Archives Catalogue

The items in the Forge Mill archives are catalogued below. Entries in the date column are the earliest, where a range of dates is relevant to the item.

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Category A: Descriptions of manufacturing pre 1914

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.7	The world’s pins and needle - Cassel’s Family Magazine -- 1p	19th c
1.8	Needlemaking Ree’s Cyclopedia—4pp - inc illus --1810	1810
1.10	Pantalogia: A New Cyclopedia -- 3pp article on needlemaking plus illus -- 1813	1813
1.13 missing	Ency Londinensis -- Description of 3 pointing machines – also – article on pointer’s rot	1818
1.14	Book of English Trades – Lib of Useful Knowledge -- 2pp – article on needlemaking --1825	1825
1.19	Penny Magazine – A Day at the British Needle Mills – 8pp art with illus -- 1843	1843
1.23	Article on needlemaking - 1p -- Illustrated London News 1851	1851
1.28	Charles Dickens -- Household Words – an Account of needlemaking and conditions in Redditch -- 8pp --1852	1852
1.29	MT Morrall - History and Description of Needlemaking -- 22pp – photocopy 1854	1854
1.30	Chambers Journal -- Needles - History and description of the process of manufacture 1856	1856
1.32	Int Nat Exhib – The process of manufacture at the British Needle Mills , improved spring steel needles and fish hooks 6pp 1862	1862
1.33	MT Morrall - History and Description of Needlemaking -- 5th edition -- 1865	1865
1.34	Extracts from MT Morrall - History and Description of Needlemaking 1866	1866
1.35	The Working Man – A weekly record of social and industrial progress March 1866 – Redditch, the metropolis of needlemaking	1866
1.36	The manufacture of needles 19pp	1868
1.37	Messrs Townsends’ needle factory – Hunt End -- Description of the manufacturing process -- Illustrated Midland News 1869	1869
1.40	Messrs Perkins and Sons needle factory at Astwood Bank -- Illustrated Midland News 1870	1870
1.45	Milwards -- Needle and fish hook making -- 1900	1900
1.49	A Guide through Washford Mills - 27pp photocopy -- 1898	1898
1.50	A Short History of Needle Making -- AE Morrall --1886	1886
1b.7	British Works and Industries -- Needle making Work 29 Oct 1892	1892
1b.14	The History of the Needle -- Edgar RS Bartleet
1b.16	The Needle Maker – The Big book of Trades - Geo Routledge -- 1888	1888
1b.21	Needle and Pins – Journal of the Society of Arts --1871	1871
2.3	Extract from Household Words -- Charles Dickens -- Duplicate of 1.28	1852
2.9	Needlemaking description - undated
2.12	Regulation of Manufacture -- ex handwritten note -- 1851	1851
2.41	The Making of the Humble Needle -- Clive Works (also pins)
2.45	Some notes on needlemaking -- anon
3.46	The Needle Makers (copy)	Undated
4.5	In Needle Town -- Description of manufacturing -- 1907	1907
5.45	Notes on a decayed needleland with a note on the history of the needle -- Wm Shrimpton -- Redditch Indicator -- 1897	1897
M2	The Needle Region and its Resources -- WT Hemming
M3	A Short Description of Needle Making -- AE Morrall -- 1886	1886
M8	The Redditch Needle District -- Wm Hall and Co -- c1900	1900
M10	History and description of Needle Making -- Michael T Morrall -- 1866	1866
M21	British Industries – HM and Sons -- Needle and Fish-hook Manufacturing – The British Trades Journal -- 1880	1880
M23	Description of Needle Making (HM and Sons) -- Work No 190 -- 1892	1892
M26	Needles -- Illustrated London News -- 1851	1851
M26/a	The Art of Needle Making -- Universal Magazine -- 1764	1764
M34	Process for making fish-hooks -- very detailed with pages from notebook -- 1856	1856
M110	The Manufacture of Needles -- The Engineer 1/4/1898	1898
M121	Ex encylopedia?
M176	Representative British Industries -- Henry Milward and Sons 1880s?	1880
M187	‘Points about needles’ -- Answers 27/2/1915	1915
M197	Illustr of hand needle making c 1811	1811
M244	Offprints from British Trade Journal etc 1880s -- mainly re HM and Sons	1880

