Whittaker Brothers, Pioneer Works

Bob Dobson · 10-01-2010, 19:11

The Pioneer story starts with George Whittaker, wholived at Moss End farm, on the hills between hapton and Crawshawbooth. He had ten children, one of whom was Henry. he prospered, built Prospect House, Whalley rd and with his brothers John and William started Whittaker Brothers, manufactrers of Pioneer mangles, washers etc in Horne Street. On henry's death, his son Leonard of Hollins Lane took over. On his early death his relative (uncle?) William Haworth took over, to be succeeded by his son Walter. Insufficient investment brough the comnpany to a standstill in 1958.

A friend of mine is part of this family and would like to know if there are any other descendants of George Whittaker still in Accrington area.

There were other Whittaker families involved with various Accrington companies. The making of bricks, brick-making machinery were just two of the industries they were involved in. Another was head of sewage engineering for Accrington Corporation and made Accrington a world leader in sewage treatment at Coppy Clough a hundred years ago.

wadey · 10-01-2010, 21:10

Did the bottom fall out of the mangle market?

cashman · 10-01-2010, 21:25

Also Whittakers Foundry on Dowry St, Bob me dad worked yon many years. would they be any relation to the Pioneer Whittakers? was only around the corner. perhaps dowry st made the brickworks machinery?

Bob Dobson · 11-01-2010, 09:11

I am not aware of any connection between the Dowry St 'Whicks' and the Pioneer lot. The sewage man,Christopher was one of the Dowry Streeters.
My dad too worked at Whicks.He had served his appenticeship there, commuting daily from his mother's home at 48 Dowry St, just across from the foundry's top gates.
The firm made 'New Era' brick-making machines. In the early 1950s they formed a football team,'New Era' .Me and a lad called John Barrett were the mascots in their yellow and black strip.

cashman · 11-01-2010, 09:49

we lived at 58, back then, musta come across yer dad, as his mam was only 2 doors down on block below, now ya mention it, brickworking machinary rings a bell in this vacant head o mine.

Retlaw · 11-01-2010, 11:41

There appears to be some confusion with regards to the factories in Dowry St, and Horne St.
attached are what Mike Rothwell says on the subject.
Retlaw.

Bob Dobson · 11-01-2010, 16:03

I am not seeing the confusion. They are 3 separate buildings. The centre quote from Mike Rothwell is about a building which happened to be in Dowry st ( at Moore streeet junction) but this had nothing to do with Whittakers. There does seem some doubt about the date of closure of Horne St.I was told 1958 by a family member. I have also remembered that one of the Dowry St family began brickmaking at Baxenden or Rising bridge. The Dowry St lot were also ijnvolved with the Co-op Sopciety and with the company set up c 1910 to build factories ( such as Queens Rd and Milnshaw) Part of the deal was that these factories would install Whiitaker engines/boilers. It is because of the Co-op links that the fine houses were built in Dowry Street to link up with the Co-op shop on Moore St.

keith · 11-01-2010, 19:55

my older brother jim worked at pioneer foundry before doing his national service in the late forties he use to take me several nights aweek to there sports club and table tennis was the main sport I remember a chap called dennis ramsbottom had a big say in running the club they also had a very good football team one of the players at that time was benny heys who went on to play for accrington stanley but just as he was breaking into the first team suffered a very bad knee injury and had to stop playing

Atarah · 11-01-2010, 21:29

Very interesting topic Bob!

rivetlad · 30-08-2011, 11:54

Does anyone know the whereabouts of a brass WHITTAKER & CO Steam Engine maker's plate that may be for sale?

Bob Dobson · 30-08-2011, 13:33

It would surprise me to learn that they made steam engines.From an early time in their history, the firm concentrated on brick-making machinery. Their telegraphic address was 'Bricks, Accrington' However, thinking about it, about 1910 they were part of a company set up to build new weaving sheds ( Queen's Road and Milnshaw Mill were theirs,) and the buildings had Whittaker's boilers. The chief Whittaker also had a big infuebnce in the Co-op Society, which is why there were Co-op shops in the same block as the main part of Dowry Works.

BertKilgallen · 06-07-2014, 19:01

Tidying old papers, I came across my father's reference on leaving Whittaker's, in 1925! He had been apprenticed as an engineer, and at the end of his seven years, they gave him a job as a "Lurry Driver"! Times were bad in 1923. The reference was signed by Wm. Whittaker, so he was still running things then. My father, Leo Kilgallen, was rather more famous in his sport as a swimmer. Whittaker's was then, of course, a "maker of washing, wringing and mangling machines"

Bob Dobson · 06-07-2014, 20:09

There was an Accrington Borough policeman called Jack Kilgallen.

Congrats Bert, in finding the this thread, which hasn't been posted on for 3years.

Atarah · 07-07-2014, 05:27

Have you seen the 1911 census? This is most probably your family as they are living at 79 Dowry Street, which was almost around the corner from the works. It says all this family were born Haslingden - JOHN age 29 (Life Insurance agent), MARY 29 yrs, JOHN age 6, LEO age 5 and MARGARET age 2.1/2.

Check this out also http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...rks-59214.html

Bob Dobson · 07-07-2014, 06:50

No 79 is half way up the top block on the left, below St John's church. 200yds from the factory. No Kilgallens in the 1952 directory.