oldham&fogg Felt hat factory in hyde

[fishy]

Hi, There

Could anyone help me out at all please if possible I am trying to find any photos or information
on a Hat factory called Oldham &Fogg I was told it was on Hovely Brow Clarendon Place Hyde
I know it wont be there now, does anyone know what is in place of the factory now please?
My grandad James Fitton who was a councillor in  Newton Hyde. He was born in 13 Hall St Hyde in 1892
He worked at Oldham & Fogg at the age of 13 as an office boy and at 19 worked up to position of Chief
Order Clerk. Later had a furniture shop on the corner of Manchester road and Elizabeth st Hyde.  Grandads wife Emily Forrest was I was told a Millinery, I think worked also with hats, she
may have met my Grandad as she may have worked at the same factory, but not sure, she may have evan worked elsewhere in another hat factory in Denton as she lived at 69 Hyde Road Denton before she married my Grandad
So does anyone know where the nearest hat factory would have been to where she lived in Hyde road denton perhaps? she was born 1891 So may have started work arround 1903 in a hat factory somewhere.

So any photos or any information from anyone as regards Oldham& fogg Hat factory or the nearest hat factory near to 69 Hyde road Denton where Grandma may have worked would be appreciated.
I know it would be hard to find what hats where actually being made in those factorys at the time both my grandma and grandad would be working perhaps. As I know there was all kinds hats made in lots of factories, arround Denton, I dont think there was many at Hyde though.

Barbara McVey

[LizzieW]

Hi Barbara

I believe that from the 1700s, there were many hat factories in Denton.  My husband's ancestors all worked in the hat factories in Denton until the late 1950s.

For photographs, you could try:

www.images.manchester.gov.uk/

There is also a hat museum in Stockport, Cheshire: www.hatworks.org.uk/
where you might get info about Oldham and Fogg and hat factories in Denton.

Lizzie

[fishy]

Hi Lizzie,
Just forgot if I replied back to you, if I did not thanks anyway for your information, looked in those sites very intersting.
I really want to know that there was such a factory named Oldham and fogg or perhaps was known by another name but I was told it was that and on Hoverley Brow , Clarendon Place , Hyde.  My grandad worked there  I was told he was born 1892 Hyde was 13 when he worked there as an office boy . Does anyone have any photos of that factory at all?? Or know where I may obtain any. I have looked in websites you gave me and others, but have found nothing yet. Or if someone could tell me  what is now  there were oldham and fogg once was. 

Appreciate any help. thanks.

Barbara.

[velpremus]

The older (1911 onwards) Telephone Directries only show:
Oldham & Fogg,  Hat Mfrs, Hyde,
Tel:  Hyde 33



They must have been in business until recent times:

Document NumberGB Patent 790763

Publication Date1958-02-19
Link
InventorsOLDHAM ERIC
WHITE HAROLD
AbstractAbstract of GB790763 790,763. Hats. OLDHAM & FOGG, Ltd. Feb. 23, 1955 [Nov. 25, 1953], No. 32661/53. Class 63 Crease-resisting and shape-retaining properties are provided in a felt hat or part thereof, e.g. the brim by applying and bonding to the felt a continuous top film of flexible material, e.g. rubber, natural or synthetic. The film is not so substantial that the identity of the fibres is lost to an extent that the surface no longer has a fibrous appearance. In one example described the inside of fhe crown and under brim was given an extra close finish with very fine sandpaper and the hat subjected to hot pressing in a metal mould. These parts were then brushed with a rubber emulsion of 25 per cent pure rubber and 2 per cent of a silicone emulsion in water. After drying and further hot pressing, the hat was finished in normal manner. The hat was waterproof from outside and greaseproof from inside. The rubber emulsion may be replaced by a water emulsion of plasticized polyvinyl acetate and the emulsion may be tinted to give a different shade or colour to the treated parts of the hat, e.g. inside the crown and both sides of the brim. The material may be sprayed on the hat and then brushed or may be applied by rollers in a hat-proofing machine. Specification 640,881 is referred to.

[fishy]

Hi Velpremus,
Thanks for your quick email reply regarding Oldham & fogg Felt Hat Factory  enquiry.
You sent me a lot of information on the felt hats they made then, thanks for that, Wherever did you get all the information from.?Does that mean that the factory is still operating today, Perhaps had a face lift and changed the style of hats from yesterday (1900) to recent times hey!So it did not close down and nothing was built on the same site, its still there, this is hard to believe. Would be good if I could get a photo of it today as it stands, unless its possible to get one from early 1900, when my Grandad was working there. So am I right in saying you found the factory in 1911 Telephone Directories.  Just wondered if the building was there with the name still there, perhaps some other works is inside the building now. That is what I really want now is to get a photo of the building if it still stands as Oldham & Fogg Felt hat factory. which was situated then on Hoveley Brow, Clarendon Place Hyde. Perhaps that address is now known  differently.  I used to live on Clarendon Road Hyde that was in 1967. My Mother seems to think that the factory was the other end of Gerorge St Hyde, which went over Clarendon Road nr Hyde Bus Station. George Street was the longest street in Hyde once before the Motor
way was put there.
I dont know where  you live, or know or knew Hyde at all.
Appreciate anymore help if possible.
Thank you so very much for that information.

I will keep researching .
Barbara.

[novens]

At least 3 generations of my family made hats. They lived very close to the location, although the location disappeared when the Motorway was built
In Hyde during the 70’s. One Hat
Manufacturer i. That location in the late 1800’s early 1900’s, was called Brookside Hats. It was on the east end of George street, near junction with Clarendon Rd and Hoviley Brow

[Gibel]

On a site called “hydonianblogspot” it mentions that Brookside Hat Works was later taken over by Oldham and Hyde and later by Northide. They have a photo on their site.

I looked at the www.mapsnls.uk site using side by side maps and was able to find factory on the 25 inch to the mile map section 1892 - 1914 labelled as Felt Hat Works. Who owned the factory at that point I don’t know.

[heatherjulie]

You might find this link useful

66 Hyde Road, Denton Clermont's Hat works

http://www.pittdixon.go-plus.net/denton/clermont.htm

Heather

[heatherjulie]

https://public.tameside.gov.uk/imagearchive/Default.asp

Put in Northide and there is a picture in the archives.