Category B: Descriptions of manufacturing post 1914

Ref	Item Description	Date
2.2	Copy of notes on needle making -- CF Milward -- 1958	1958
2.4	Development of needlemaking in West Midlands before 1750 - SRH Jones 2 copies
2.5	Copy of notes on needle making -- CF Milward - Duplicate of 2.2
2.8	Needlemaking 250 years ago
2.11	History of Needlemaking -- resume of paper by BT Lee
2.14	The History of the Needle -- BT Lee
2.19	The Changing Regional Pattern during the 18C -- MJ Wise – Birmingham University 1950	1950
2.27	1500 million needles -- Needle Industries Ltd -- Machinery Nov 14, 21, 28, 1946 and Gramophone needles Dec 12, 1946	1946
2.30	History of Needlemaking -- On the road -- CF Milward
2.31	A History of Needle making -- Geo White MIMechE -- Newcomen Society, 15 Jan 1941	1941
2.32	The Manufacture of Needles and Description of Machinery -- Practical Engineering 14 June 1941	1941
2.33	An enquiry into the origin of Needlemaking -- Guise, 1933	1933
3.6	The Seven Ages of the Development of the Needle - draft BT Lee 7 pp	Undated
3.7	History of needle punching & current state of the industry -- 1988	1988
3.22	Communications and transport -- BT Lee 1985	1985
3.23	A short history of the fishhook trade -- BT Lee --1985	1985
3.25	Needle ranges and descriptions -- BT Lee -- 1984	1984
3.26	Needles – their history and romance -- BT Lee -- 1984	1984
3.27	Sewing Needles - their history and romance - version 2 1988	1988
3.32	Letter re draft of History of sewing needles -- 1981	1981
3.41	The early Victorian needle makers 1980	1980
4.6	There’s more to a needle than meets the eye
4.29	Notes on visit to Needle Industries include statistics 1/3/1990	1990
4.31	Debunking the needle industry - industrial mythology -- Vincent Gaffrey
4.37	Needle spitting -- description -- 1989	1989
4.50	Letter from Clydebank Museum re Sewing Machines -- 18/3/1997	1997
4.53	Modern methods of needle production
5.6	The Needle through the Ages -- C Disney Milward
5.47	Needles by the Million -- Bulletin of Electricity Council June 1967	1967
M25	How many points has a needle? -- John Bell -- June 1970	1970
M56	Four eras of needle making -- Albert Chambers , Chief Inspector -- thesis 1952	1952
M67	The Needle through the Ages -- C Disney Milward – and Needle Points – booklet of facts about ‘quality’ needles
M102	Needles -- H Guise -- Redditch Indicator 15/8/1936	1936
M192	Notebook of ‘Old Bill Duffil’ -- Extracts from -- Particularly re scissor making -- 1905	1905
M366	Notes on the History of Needle Making -- CF Milward

