Site contents © Copyright Michael Crouch, 2000. |
Site contents © Copyright Michael Crouch, 2000. |
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Trade and Industry
One of Norwich's chief industries in the past has been that of cloth manufacture. The city was particularly famous for its production of worsted, a kind of woollen fabric that even received comment (though none too favourably) from Charles Dickens in a letter to his wife. Evidence of cloth production in the city can still be found in houses of the period. Tall attics with dormer windows that run to the full height of the roof were built in this way in order to house the large looms that were run by individuals rather than companies. A record from 1202 suggests that a dyed cloth trade already existed in Norwich and the surrounding area. By 1303, "cloths of Worsted and cloths of Aylsham" were presented "out of courtesy of the whole community" to "the justices of the lord King and others his ministers". Trade was declining even then and in 1338, Edward III invited Flemish weavers to England, many of whom settled in Norwich and Worstead. Evidence of the cloth trade and its associated industries still exist in the form of local street names. The maddermarket was the place where dye, or madder, was sold to the weaving industry. Charing Cross was originally called Shearing Cross for the very simple reason that it was where many of the wool shearers lived. Parmentergate was the centre for the parmenters, the leather workers and Fuller's Lane, which once ran down to the river from the maddermarket (now the St Andrew's Street side of Duke Street) was where the fullers used the water when felting their cloth. In 1622, the various trades that operated in Norwich were forged into 12 "Grand Companies". Each Grand Company was assigned to a particular ward in which the trades congregated. The greater merchants of the city were assigned to Conesford, the richest ward, and the lesser merchants and goldsmiths to Mancroft ward. The cloth makers and related industries went to the manufacturing ward of Wymer. Finally, the lowest trades were given over to the Over-the-Water ward. Wymer and Over-the-Water were at this time the poorest wards in the city. Norwich often had serious competition from the cloth manufacturing centres of Yorkshire. Norwich's decline was due largely to its failure to invest in new technologies. Yorkshire's investment paid off and it consistently undercut Norwich prices with cheaper fabrics and imitations. Unemployment soared in the city thereafter and cloth manufacture ceased to be a major industry in the city.Boot and shoe-making gradually took over as people re-applied their skills in new areas. One company formed from this emerging industry was Rivett and Harmer, founded in 1826. In 1835 they became Harmer and Co., and they set up a brand new factory and employed the use of sewing machines. This factory was built in Exchange Street in 1891, and received praise for its "light and airy" conditions. A part of the site was reused with the building of the telephone exchange in 1966. According to the 1851 Census for St. Andrew's Parish, there were 32 weavers living or working in the parish, 13 tailors, 11 boot and shoe makers, 11 dressmakers and 8 shoe binders. Around 36 other people in associated trades and over 30 other people employed locally in the cloth manufacturing trade. Caps were a popular item of clothing worn throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. The following advertisement from the Norwich Post of 1708 illustrates the wide variety that were available: "At the Cap-makers by St. Andrew's Three Steps (?) in Norwich are to be sold by Wholesale or Retale, all sorts of Mens Velvet, Furr, Plush or Silk Caps and Feather Caps for Children of all Prices and Skin Riding Caps for Men and also Muffs made and amended and White Feathers cleaned and curled and all at Reasonable Rates." It would be wrong to think that cloth manufacture and its related trades were the only business of St. Andrew's. Many other businesses have come and gone over the years. What follows is a brief resumé of some of them. Thomas Hutton ran a successful tobacconist shop in St. Andrew's parish in the 17th century. His profits must have been good because he opened a second shop in the neighbouring town of East Dereham. Like many businesses of the time, Thomas Hutton traded in a variety of things including groceries and paper but his principal trade remained tobacco. The smoking of tobacco had grown popular in England during the 17th century. When Hutton died in 1673, he left over seven-hundred weight of leaf tobacco stored in hogsheads (large casks), driers and presses. There were also clay pipes, tobacco boxes and hot charcoals provided free in the shop for customers to light up. In Norwich it seems that the authorities disapproved. of this pasttime. In 1677, a local motion was passed that "the Bellman doe proclaime in all places through the city that no person do take tobacco in the streets by day or by night". Chamberlain's was founded in Norwich in 1815 by an Edinburgh man, Henry Chamberlain. He had a son, Robert, who dabbled in local politics and became both a Sheriff and an Alderman before becoming Mayor of Norwich in 1854, 1856 and 1871. Robert had an amazing seventeen sons by two marriages, two of the sons entering into the business later on. Chamberlain's Limited were a household furnishings company and by 1914 they employed over 800 people. Visiting the store in the 1930's and 40's, you would have been welcomed by a floor walker who would escort you to the desired department and advise you on your purchases. The store was taken over in the 1950's and today, no trace of the original company remains. G. & S. Wells, later Rumsey Wells, were a Club, Regimental and School Outfitters, originally set up in London Street (then called Cockey Lane after the Cockey River that ran under it) in 1815. By 1879, the business had relocated to No.19 St. Andrew's Hill. Herbert Rumsey, born in Hellesdon in 1877, became a partner in 1904 and the business moved again, this time to No.4 St. Andrew's Street. Most famous for their range of mens' hats, one middle-aged customer returned to Norwich after many years to discover that they still held records of measurements for his school cap. The business was eventually wound down in 1974. Probably the most famous business to have operated in the St. Andrew's area were Bullards & Sons. Ltd.. They established a brewery in 1868 although their origins went further back. One of the sons, Harry Bullard, was Mayor of Norwich in 1878 and 1879. It was in 1878 that he became famous for his service to the City and its people when Norwich suffered a catastrophic flooding, one of the worst in its history. He organised much in the way of relief and local aid and was remembered by the City for his actions. He served again as Mayor of the City in 1886 and was Knighted by Queen Victoria. Bullards' Beers were later brewed at the Watney Mann's site in King Street in 1966 and thereafter, the original Anchor Brewery building fell into disrepair. It was later refurbished as an elegant housing complex which can be seen just off St. Miles' bridge in Coslany Street. The famous Bullards' chimney in Westwick Street was demolished in the late 1970's. |
