F.W. Ashton

Career Manufacturer / Trader

Biography F.W. Ashton and Co. were dyers based at Newton Bank Works which was actually in Dukinfield, Cheshire. According to http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/towns/tameside2.html, 'The Ashton family were the earliest cotton pioneers in Hyde. From 1800, their family businesses in coal and cotton made them powerful and wealthy figures in Hyde, and their calico printing works at Newton Bank was a major local employer. Thomas Ashton Jnr. was also a prominent local Liberal politician, as well as being a determined industrialist who was much respected by his workers. During the so-called "Cotton Famine" of 1861-65, he kept his mills running and refused to lay workers off, an act which earned him an honoured place amongst local benefactors.' Further information is available from http://www.tameside.gov.uk/corpgen2/hydehistory.htm: 'The Ashtons were among the earliest cotton pioneers in Hyde. From 1800 they worked as a family business with mills at Gerrards Wood and Wilson Brook at Godley. Six brothers were involved in the business which, as well as coal and cotton, also established the calico printing works at Newton Bank. In 1823 the brothers separated, Samuel and Thomas taking the major shares; the former establishing himself at Apethorn Mill and soon after building Woodley Mill, while Thomas ran the factory at the Hollow. The Ashtons were particularly noted for running mills that did both spinning and weaving, a successful practice when most mills concentrated on one process. ... The period after the Great War saw a slump in the fortunes of the local cotton industry. By 1939, half of the town's mills had closed.' [Alison Petch [as part of 'The Other Within' project 2006-9] 04/12/2006]

Biography References Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester / http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/codocs.asp?CR=B31491 / http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/towns/tameside2.html / http://www.tameside.gov.uk/corpgen2/hydehistory.htm

County Greater Manchester

Relationship Maker

Archaeological or Ethnographic Ethnography

Collected around 2004

Dates active [1936-1980]

Donated around 2004

Owned 2004

English collections Trade cloth, exported to West Africa and the Caribbean. Printed at the Newton Bank Print Works, Hyde, Cheshire by F.W. Ashton and later by A. Brunnschweiler & Co (ABC).

Oxford Uni Education No

Oxford based No

English collection size 1

Connections Sarah Lasenby