Category C: Company histories and amalgamations

Ref	Item Description	Date
1b.8	A Short History of the Firm of Joseph Holyoake and Son -- 1892	1892
1b.15	Account of James Smith and Sons -- J Wiggett -- 1893	1893
1b.19	Notice of New Business -- Francis Morrall -- 1874	1874
1b.29	Assignment Francis Clarke to John and Thos Clarke ? share in Needle and Fish Hook business lately Wm Francis Clarke of Headless Cross dcd and subsequent assignment to TM and RS Bartleet 1857	1857
2.6	History of Henry Milward and Sons --- 250 years of needlemaking -- 2 copies 1930	1930
2.7	Needle Industry amalgamations 1800s – 1977
2.13	Lists of amalgamations
3.8	An introduction to Newey -- company history and current state of industry 1988	1988
3.10	An introduction to Newey -- company history and current state of industry 1988	1988
3.13	Needle industry -- list of companies -- 1988	1988
3.39	The History of Needle Making – Aero Needles Group -- 1980	1980
4.2	Notes of meeting – BG Lewis with AB Morrall describing firm’s history etc --1966	1966
4.24	Needle Families -- Milward family tree and list of amalgamations
4.38	Directory entries for WJ Llewellyn Ltd and Edward White, Windsor Works – both manufacturers of needle making machinery
4.39	Summary of Directory entries for William Avery and Arthur James
4.44	Aero Needles -- brief history
4.45	Abel Morrall 1785-1948 – 163 Years of Progress	1948
4.48	Note re Brabant Needle Co
4.51	Report of purchase of Entaco by Coats Viyella -- Birmingham Post
4.55	Terry Springs in 1970s	1970
5.8	Ref to British Needle company 31/12/1926	1926
5.29	List of Fishing Tackle Makers
5.30	Memories of the needle industry -- Paul Betterton 1954 on	1954
5.53	A Search for Identity – Some growth and development perspectives of Aero Needles Group Ltd – FR Kinchin
M18	Joseph Warner and Sons -- Memo and Arts of Assn -- 1903	1903
M44	Articles re Needle companies -- Redditch Indicator Centenary Edition 25/9/1959	1959
M71	Amalgamated Needles – Papers of Historic Interest
M72	Papers of value leading up to amalgamation -- includes duties of Individual Directors and co-ordination of sales incl North America. Also papers re investment in new works 1938 and memo adapting to wartime conditions Sept 1939	1929
M82	Papers re amalgamation with Thomas Harper 1910 and 1912	1910
M82a	Papers re amalgamation (or not) with Arthur James 1922	1922
M82b	Papers re amalgamation with S Thomas 1927	1927
M82c	Papers re amalgamation (or not) with Paice Ltd 1927	1927
M141	AG Baylis and Sons – dissolved 27/12/1901 -- London Gazette	1901
M220	Contract for sale of Guillaume & Sons Ltd and Messrs Morris and Yeomans Ltd to AN & FH Ltd 31/3/1958	1958
M222	Notes for Board of AN & FH Ltd re Merger with HM and Co Ltd - 1929	1929
M223	Wm Hall & Co Ltd -- notes re Board Matters 1895 – 1955	1895
M224	John James and Sons Ltd 1902 – 1955	1902
M225	AN & FH Ltd misc notes 1931 - 1960	1931
M227b	History and accounts of the amalgamation of Wm Hall and Co Ltd with HM and Sons Ltd
M227c	Notes on Wm Hall and Co with reference to Morgan Interests
M228	Notes from Minute Books HM and Sons Ltd 1903 – 1930	1903
M267	Agreement – Sale of AD Bartleet and BW Bartleet to HM and Sons -- 5/9/1902 (and duplicate)	1902
M268	Agreement -- Sale of CE James to AN & FH Ltd
M269	Agreement – Leonard West and HM and Sons re artificial flies -- 1/3/1913	1913
M270	Agreement - Leonard West and HM and Sons -- sale of business 1/3/1913	1913
M271	Agreement -- appointment of BD Bartleet as Asst Manager with HM and Sons - 25/8/1902	1902
M272	Agreement -- appointment of BD Bartleet as Asst Manager with HM and Sons - 25/8/1902 (duplicate)	1902
M273	Agreement -- Partnership JF Milward and Victor Milward 30/8/1883	1883
M275	Schedule of misc Documents to be returned to EN FH Ltd (correspondence re amalgamation)
M277	Agreement between JF Milward, Victor Milward, CF Milward and HM and Sons Ltd -- 18/12/1889	1889
M279	Agreement for purchase of business J Edgar Warner and Joseph Warner and Sons Ltd -- 8/4/1909	1909
M278	Agreement Redditch Hosiery Needles Ltd and EN &FH Ltd – lease of land 30/7/1952 inc schedule of plant etc	1952
M330	HM and Sons 250th Anniversary Celebrations 1730 – 1980 Press releases and speeches	1980
M352	165 years of needle making -- Morralls
M383	Amalgamated Needle and Fish Hooks Ltd -- annual Reports 1933 – 1949 (not complete)	1933
M385	N I Group Ltd -- Annual Reports 1971 and 1972	1971
M512	Extracts from the minutes of J English and Son Ltd 1897 – 1918	1897

