2 The seed is sown

A Chapter by Wild Rose

The seed is sown

1830 two men seated outside an in on the Main Street in Hawes.

The Annual Farmers Market Day in Hawes 1830. They were discussing the changes taking place in the world of textiles;

Industrial machines had been invented which was revolutionizing the industry. Percival Ward was the local blacksmith and general repairer for a host of farm and domestic items 'If its broke Percival can fix it' folk said.

Ebenezer Worth was a local hill farmer who kept sheep; spun the yarn and wove cloth for country jackets and suits.

The main discussion around the market was changes to the production of woolen cloth with the new machines and how the mills were taking young lads from the farms to work and live in the new towns

"These new looms can do a week's work in a day" said Ebenezer "Aye lad" retorted Percival "I can understand that and I can see how I could make a loom, but it's the spinning that gets me, how the fibers are drawn out by machine to make an even thread, spinning the yarn itself is relatively easy, its drawing the fibers in even quantity that gets me"

They were interrupted by a stranger

" Excuse me gentlemen, but I am looking for a Percival Ward, could you help me?

Percival replied "Percival Ward? Well I may know of his whereabouts. But who are you sir and what sort of business would you be about?

"Very remiss of me gentlemen. I am Joshua Stubley from Batley in West Yorkshire. I am given ti understand the Percival Ward is an expert in fixing and making machinery, I am wondering if I could prevail on his services, with respect I have overheard your conversation, I am thinking about a project in the area you were discussing, I think Percival Ward may have some interest in that area and be able to help me"

"I am Percival Ward blacksmith sir and this is my friend Ebenezer Worth hill farmer from this area"

"Good afternoon to you Percival and to you also Ebenezer, I may call you Percival and Ebenezer may I and you may call me Joshua"

The two men agreed to using first names and requested further information from Joshua

"I have inherited a house, money and land; by a small stream in Batley, in the West Ridding of Yorkshire, the stream has enough flow to power a few machines. My idea is to build a factory to produce woolen cloth, using locally produced wool but instead of getting contractors to do things like scouring spinning and the finishing of the cloth I want to do it all in my factory. That way we will have control of the whole production. We will not be waiting for a time slot in someone elses factory neither will we be working to another firm quality we will set our own, much like you hill farmers use your own wool and do the whole work yourself on your farm. Would you be interested, gentlemen? Both of you?

Both agreed it was a good idea but required more details, they would have to leave homes. Homes where they had been brought up, where their families had lived for generations and their livelihood.

"May we discuss this with our family's sir, It would be a huge upheaval, from the lives our families have lived for centuries, my own family have been the blacksmiths for the dale for many generations. However, I can see lots of thing in favor. Are you staying in the dale? or a place where we can make contact? said Percival

"I/we, are staying at The Swaledale Tup for a few days, you may leave a message for me there; my wife and her friend have taken the carriage to Richmond for the day, our plans are loose, we thought tomorrow we could visit Brimham Rocks or maybe Fountains Abbey"

P "We will consider your offer together and let you have our decision"

Percival and Ebenezer both told their wives of the meeting They arranged to meet; a big change like this had to be discussed properly.

Both families met at Percival's home by the forge Percival and Ebenezer laid out the main details

Sales for hand woven cloth like they made was dropping off; the factories could produce a year's worth of cloth and more in a week. It would mean leaving friends and family to start anew life in a town; but this Joshua had said he had land on the edge of the town and somewhere sheep could be kept Ebenezer was to be the manager of a group of weavers on the new machines also Percival would be kept busy looking after the machines and odd jobs around the factory.

They didn't think Joshua had any idea about the amount of land required by a flock of sheep or the amount of wool they could provide

Joshua was a sales man and would keep his existing accounts open, while at the same time carrying their samples with him, so he would have two sources of income

Both John and Arthur chipped in

"We have been discussing this along with the girls, if this venture didn't take off that would mean we would have no income?

We could keep both the farm and the forge going, we could stay here to work them, keep our sheep on our fells, but not take the fleece to market, you could buy it direct from us at the going market price, saving on the transport and market costs. John has worked the forge since he was ten years old and would have completed any apprenticeship by now.

