This midlands town was home to my mother’s family who had been builders in the town since 1883. The company was called F.Perks & Son and played a large role in the main industry of the town in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century – lace making. I wrote of the industry in my blog on Nottingham which was the major area of manufacture. Long Eaton though had three large lace factories:
Bridge Mills built by my great grandfather’s building firm, F. Perks & Son, in 1902 for the Long Eaton Bridge Mills Company of which members of the Attenborough family were directors. It was the last of ten multi-storey steam-powered lace factories in the town. I am grateful to local historian, Keith Reedman, who told me that a large proportion of ‘Nottingham’ lace was manufactured in Long Eaton but most was senbt to Nottingham for finishing and sale.
Springfield Mills in Sandiacre built by the father of notorious financier Terah Hooley in 1888 designed by John Sheldon. I write of Ernest Terah Hooley elsewhere in the context of Dunlop, Coventry and Trafford Park, Manchester. I noted in the Derbyshire archive that F. Perks & Son, had carried out a major improvement project on his house in the town.
Harrington Mill built in 1885-7 designed by John Sheldon
These were tenement mills occupied by a number of businesses and at the turn of the century some 4,000 people worked in them. The lace industry declined after the First World War.
Another Long Eaton industry was furniture and Wades in Wellington Street stand out as the survivor. Pressac in Acton Grove was founded in 1955 and made radio components. Its subsidiary was Wagstaff & Appleton.
F. Perks & Son carried out much of the building work for the Army Centre of Mechanisation at the former shell filling factory at Chilwell.
Carters Gold Medal Soft Drinks were are nearby Sawley.
British Manufacturing History 