Category D: Company finances and reports

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.48	Prospectus for shares in Self-Threading Needle Co Ltd	Late 19c
3.16	Alcester needle makers shares transfer	Undated
M1	Amalgamated Needles and Fish-Hooks deposit a/c passbook 1906-28	1906
M32	The Self-Threading Needle Co -- Prospectus
M66	John English and Co Share Certificates -- 1892-1902	1892
M70	Amalgamated Needle and Fish-hook Co Ltd -- Report and Accounts -- 1938	1938
M71b	Assessment for Schedule D and E tax -- 1875	1875
M71c	Loan to Charles Terry 1920	1920
M74	Loan EN&FT to British Hosiery Needles --1940	1940
M78	AM&FT Ltd – Report of AGM 1935	1935
M79	Redditch Hosiery Needles Ltd -- Income notes 1940	1940
M83	HM and Sons -- a/cs 1870 – 1890 (Balance sheets and costs)	1870
M109	HM and Sons -- Prospectus for issue of ?45k Debentures @ 41/2 %
M137	Negotiations re lease to build new works -- memo -- GB King 19/2/1946 and financial considerations	1946
M182	Ledger -- Debts owing and Balance Sheet 1829	1829
M193	Bill of Exchange payable to J English and Co New York 1/5/1894	1894
M198	Issue of Debentures 1909 Joseph Warner and Sons cancelled 1911	1911
M203	John English and Co Ltd -- AGMs 1892 – 1938	1892
M204	John English and Sons Ltd -- Directors’ Minutes 1892 – 1905	1892
M205	John English and Sons Ltd -- Directors’ Minutes 1906 – 1911	1906
M206	John English and Sons Ltd -- General Minutes 1897 – 1922	1897
M207	John English and Sons Ltd Directors’ Minutes 1919 – 1921	1919
M216	Amalgamated Needles and Fish Hooks Ltd -- 31st AGM 27/6/1935	1935
M283	Shareholders in Redditch Hosiery Needles ltd 2/4/1931	1931
M314	AGM correspondence

Category E: Company and inter company policies and agreements

Ref	Item Description	Date
M56/b	Memo re Management Systems -- CF Milward 1910	1910
M71a	Negotiations EN&FT with Wahl Eversharp
M75	‘Conventions’ (agreement) between HM and Sons and MWA Bennett (in French) 1890	1890
M199	Deed of covenant -- Needle section of the Export Group agrees not to sell needles with gilded eyes 19/5/1942	1942
M209	Agreement Messrs Olney Amsden and Son Ltd and HM and Sons Ltd 25/6/1926 Re goodwill and premises of Crescent Manufacturing Co with schedule of prices	1926
M215	Articles of Partnership G Winterbottom and Co, Oxpring, Penistone, Yorks with HM and Sons Ltd - 1906 and to continue agreement 3/8/1927	1906
M265	Agreement -- RS Bartleet and Joseph Smith -- Smith to work for Bartleet 1888 – 1893 – extnd to 1921	1888
M339	Assignment -- Abel Morrall to J Morgan 17/3/1876	1876
M341	Agreement on the retirement of Henry Milward from HM and Sons with JF Milward and V Milward 19/12/1871	1871
M342	Lease of Machinery and Premises -- H Milward to JF and V Milward 1/1/1871	1871
M343	Plant and Stock moved from Beoley Mill to Redditch New Washford Mill - misc notes & correspondence 1841	1841
M346a	Correspondence -- Goldberger re dispute over supply of pack needles etc 1919 -1920	1919
M346b	Dispute between Holyoake and Son and HM and Sons 1879-1880	1879
M365	Notes on office practice and production of hypodermic needles in regard to wartime conditions 1935 - 1942	1935
M386	Agreement with Wahl Eversharp Co Ltd to produce Eversharp Pencils 11/4/1933	1933
M387	Agreement to sell rights to manufacture dry shavers to Wilkinson Sword Ltd incl tools, ‘know how’ and patents
M388	Agreement with Bombay Outward Conference (Shipowners) re shipping to India 9/1/1959	1959
M389	Agreement with United Breweries re tenancy of property at Ketti (India) 12/8/1949	1949

