Lincoln Companies - H Newsum & Sons Ltd

The company of H Newsum, Sons & Co was established as a steam mill in 1856 by Henry Newsum (1833-1901) of Rotherham in Broadgate, Lincoln. These works were destroyed by fire in 1874, the Drill Hall was later built on the site, and Newsum moved to 17 Pelham Street. 

By 1881 Newsums employed 121 men and 12 boys. It was realised after World War I that the

joinery works there were too small for the Company’s expansion plans and a green field site next to the West Common south of Carholme Road was acquired. This was a large site complete with its own railway. Newsums expanded opening works in Gainsborough, Hull and Manchester.

The company continued to prosper until after World War II, exporting 1,000 wooden prefabricated houses to South Australia and also to Ajax in Ontario, Canada in the early 1950s.  In 1956 the company recorded a trading loss of £151,106, leading to the closure of the Lincoln site and a move to its site in Gainsborough.

Gainsborough closed in 1968 bringing to an end a company of over 100 years old.

Associated Electrical Industries (AEI), later English Electric Valves, moved onto the site and remained there until 2007 when the site was sold for housing. This was the end of manufacturing in this area of Carholme Road, Fisons having closed many years before.

Newsum's Villa

Newsum Villas were built in 1920 on the northern perimeter of Newsum's new joinery works.  One detached and eight 3 bedroom semi-detached houses were built for senior staff at the works.

Designed in a pseudo-Georgian style, the houses are well built in brick and well proportioned.  Sadly all the houses except one have had their Georgian proportioned sash windows replaced with upvc double-glazed units that detract from the design of the houses.  The house in the photograph was in the process of being renovated when I photographed it and has had its beautiful wooden windows replaced. 

What’s this Lincolnshire Stuff?

Posted on August 10, 2013

Lincolnshire Longwool Sheep

Lincolnshire Longwool was once one of the most important breeds of sheep in this country. These sheep made the fortunes of many families in Lincolnshire: the wool from the sheep was exported to Europe and the sheep were walked to London and killed for their mutton and lanolin.

By the late 18th century sales of Lincolnshire wool had been in decline for many years. The Revd Gideon Bouyer was Rector of Theddlethorpe St Helen and of Willoughby from 1771 to 1810, noticing the poverty and lack of work available in the area, founded a village school, set children spinning and started the Stuff Ball.

The first Stuff Ball was held at the Windmill Inn, Alford in 1785. Lincolnshire Stuff was the wool from the Lincolnshire Longwool, in the early days ladies would be given free admittance to the ball if they were wearing a dress made of Lincolnshire Stuff and the same for men if they were not wearing silk or linen; a different colour for the Stuff was chosen for each year to ensure the ladies always wore new dresses, the colour for the first ball was orange.

By 1789 the ball had become so popular it was moved to the County Assembly Rooms in Lincoln. The ball had been previously held in November but was moved to January.

Woollen dresses can be very warm during dancing and in 1803 the rule for free admittance was changed: the ladies were admitted free if they took six yards of the better stuff or 10 yards of the plainer material.

The Stuff Ball continued until 1929 but was revived in 1938, finally ending in 1947 when the Patroness, Lady Worsley, chose mauve and silver as the stuff colours.

The Lincoln Stuff factory was on the corner of the High Street and what is now Robey Street, becoming a boarding house after the Stuff trade declined and then subdivided in private houses.

Link: http://www.lincolnlongwools.co.uk/