Textile WalkThursday 5 September 2013

Led by Helen Farrar, Curator ofThe Bradford College Textile Archive

We all gathered on the steps of the Lister Building: it was the perfect day for a walk round the city.

Helen Farrar, Curatorof the College TextileArchive began thewalk with anintroduction toBradford College ListerBuilding: our firsthistoric landmark.

Lister Building is a celebration of two thingsthat Bradford, has excelledat: education and textiles. Lister Building first openedits doors in 1911 to delivertextile education for boththe growing local needs, andalso for national andinternational students.Textile design is still taughthere today.

Next we looked across the road from the Lister Building to Bradford Colleges Old Building. Textile education was delivered here from 1882 and Old Building is currently home to the college Textile Archive.

Helen then took us to Thornton Road. You will notice that this plaque states that Bradfords first power mill, Holme Mill 1798, stood on this site, yet the building standing dates from 1804, only six years later. This first steam-powered worsted yarn-spinning mill was burnt and destroyed by what we now consider early Luddites, but it wassoon rebuilt.

We walked past Garden Mills and Junction Mills. These and many 19th century architecturally stunning buildings such as banks, housing and shops, were built to provide services to the mill barons and their workers. Most of the Victorian buildings still standing in central Bradford were built to serve the textile industry, Helen explained.

Helen explained that Cartwright designed the first power loom in 1784. It was built and first used in Doncaster in 1785. The cotton trade was quick to adopt the power loom.

It wasnt until 1826 that J G Horsfall installed Bradfords first power loom in North Wing. The country was in deep depression at this time, and the local weavers had been striking over the massive cuts in rates of pay for their pieces.

Although Bradfords first power loom provoked a riot, it did not stop the rapid industrial expansion into power; the hand-loom weavers pay had fallen so drastically it almost met the power-loom weavers low pay and very quickly other mills followed suit. Horsfalls mill was pulled down in the 1970s to make way for the Shipley Airedale Road.

We then walked up Providence Road to The Society of Dyers and Colourists. The Society was founded in 1884 in Bradford Colleges Old Building, reflecting the fact that Bradford had a worldwide reputation in dyeing.

Perkins House is named after William Perkin, who created the first synthetic dye, mauviene, which is still known today as Perkins mauve.

We stopped outside the Oastler market, to view a plaque in the pavement.

The plaque commemorates Bradford receiving its Market Charter in 1251 from Henry III. Bradford was not much more than a hamlet at that time, so we gained our right to trade textiles very early and this helped the wool trade develop. The market area has moved many times over the centuries.

We then visited the nearby statue of Richard Oastler who was the champion of better conditions for the children working in the mills. The Oastler Shopping Centre, formerly John Street Market, was named after him. The market area has moved many times over the centuries.

Our next stop was the Mechanics Institute Library: Bradford College has its origins in the Mechanics Institute.

Helen explained that the Bradford Mechanics Institute was established in 1832, providing the first formal adult education in Bradford; comprising public lectures and formal classes in subjects such as chemistry for the wool dyeing trade, art and design - important for the architects and builders of the new mills.

In addition, modern languages much needed as Bradford had now become a world leader in the wool & worsted trade.

Today the Bradford Mechanics Institute still exists as a subscription library. On the wall is a plaque to commemorate Florence White who founded the National Spinsters Pensions Association in 1935. The Industrial Revolution, with machinery replacing man-power had opened up the work market to women, and Florence campaigned for womens equality and entitlement to the state pension.

Next stop: Market Street, where the Wool Exchange stands.

The Wool Exchange was built in Gothic style and designed by Lockwood & Mawson. It opened its doors in 1867 for the daily trading of wool which was done by a gentlemans verbal agreement.

The wool was brought here from the Conditioning House on Canal Road, where it had been washed and dried (an old scam was to add water to make it heavier as it was sold by weight) and then sorted by quality to be sold. Its worth a look inside to see the fabulous architectural details, including coats of arms representing the various trading counties.

On the way back to College, Helen talked about Friederich Wilhelm Eurich, 1867-1945, who worked as Bacteriologist at Bradford Technical College up to 1905, and as Bacteriologist to the Bradford Anthrax Investigation Board from 1905. Anthrax was a major problem, a disease carried by many grazing animals and passable to humans. Known as the wool-sorters disease, it could kill within days. Pasteur had created the first effective vaccine for anthrax in 1881, but it did not eradicate the problem. Eurichs research found that washing the fleeces was fundamental and further legal measures were introduced leading to the Anthrax Prevention Act of 1918, and it is Eurich who was credited with conquering this deadly disease.

A Robert Thompson bench was presented to BradfordTechnical Colleges Textile Department in 1967, the centenary of Eurichs birth by the Bradford Civic Society. It is inscribed: He conquered anthrax

We welcome visitors to our unique Textile Archive.

For further information please telephone Helen Farrar, Curator, Textile Archive on 01274 433257 or email h.farrar@bradfordcollege.ac.ukVisit our website: http://www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/about/arts-culture/textile-archive

If you have a group of people who would like to do the guided Textile Walk, please get in touch. The tour takes approximately one hour.

With thanks to Helen Farrar, Textiles Curatorand College Walking Champion Jonathan Curtis.Photos and slideshow by Ruth Wilson and Emily Adams.