Category F: Company costs

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.1	Estimate for building a needle mill with 4 pointing and six scouring benches – Labour and materials £231 – 16 - 0	1730s
2.38	Valuation of trade utensils -- 21 June 1905	1905
2.43	Notes on tools rented by Wm Bartleet and Sons
M14	Works Prices (to various stages of manufacture) -- Henry Milward and Co -- 1849- 1850	1849
M40	Redditch Stampers and Filers Union -- Prices for work
M41	Prices for work on premises - HM and Sons --1871	1871
M42	Prices for work on premises - HM and Sons (duplicate) -- 1871	1871
M43	Prices for outwork - HM and Sons -- 1871	1871
M150	List of prices for pointing etc 9/1846	1846

Category G: Company property

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.43	Fire at Allcock’s - Redditch Indicator 1891	1891
1.47	Rebuilding of Clarkes’ Factory - Redditch Indicator August 1955	1955
1b.3	Washford Mills – History of
1b.17	Lease of ‘The Forge’ Wm Lewis to JF and V Milward 1879	1879
1b.22	British Needle Mills Samuel Thomas and Sons - Plans of - 1872	1872
1b.24	Jn Woolaston for Wm Holmes and Wm Hemming - Agreement for Mutual Rights (re Beoley Mill) 1837	1837
2.22	The Needle Mills -- A study of the watermills serving the Industry -- JG Rollins -- Soc for Protection of Ancient Buildings --1979	1979
4.9	1/1250 OS Plan of Mill and site -- Old Mills and New Mills
4.15	Sale of Windsor Mills, Hewell Road to S Allcock and Sons for ?4400 with various plans of Redditch
4.25	Letters re Beoley Paper Mills from John and Matthew Mils 1784-1787 transcribed
5.2	Advert for sale of Forge Mill 23/10/1913	1913
5.4	Plan of Astwood Bank showing needle factories
5.26	James Thomas c1814 to 1901, Mill St Needle Works, Redditch Spring Co, Prospect Works, Clive Road	1814
5.32	Plan of needle works, Bromsgrove Road and Brook Street etc
M61	Aerial photo of Central Works c1950	1950
M71d	Valuation of property at Studley Oct 1940	1940
M98	Illustration of HM and Sons Works -- Redditch and Washford Mills
M108	Print of dwg of New Washford Mills
M144	Deed between Thomas Holmes of Washford Mill and Wm Butler of B’ham - 1760	1760
M145	Indenture re sale of Washford mill 1760	1760
M147	Assignment of debt Butler to Fullilove 25/9/1790	1790
M149	Bond for payment of ?600 -- Holmes to S Fullilove -- 25/9/1790	1790
M151	Transfer of Mortgage – Washford Mill -- Dawes and Fleming to Milward and Hodgetts 4/1/1879	1879
M152	Washford Mill -- Abstract of title -- 1754	1754
M173	Valuation of Washford Mill 1/1/1879	1879
M175	Recoverance of Washford Mill -- Milward and Hodgetts to CF and V Milward 28/5/1897	1897
M177	Conveyance Washford Mill -- JF and V Milward to Henry Milward and Sons 29/7/1897	1897
M179	Adverts for ‘The Washford Mill Estate’ 29/7/1878	1878
M180	Adverts for ‘Old Washford Mill’ etc 29/10 1878	1878
M181	Washford Mill site plan 1871	1871
M196	Plan of Washford Mills Recreation Ground sold to Catholic School
M214	Covenant for the production of deeds -- Henry Davies and Revd Henry Charles Milward re Washford Mill
M218	Photos of Stable demolished on Redditch Road -- 1950	1950
M219	Agreement -- JH Williams and Wm Hall and Co 8/6/1923 as to ancient lights -- 8/6/1923	1923
M227e	Notes on property acquisitions and sales
M278	Lease of office adjoining Packwood Mills owned by Smith and Spencer Ltd to HM and sons -- 22/11/1909	1909
M337	EN and FH Ltd -- List of properties sold 1935	1935
M340	Agreement for tenancy -- The Orchard, Old Washford Mill -- 31/12/1871	1871