Joseph could stay here to complete his apprenticeship in the carriage repairs.

We have Arthur and Lydia at the Forge House both like to help out special Gran in the kitchen and Joseph and Margaret on the farm

They don't have to do the heavy work but they have tons of experience they can pass on

Frank could go to the mill and work with both Percival and Ebenezer and learn the whole operation, Joshua would be away most of the time by the sound of it and Frank would then be in a position of knowing everything that was happening, to be a sort of general manger

The girls Martha, Elizabeth, and Angela would stay and keep their own office jobs and help run the houses, they would support each other, Gail could go with her mother and hopefully work in the mill office, she has been studying accounts and that sort of stuff, with the idea of taking over the farm accounts

The ladies agreed to going for a visit

John and Arthur took them into Hawes in Percival's trap, for the six o'clock morning coach to Northallerton, Changing in Leyburn on to the coach for Leeds, this stopped in Ripon and Harrogate for a break while they change the horses, passengers and luggage.

Leeds they had to cross the coach park to the Dewsbury stand, they had an hour and a half to wait for the next coach.

In Dewsbury they took a private hackney to the Stubley home in Upper Batley; arriving at eight o'clock in the evening, at the square mansion, built of the local gray Ashlar stone. Overlooking the wide valley

Joshua and Beatrix welcomed them

B "Welcome! To our home; what time did you leave home"

J "How was the journey?

B "Have you eaten? would you like to freshen up while I make you something"

Mary answered "We caught the six o'clock coach this morning, our two eldest sons took us to the coach station, we had to change coaches twice before Dewsbury, and no we haven't eaten, yes it would be lovely to freshen up and have a meal."

As they were eating Percival and Ebenezer passed on information about the family meeting

Joshua replied "Your children are forwards thinkers, they do right to protect what you have, I take it your parents are still active and wish to keep so"

The following day

They went to visit the area and visit one or two firms for Percival and Ebenezer to have a look at the machines they would be working with.

It was a large plot of land on the edge of town, larger than any of the hillside farms of home; with further land where Joshua said he could built home for the section managers when they were required, he was proposing a private road to meet with the Leeds to Dewsbury road straight from the factory though the side of the land

There were to be two entrances.

The main one on Bradford Road where an entrance between the main factory would be and Mill House, the home for the factory manger with a doorman and a private locked door from Mill House. Mainly this would be for outgoing goods

The second entrance would be at the opposite side of the site in Mill Lane, for raw materials and close to the scouring and fibre processing machines.

The ladies went to talk with Joshua's wife Beatrix who also had money to invest and it was her who would do the office work and accounts.

Joshua had been in sales, mostly overseas and he intended to spend his time seeking out customers, around the United Kingdom to begin with then expand to overseas using his present contacts as a stepping stone to their respective countries.

So, Percival and Ebenezer would be managing the whole operation between them, with Beatrix doing the all the paper work.

Beatrix agreed that Gail would be a help in the office “I have an emporium in Dewsbury there is a full contingent of office staff there already, Gail could begin there to learn office procedure, I am not saying your farm and Blacksmiths accounts are nor correct, but this will be a much larger and busier office I won’t tell them who she is, just introduce her as a new girl”

While the men were sorting out the work areas their wives were discussing living arrangements.

Two houses were to be built on site Ebenezer and Mary were to have the house close to the factory gates (Mill House). Ebenezer would then be available to open the gates first thing in the morning and to close them after the late shift

Percival and Alice would have their home within the factory close to Percival's workshop. (Engineers). He expected to have to work late as was often the case in their Dales home.

The houses would be in similar style and layout as their farmhouses, with a large kitchen and lounge areas. Furniture would be supplied from Beatrix’s emporium and charged to the firm.

Beatrix gave them some brochures to select furniture from.

“I can order anything you wish through my office in Dewsbury and have it delivered here, if you are keeping your place in the dales on you will need new furniture for your new homes, I can charge it to the factory account. Anything you require from floor covering, furniture and new bedding.”