph Atkinson, hat manufacturer, on the same site. John Bowers died in Feb 1756 and Miles Bowers died in 1780, aged 85 years. Documentary and map evidence indicates that the hat factory was still active in 1849.

The Bower family's early enterprise was an important precursor to the more industrialised hatting operations that later came to dominate the towns of Denton and Stockport.

The archaeological excavations uncovered the following: Foundations of the houses facing Deansgate. Foundations of an early 18th century dyeing shop and remains two dyeing vats into which partially finished hats were dipped. Foundations of a planking shop and planking kettle. These remains represented an expansion in the later 18th century and a first step towards creating an organised hat factory.

Left: Map of 1788 showing the location of the Bower family houses and hat factory on Deansgate.
Right: Engraving of the Bower family houses and boundary wall facing Deansgate. The two gateways correspond with the two halves of the main property, which are symmetrical.

Radcliffe & Fisher
Stamford Hat Works,
Fitzroy St, Guide Bridge, Ashton-under-Lyne

It is not known when the manufacture of hats began on this site but it is known that James Gee worked there as a planker before becoming a founder partner of Gee, Mellor, Kershaw, & Co [1] on Albert St, Hollinwood, in 1806. This company developed into a major hat dyeing and finishing firm.

Towards the end of the 19th century the occupiers of the hat works were John Radcliffe (b. Ardwick, 1856) and Robert William Fisher (b. Walsall, 1855). The 1891 Census shows that they were both resident in Ashton-under-Lyne on Trafalgar Square and Stockport Rd, respectively. In Sep 1893 this company was dissolved and subsequently the site was converted into a rubber works.

The OS Map (1892-1914) describes the site as a rubber works and, importantly, Howe St had not then been cut through the site and the subsequent construction of this street resulted in the loss of some buildings.

The 146-yard long Water St (now Holden St) is situated to the south east of King George V Playing Fields, between Union Rd and Hillgate St. The works is brick built, 3-storeys, 9-bays long by 3-bays wide with a boiler house and chimney on the south-east side. There is a plaque on the street side, above the delivery doors on the first floor, that reads, ‘Water Street Hat Works’. It is not known when this business was founded but in the 1890s the partners were George and J Hilton. George Hilton was resident on King Street (now Kings Rd) and he died on the 8th Jan 1896, aged 48 years.

Left: Water Street Hat Works, Hurst, Ashton-under-Lyne.
Right: Plaque above the delivery doors on the first floor.

The two brick buildings fronting Mount St on the east side were a 3-storey building with a gable slate roof, 5-bays long by 4-bays wide and a 2-storey building, 6-bays long by 5-bays wide. This company was founded by James Higinbotham in the early 1870s and initially it was styled as Higinbotham & Co, the partners being James Higinbotham and Lot Thornley. In 1879 Lot Thornley stepped down and the partners were then James Higinbotham, and his sons, Charles Higinbotham and Jesse Higinbotham, under the style of James Higinbotham & Sons.

James Higinbotham died in 1887, aged 58 years, and by 1891 his widow, Mary Ann née Pearson, was resident on Mottram Rd, Godley, Hyde, with her three sons, Charles, Jesse and James Jr Higinbotham.

This company became one of the first in Hyde to be mechanised for hat manufacture. James Higinbotham began his working life as an apprentice planker at Christy & Co, hat manufacturers, in Stockport but he had moved to Hyde by 1844 where the family inherited a successful grocery business that enabled James to found his own hat works. This company is on the 1902 list of felt hat manufacturers but not mentioned on the 1945 list.

Fronting Ann St on the east side, the works consisted of a brick-built, 9-bay long range with a boiler house and chimney at the northern end and behind this there was a 10-bay long range, with a warehouse at the southern end, adjacent to the west bank of the Lower Peak Forest Canal. Known partners in the business in its early years were, John Sr, John Jr, Tom, Josiah, and Frederick William Cheetham and Edmund Wild Smith. John Cheetham Sr was the Mayor of Hyde, 1885/87. This company is on the 1902 and 1945 lists of felt hat manufacturers.

Left: Kingston Hat Works, Ann St, Hyde. These buildings are no longer extant.
Right: John Cheetham Sr when he was the Mayor of Hyde.

Oldham & Fogg
Hat Manufacturers Water St, Hyde, then Brookside Hat Works, George St, Hyde

This company was founded in 1864 by John Oldham (b. Gee Cross, Hyde, 1840) and James Fogg (b. 1844, Hyde). Their first premises on Water St were in a former coach house and stables on Water St. Their enterprise proved to be successful and in 1866 they were able to move into larger premises, known as Brookside Hat Works, at the bottom of Geoge St on the north side.

James Fogg died at Mottram in 1889, aged 45years, after which John Oldham was the sole proprietor of Oldham & Fogg and he went on to become a respected hat master in Hyde. In addition to being the proprietor of Oldham & Fogg, John Oldham also developed other business interest. He was the chairman of the Shepley Mills Linoleum Co Ltd, Shepley Rd, Hooley Hill, Audenshaw, for over 20 years; chairman of Tinkers Ltd, Daisyfield Boiler Works, Newton, Hyde; and chairman of the Hyde Permanent Benefit Building Society.

John Oldham was elected as the Liberal Councillor for Werneth, Hyde, in 1881. Eventually, he became an Alderman, as well as a Justice of the Peace for the County of Chester and he served as the Mayor of Hyde in 1893/95.