Category H: Needle manufacturing in UK ex Redditch district

Ref	Item Description	Date
1b.6	Notes on a Decayed Needleland (Long Crendon) and History of the needle -- Wm Shrimpton -- 1897	1897
1b.20	The Needle Regions - T Hemming -- 1877	1877
2.15	Trade and Industry in 18th and 19th C -- Chichester District Museum
2.16	The Civil War – Chichester District Museum -- includes effect on needle making
4.21	Points of History -- pin factories in Stoney Stratford -- Alan Burman
4.40	Victoria County History, Buckinghamshire pp127,128 –Needlemaking (Long Crendon etc)
5.52	Refs to Whitechapel Needles 1802 & lists of merchandise shipped to Upper Missouri 1835 inc needles	1802

Category I: Needle manufacturing ex UK

Ref	Item Description	Date
M139	Proposal to set up manufacturing plant in Japan 11/8 1908	1908
4.30	Article on scissor making in India -- Guardian 29/1/1993	1993
1.27	The Illustrated Exhibitor and Magazine of Art-- Needlemaking in Aix-la-Chapelle 10pp. Also extract from Encyclopedia of Useful arts descn. of needle manufacture	1852
2.10	Drawing, grinding and polishing in the History of Technique -- Schumag, Aachen - Jos H Arens
4.1	Needle Industry in India 1998	1998
5.5	Notes on German and other foreign needle manufacturies
M13	Educational visit to France -- June 1929 -- Works Committee – Amalgamated Needles	1929
M20	Needle making at Aix-la-Chapelle -- Illustrated Exhibitor Magazine of Art c1890	1890
M76	Visit of G Bartleet and JT James to Aachen and report on trade -also Arts of association of German Needle Manfcts (translated)
M201	Catalogue -- William Prym GMBH 1952	1952
M202	Catalogue -- Imra Fabrikate (Altena) 1957	1957

Category J: Needle making inventions and developments

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.3	Patent no 1097 to Wm Sherward of Redditch - Process for finishing the eyes of a needle -- 1775	1775
1.4	Patent no 1683 to Wm Sherward of Redditch - Process for finishing the eyes of a needle -- 1789	1789
1.16	Steam engines installed in Redditch factories - Redditch Ind 11-5-1867 amended 1875	1836-67
2.20	Aero Information – Origin of the presentation BSA Transfer Press, June 1985 and History of Aero Needles	1985
2.26	The Technical Development of Needle Production – Ferdinand Bernard Schmetz and Ernst Gunther Hasse -- Transns Stahl u. Eisen No 14 – 2 July 1953	1953
2.34	Gold Plating Bench -- handwritten notes -- prob 1930s	1930
4.13	Guise patent - letter 1919	1919
5.13	Spiral eye needle - article in Daily Mail 26/3/2010	2010
5.32	Notes on ‘Rounders’ and ‘Trapping Planes’ – used to make fishing rods
M227d	Needle Industries Group ltd -- Summary of major developments in the post war period -- 1945	1945
M344	Correspondence re spring eyed needles (Wharrad patent) and packing 1923	1923
M503	Monthly reports of Technical Projects N I Ltd 1949- 1951 copies	1949
M506	Monthly reports of Technical Projects N I Ltd 1949- 1950 copies	1949
M511	Monthly Reports of Technical Projects N I Ltd Feb 1949 - Nov 1951 originals	1949

Category K: Illustrations of manufacturing

Ref	Item Description	Date
3.18	Picture of a pointer at work	1981
3.36	Picture of Water Wheel	Undated
M91	Illustration of Toolroom
M92	Illustration of Hand Polishing Needles
M93	Illustration of Scouring Mill -- Washford Mills
M95	Illustration of Wapping from Redditch Road
M96	Illustration of Employees – Wm Bartleet and Sons Ltd -- Abbey Mills – early 1920s
M99	Illustration of Machine Pointing
M142	Illustr of drying barrels
M143	Illustr of Board of Directors Needle Industries
M185	Illustr of pin manufacture
M504	Copies of photographs -- Needle making processes -- Central Works, Arrow Works etc 1945 on	1945

Category L: Specialist needles – surgical, felting etc.

