Batley woollen workers, Germany 1880s

[LyndseyB]

Hello,

What was the name of the mill in Batley? Was it by any chance Blackburn's Mill? If so, I would very much appreciate contact with someone knowledgable about it's history.

Lyndsey

[picots]

I know this is now an old discussion but I am a new member - my great grandfather also worked at the english wollen manufaktur plant as an overseer. If you are interested there is good old footage of this facotry (in its german ownership phase) on You Tube - just search on zielona gora.
The attached photograph was taken in zielona gora - or grunwald.

My great granfather was born in Birstall - pretty close to Batley? He returned to England and set up his own company and registered a patent for a weaving loom component

[mjn]

Many thanks, picots, for the YouTube link - very interesting. What was your Ggrandfather's name? My Ggrandparents were William and Sarah Goodall who took their family to Grunberg in the early 1880s. One of their daughters, Achsah, was my grandmother. Sarah Goodall died there and I have a photo of her grave. I don't think the cemetery exists now - I believe it was destroyed during either World War 1 or 2.

[poolqwizrd]

a Very old topic i know but you never know

Its all very interesting and new to me about the German Mills, I assume it was Mark Oldroyd who was a very prominent mill owner in Dewsbury.

Sprinkwell Mill is one of Dewsbury's landmark buildings and used to be owned by one of the best known and most public spirited men in Dewsbury's history, Sir Mark Oldroyd, who employed 2, 500 workers and had the biggest textile manufacturing base in the country. The mill was founded by Sir Mark's father in 1818 and was converted to 100 high class apartments in 2004 by entrepreneur Richard Binks, head of Binks Vertical.

[poolqwizrd]

I found a link to somoones site that maybe the oldroyd and Blakely link but i cant be certain, maybe you should contact the person who owns this site?

http://vivientomlinson.com/batley/p164.htm

[picots]

Google earth is also useful for orientating you in your ancestors footprints - I knew ggrandfathers address in zielonia gora and I can see the actual street on google earth - there is also a cemetary still I don't know if it is new or old - I got the impression that the town did not suffer too much damage in WW2 but I may be wrong. It was sad to find out that during WW2 Jewish prisoners worked and died in the woolen mill

[catwoman68]

It seems that some of the first British owned mills in Germany were Shoddy (recycled wool) mills, and this was because there were import duties on woollen rags.  This could be avoided if the rags were made into Shoddy in Germany.

One of the first was set up initially by a group of Batley people but within a few years, in the early 1850s, my gg-grandfather had become the owner.   By 1870 he bought a mill at Kopenick which had been owned by the Blakeley family,  and, probably  in 1869, he established a business at Niederschoenweide.  According to his obituary hundreds of Batley people were employed there until he sold the business in the 1890s.

We visited Kopenick a few years ago and got some information about that mill from the Heimatsmuseum, and were then directed to the buildings!,  which were still standing, although rather decrepit.  I know very little about the other mills,  and am not sure exactly where the first one was;  possibly Johannisthal.   Stralau  isn't far from here or Nieserschoeneweide,  so might be relevant.

The Blakeley involved in Grunberg was a relative of the Kopenick ones, and I have a contact who would be most interested in this reference if you could get in touch privately

I am descended from the Grunberg Blakeleys', George Blakeley (1837-1891) younger brother of Benjamin (1829-1900) is my ggg grandfather. My uncle has done quite a bit of research into the family history. please let me know if your contact wants to get in touch.

I too am descended from the Blakeleys, like you, so would be interested in sharing information with you about them.

[salisbury]

The Great Grandfather of my wife James Beerensson also worked at the factory in Grunberg, we have in our family history that he had a very senior position, does anyone know anything?

[salisbury]

It seems that some of the first British owned mills in Germany were Shoddy (recycled wool) mills, and this was because there were import duties on woollen rags.  This could be avoided if the rags were made into Shoddy in Germany.

One of the first was set up initially by a group of Batley people but within a few years, in the early 1850s, my gg-grandfather had become the owner.   By 1870 he bought a mill at Kopenick which had been owned by the Blakeley family,  and, probably  in 1869, he established a business at Niederschoenweide.  According to his obituary hundreds of Batley people were employed there until he sold the business in the 1890s.

We visited Kopenick a few years ago and got some information about that mill from the Heimatsmuseum, and were then directed to the buildings!,  which were still standing, although rather decrepit.  I know very little about the other mills,  and am not sure exactly where the first one was;  possibly Johannisthal.   Stralau  isn't far from here or Nieserschoeneweide,  so might be relevant.

The Blakeley involved in Grunberg was a relative of the Kopenick ones, and I have a contact who would be most interested in this reference if you could get in touch privately

I am descended from the Grunberg Blakeleys', George Blakeley (1837-1891) younger brother of Benjamin (1829-1900) is my ggg grandfather. My uncle has done quite a bit of research into the family history. please let me know if your contact wants to get in touch.