Lighter Industries
Sometime before 1850, Simeon Partridge,
a grocer, began to make tallow candles for sale in his shop
at 28 Pinfold Street. He soon opened a small factory behind
Slater & Company (solicitors) in Walsall Road, not far from
the Bull Stake. Unfortunately the building burned down in
1900 and manufacturing ceased.
His son Alfred soon opened another
factory on the southern side of Heath Road next to several
old flooded mine shafts, one of which supplied the works
with water. Products included tallow candles, yellow and
carbolic soap.
In 1910 Gilbert Partridge took over at
the works which were sold to ESSO Limited in 1957. Within a
few years the factory closed.
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Dipping
candles at Blists Hill open air museum, part of
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. |
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| Comrade Cycles Another and very different industry was
cycle making. Simeon Taylor had a shop at 76 Pinfold Street,
where he sold sports goods, and repaired bicycles at the
back. Simeon built a workshop and started to assemble
bicycles.
The venture went well and so he purchased an old
nut and bolt factory on The Leys, between Alma Street and
Stafford Road, in which to manufacture Comrade bicycles and
tricycles.
By 1960 half of the company's products were
exported, and Comrade became the largest independent cycle
manufacturer in the country.
The company was hit by the
recession in the late 1970s and 1980s, and moved to new
premises near the Bull Stake.
Unfortunately it all came to
an end in 1987 because of the continuing recession, and the
large number of cheap foreign imports that flooded the
market. |
An advert from 1963. |
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Other Industries
Darlaston was home to many industries,
far too many to mention in any detail. I am including the
following brief list to give an idea of the vast range of
differing industries that were once based in the town:
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axle and pulley makers, blacksmiths, brick, tile, and
flowerpot makers, cabinet makers, chain makers, coopers,
cycle makers, engineers, file cutters, foundries (iron and
brass), galvanisers, gauge makers, iron and steel
manufacturers, latch makers, locksmiths, mangle makers,
packing case makers, rope makers, pattern makers, stampers,
and watch and clock makers. |
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An advert from 1963.
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Return to
Other
Heavy Industries |
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Return to
contents |
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Proceed to
The End of an Era |
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