On the outskirts of Burnley, a town once dominated by the textile industry, much like Hyde, lies Harle Syke, the home of Queen Street Mill, the last surviving, operational steam powered weaving mill in the world. Owned by a workers co-operative “The Queen Street Manufacturing Company” the mill is a time capsule of the late Victorian age, which produced cloth using Victorian steam driven power looms until its closure in 1982. You might recognise the name of the mill from the film 'The Kings Speech' We have been contacted by the Museum for help.... lets hope we can.
Hello,
Here at Queen St. Mill Textile Museum we have two boilers supplied new by Tinker – Shenton Ltd. Of Hyde. One boiler was supplied in 1894 (now decommissioned) and the boiler that we use daily was supplied in 1901. The makers test stamp gives the date 27th July 1901, so this year we wish to commemorate its 110th birthday on that date. I was thinking it would be nice if we could find and contact anyone from either the Tinker or Shenton families and invite them to attend the celebrations. Therefore through your site I was wondering if you could put feelers out to try and find anyone.I hope you will be able to help.Kind regardsAlwynQueen St. Mill Textile Museum
Tinker and Shenton Steam Boiler
So if you think you know someone who is related to either the Tinker or Shenton families let them know about this and tell them to contact the Museum.
12 comments:
Hi The only information I can come up with at the moment is that Tinker & Shenton were boiler makers in Flowery Field, probably at the works at the bottom of Furnace Street near to the railway.
Paul
Yes Paul.. that is the place.. Shenton Street is close by the old Fetcher Millers site. I can not think of anyone myself.
Shentons was a foundry, located near to Throstle Bank. There is a Shenton Street [or there was] to the left under Throstle Bank Street Bridge. The son of the family, Frank Shenton, married Dorothy Bardsley from Newton. She was a well-known singer with Hyde Light Opera and Talbot Road Methodist Church. Frank Shenton died some years ago but Dorothy is still alive, though frail and elderly. She lives in the north east. I do have her address if someone would like it.
Werneth Low... thank you for this information... if you could send me the contact details, I will pass them on to Alwyn.. hydonian@gmail.com
Kelly's Directory of 1902 shows 'Tinker, Shenton & Co, Boiler makers, Flowery Field', no Private Residents with the name 'Shenton', a Frederick Howard Tinker, Surgeon, Talbot House, Great Norbury Street, Fredk Tinker, Surgeon, 46 Bennett Street, and a George Tinker, 76 Great Norbury Street. (It also shows 'Tinkers Lim. boiler mfrs, Daisy Field' - but whether this is a separate company I don't know). The 1914 Kelly's Directory shows 'Tinker, Shenton & Co Limited, Boiler makers, Furnace Street', again no Private Resident with the name 'Shenton', Charles Tinker, tobacconist, 9 Clarendon Place, Ernest Tinker, Grocer, 74 Croft Street, George Tinker, metal merchant, Manchester Road, Cyril Tinker, 29 Alexandra Street, and George Tinker, 76 Great Norbury Street. Again it shows 'Tinkers Lim. boiler mfrs, Daisy Field'. There's no 'Shenton' in Hyde in the current telephone directory and just one 'Tinker'. Lastly, I've found on Google a copy of a liquidation notice for Tinker Shenton & Company Limited dated 12th Oct 1934 - I'll email this to you Tom.
Excellent bits of information coming in here... all helping to make a bigger picture. Here is the bit Dave mentions (above) about the firm going into liquidation.
TINKER SHENTON & COMPANY Limited.
(In Voluntary Liquidation.)
The Companies Act, 1929.
NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to
section 236 of the Companies Act. 1929, a
General Meeting of the Members of the above
named Company will be held at the offices of
Messrs. Moss & Williamson, Incorporated
Accountants, Booth Street Chambers, Ashtonunder-
Lyne, on Friday, the 16th day of November,
1934, at 2.30 o'clock in the afternoon precisely,
for the purpose of having an account laid
before them showing the manner in which the
winding-up has teen conducted and the property
of the Company disposed of, and of hearing any
explanation that may be given by the Liquidators;
and also of determining, by Extraordinary Resolution
of the Company, the manner in which the
books, accounts and documents of the Company,
and of the Liquidators thereof, shall be disposed
of.—Dated this 12th day of October, 1934.
BOOTH TAYLOR?
JAMES SHENTON,
(137) Liquidators.
Hi,
The old Castrol nee Fletcher miller site at the bottom of Furnace street was a boiler works previously, the tower that had the castrol signs on all 4 sides was a boiler uprighting tower and the crane was still in there a few years ago, i don't know if the site has been demolished as i have not been to Hyde for a few years now, but i know it has closed down. I worked at Castrol for 10 years in the nineties and there was a building known as the foundry from its previous use, also the building on the corner of furnace street and shenton street was known as shenton house. I am sorry i cannot add any more, but hope this helps
Hi there Hyrdrd..
Great bit of information... it is little snippets as yours that help to build a much bigger picture.. very much appreciated.
I was looking in Thomas Middleton's 'History of Hyde' today and came across the following:
'JAMES SHENTON
James Shenton, a leading industrialist of Hyde in his day, commenced business in 1872, in partnership with his brother, Richard Shenton, and Mr. George Tinker, as boiler-makers in a small way in John Street; and later the firm built large works at Flowery Field. Mr. James Shenton, after a time, became sole proprietor, and later his sons were taken into the business. Shentons soon ranked among the leading boiler-makers, and the firm continued to work until the decline in the boiler-making industry caused the closing of the works about 1928. Mr. James Shenton was a generous supporter of philanthropic objects, and was at one time a Conservative member for Newton ward on the Hyde Town Council; he was also a county magistrate. He died June 25th, 1898, aged 59 years.
GEORGE AND JAMES TINKER
George Tinker, who started boiler-making in partnership with James Shenton, ultimately left that firm, and in 1887, joined with his brother, James Tinker, in building Daisyfield Boiler Works. The firm was afterwards turned into a limited company, and became noted in the boiler-making world. It continued as one of the chief works in Hyde until the slump in the boiler trade caused it to close in 1931,'
This is another of those comments which disappeared after that blip in the system:
I was looking in Thomas Middleton's 'History of Hyde' this week and came across the following (page 497, Tom):
'JAMES SHENTON
James Shenton, a leading industrialist of Hyde in his day, commenced business in 1872, in partnership with his brother, Richard Shenton, and Mr. George Tinker, as boiler-makers in a small way in John Street; and later the firm built large works at Flowery Field. Mr. James Shenton, after a time, became sole proprietor, and later his sons were taken into the business. Shentons soon ranked among the leading boiler-makers, and the firm continued to work until the decline in the boiler-making industry caused the closing of the works about 1928. Mr. James Shenton was a generous supporter of philanthropic objects, and was at one time a Conservative member for Newton ward on the Hyde Town Council; he was also a county magistrate. He died June 25th 1898, aged 59 years.
GEORGE AND JAMES TINKER
George Tinker, who started boiler-making in partnership with James Shenton, ultimately left that firm, and in 1887, joined with his brother, James Tinker, in building Daisyfield Boiler Works. The firm was afterwards turned into a limited company, and became noted in the boiler-making world. It continued as one of the chief works in Hyde until the slump in the boiler trade caused it to close in 1931.'
Hello, this is Dorothy Shenton. My granddad was james/john shenton. I am going to attend this event, i will also try to inform other family members. I am travelling from sheffield on wednesday the 27th and hope to see you there.
Hello Dorothy...
I could not make it myself... but hope you have had a great day and hopefully other family members could make this event. Please let us know how you have gone..
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