Ref	Item Description	Date
3.1	Catalogue and information from Foster Needles - felting needles	undated
3.3	River deep and mountain high - felting needles Daily Telegraph 18/2/1989	1989
3.4	Richard Allen Surgical Needles report on visit 10/2/1989	1989
3.5	Needle design for tomorrows standards - (Felting needles) John H Foster --1986	1986
3.9	Needle felting technology -- 1988	1988
3.24	Forge Mill Fact Sheet Surgical Needle making in Redditch -- 1985	1985
3.43	The History of Suture Needles -- draft	1980c
4.28	Letter and drawing requesting changes to needle design for threading tobacco leaves
M17b	Milwards Needle and Art Needlework sundries --1934	1934
M46	Surgical Needles -- Lecture -- JG Ross (Rickards, Astwood Bank) 1952	1952
M126	Illustr – non traumatic needles
M130	Surgical needles -- Shrimpton and Fletcher catalogue -- c1940	1940
M227a	Notes on History of Redditch Hosiery Needles Ltd
M364	Hypodermic Needles -- Lecture 1963 -- Surgical Needles -- lecture 1961 -- L Hayward	1963

Category M: Fish hooks and fishing tackle

Ref	Item Description	Date
M208	Newspaper cuttings -- 1894 - c1900 - mainly re angling	1894

Category N: Employment, wages, conditions and labour disputes

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.17	Children’s Employment Commission – Report on the metal manufacturers of Sheffield district, particularly re conditions for children in the needle factories in Hathersage	1840s?
1.20	Strike in Needle Trade -- Worcester Journal and other relevant papers	1846
1.21	Notes on meetings held by Needlemakers of Redditch -- Sept to Nov 1846 in particular concerning prices and wages paid for pointing and the adoption of new pointing machines	1846
1.22	Dialogue between Needle Manufacturer and Workmen on the subject of truck payment in place of money wages 6pp -- 1948	1848
1.24	Washford Mills - Working hours and holidays -- 1851	1851
1.38	Brittania Needle Works Redditch -- Rules of a Sick Club -- 1869	1869
1.41	Meeting of the Needle Filers and Stampers Union -- Rule Book -- 1871	1871
1b.5	Stamping Riots – account of --1898	1898
1b.23	Henry Milward -- A letter to his work people 1874	1874
1b.25	Expenses for attending in Droitwich re some rioters from Redditch accused of machine breaking -- 1831	1831
2.17	Children’s Employment Commission – Report on the metal manufacturers of Sheffield district particularly re conditions for children in the needle factories in Hathersage Duplicate of 1.17	1981
2.18	The Redditch Needle Grinder -- Tom Paddock – The Black Country Bugle - 14 Sept 1971	1971
2.35	Notice of wage reduction -- 15 March 1923	1923
2.42	Children’s Employment Commission – Report on the metal manufacturers of Sheffield district particularly re conditions for children in the needle factories in Hathersage - duplicate of 1.17
2.44	Several agreements between Wm Bartleet and Sons and individuals ‘not to work for others while employed by Bartleets’ -- 1890s
4.3	The Needle Makers Lamentation
4.18	Women in the Needle Industry -- Forge Needle Museum - 2 copies
4.36	Work Rules at Washford Mills 1851	1851
4.42	Wage rates for women and girls in needle mills - Redditch Indicator 20/3/1919	1919
4.52	Article describing life of Bessie James, a needlemaking girl in early 1800s	1800
5.7	Report on Worcestershire Assizes 18/7/1825	1825
5.36	Story of Bessie Jones, a needle factory girl -- see 4/52
5.54	Summary of events in connection with industrial unrest at Washford Mills 17/2/1939	1939
5.60	Working Rules, Central Works, Studley August 1919	1919
5.63	Terms of employment for several individuals -- F Spencer and Sons -- 1968	1968
M35	Letter to HM and Sons re - forming ‘Needle Union’ December 1890	1890
M45	Interview with Mrs Winifred Brown (77) member of HM and Sons Works Committee -- Redditch Indicator 1978	1978
M51	Washford Mills Sick Society -- Investment in War loan Feb 1917	1917
M73	Gift to Employees – Jubilee 1935	1935
M86	Prices for Work 1871	1871
M87	Wage rates for Women and Girls -- HM and Sons 1923	1923
M140	Joint Consultation --memo 15/11/1951	1951
M195	List of Junior Staff and Pay Rates HM and Sons 1931	1931
M231	Dividends, Wages and Foremans’ bonuses -- HM and Sons Ltd -- 1903 – 1930	1903
M321	Federation of Needle, Fishhook and Fishing Tackle Makers Minutes inc wage rates
M510	Needle, Fish hook and Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Industries -- Wages and Working Conditions 1952	1952