John Oldham’s son, John Albert Oldham, became a partner in Oldham & Fogg in 1906 and following John Oldham’s death in 1912, Eric Oldham joined his older brother as a partner in Oldham & Fogg.

It is not known when Oldham & Fogg ceased hat manufacture but it is on the 1945 list of felt hat manufacturers. At some point, the occupier of the works was Northide Ltd, an industrial protective clothing manufacturer, and the works became known as Impervia House. In c.1978 George St and the works were demolished to make way for the construction of the M67 bypass.

Left: Brookside Hat Works, George St, Hyde, 1960s.
Right: John Oldham when he was the Mayor of Hyde.

This works was situated on the south side of Thornley St on the corner of Swain St (now Dowson Rd). This company is on the 1902 list of felt hat manufacturers but it is not mentioned on the 1945 list. Part of this works is still extant.

This company of hat manufacturers was founded by Jeremiah Heald (b. 1819, Heckmondwike, Batley, Yorkshire) and two known business partners were his sons, John Heald (b. 1849, Newton & Godley) and Thomas Heald (b. 1850, Newton & Godley). This company is on the list of felt hat manufacturers for 1902 but it is not mentioned on the 1945 list.

This works was situated on th north side of Higher Bents Ln, to the east of Redhouse Ln, and it is no longer extant. The London Gazette for Dec 1891 records that it was then occupied by MacQueen & Co who were in business as hat manufacturers and general merchants. The partners were, William Young MacQueen, Henry Charles Zerffi, John MacQueen and John Brodie MacQueen. Later, the works was occupied by Joseph E Ward (Bredbury) Ltd and the London Gazette for Dec 1970 records that a decision was made to wind up this company. This company is on the lists of felt hat manufacturers for 1902 and 1945. It is understood that this company may have had a business arrangement with Battersby & Co Ltd of the Offerton Hat Works, Stockport. This works was situated on the north side of Hempshaw Ln, to the east of Banks Ln.

W MacQueen & Co Ltd was a prominent hat manufacturer based in London during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was known for its high-quality silk and felt top hats. This company operated at several locations in the country and another local one was their hat works on Hill St, Gee Cross, Hyde. It is mentioned on the 1945 list of felt hat manufacturers. This works is no longer extant.

Left: MacQueen's Hat Works, Hill St, Gee Cross, Hyde, c.1910.
Right: MacQueen top hat and cardboard hat box.

This company was founded in 1880 and it was situated on the south side of Stockport Rd, Romiley, adjacent to the west bank of the Lower Peak Forest Canal just before Bridge 14, Hole House Fold Bridge. Known partners in the business in its early years were, James, Robert, Joseph, Frederick, Charles and Samuel Robinson.

Their hats were renowned for their quality and the company motto was, ‘Our name your guaranty’ (guarantee). The company also manufactured hats for retailers abroad. In the late 1940s they were making hats for Crome & Goldschmidt A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark, and for Jean Svensson & Co, Varberg, Sweden. James Robinson & Sons was still active into the 1950s.

Left: James Robinson homburg hat.
Right: James Robinson company crest printed on the hat liner.

Although this was a short-lived company it is notable as an innovative attempt by William Miller Christy (1778–1858) to concentrate the production processes for hat manufacture on one site. Although he was already manufacturing hats in Stockport, in 1833 he purchased land at Fairfield, Droylsden, where he started an unsuccessful second factory for hat manufacture. However, he ultimately went on to become successful as both a hat and textile manufacturer in Stockport and Fairfield, respectively. Later, he also became a banker.

The site in Fairfield was situated on the north side of Manchester Rd, adjacent to the Hollinwood Branch of the Ashton Canal. The main buildings included the bowing, planking and dyeing processes of hat manufacture, with a large warehouse range. In addition, 50 cottages were provided to house domestic workers carrying out the trimming and finishing of the hats. By 1835 this enterprise represented the peak of hand felt hat production. Unfortunately, his endeavour to concentrate all the production processes on one site failed. This failure has been partly attributed to the reluctance of local handloom weavers to take up hatting in the wake of a depression in the hatting trade. Consequently, in 1837 William Miller Christy converted the buildings for the manufacture of towels and the site became known as Fairfield Mills.

This company became known as W M Christy & Sons Ltd. The success of this company was due to the manufacture of their Royal Turkish Towel, which was introduced at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and was favoured by Queen Victoria. Another successful introduction was the Terry Towel.

This company was founded prior to 1879 and it was styled as Whittaker & Cliff, the partners being George Whittaker and William Cliff. However, in 1879 William Cliff stepped down from the business and George Whittaker continued the business in his own name. At some point this company was incorporated as George Whittaker Ltd. In 1935 the company was voluntarily wound up and at this time the Chairman was H Berry and the Company Secretary was J S Berry.

The works was situated on the east side of Albert St close to the Hollinwood Branch of the Ashton Canal on the opposite side of the street. This company was founded by James Gee who learnt his trade at the Stamford Hat Works, Ashton-under-Lyne, before moving to Hollinwood in 1806. This company specialised in the dyeing and finishing of hat bodies made elsewhere, especially the finishing of silk hats. James Gee died in 1829 and the firm passed to his sons, George and Willam Gee. Known partners in the business included, James Gee, John Mellor, Henry Kershaw, Robert Wright, George Gee and William Gee. This company ceased manufacture in the 1870s and, ultimately, the works became a cotton mill known as Lime Mill.