Category O: Court cases and inter-company disputes

Ref	Item Description	Date
1b.26	Court decision – renting of pointing places in another’s mill does not gain settlement -- 1800	1800
1.15	Richard Hemming and Son Forge Mill -- 2 notices warning buyers to look out for needles falsely labelled with Hemming name	1833-37
1b.13	High Court Decision -- re Holyoake -- only needles with T and J are genuine
2.39	Morrall v Hessin -- Report of -- 1902	1902
5.23	Milward v Stanley -- see M403
M37	JF Milward -- Letter to his workpeople -- 1874 -- see 1b.23	1874
M138	Lemuel B Rogers, Chicago and Chas Spencer, Redditch – correspondence re supply of needles etc	1920
M189	Notice re ‘passing off’ -- J and M Mills and Co
M234	Dispute with Ernest Kratz re packaging 1903	1903
M235	Milward v Stanley 1879 and other court cases also prize list for Milward’s Needlework Competition 1908 -1909 -- see 5.23 &M235	1879
M305	Peak v Hall -- Redditch Indicator 9/7/1881	1881
M403	Milward v Stanley judgement – 1879 see 5.23 & M235	1879

Category P: Sales, Marketing, Adverts and Exhibitions

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.5	Agreement between John English and Thomas Perkins for latter to act as traveller - Photocopy see M118	1790
1.26	John James -- Flyer for Great Exhibn.	1851
1.39	H Milward and Sons -- advert with description of needle and fish hook manufacturing	1870c
3.17	C1900 Milwards Needle Company - jingle	1981
3.28	Needles -- selling and distribution in the 18th and 19th centuries BT Lee	1984
4.23	Label for parcel
4.33	The Notions and Fancy Goods Record -- and cutting from article in 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition -- 1876	1876
4.46	Offprint of Sales Book – 1929-30	1929
5.14	Advert for Anglepoise Lamp -- Daily Telegraph 4/9/1938	1938
5.22	Henry Milward and Sons, flyer -- 1853	1853
5.43	Allcock, Laight and Westwood -- Toronto, the Queen city of Canada -- 1893	1893
3.11	Newey pins and needles - leaflet -- 1988	1988
M19	Calyx- eyed needles -- Testimonials -- HM and Sons -- 1887	1887
M28	John James and sons -- Victoria Works -- Illlustrated trade card
M36	Flier noting HM and Sons Silver Medal at Paris Exhibition 1855	1855
M38	John James -- Flier for locomotive needles
M50	List of medals on display at Forge Museum
M57	Christmas Card Harrison and Bartleet and Co 1905	1905
M58	Card ex Helen Terry using HM and Sons needles
M59	Card – J Perkins needles -- c1916	1916
M60	Card – advert for Milwards
M63	Baxter prints as used for needle packets -- Article ‘his portrait of Rev John Williams became a best seller after the subject – an immensely brave and popular man – was unfortunately eaten (by mistake) by savages in the South Seas’ -- 1930	1930
M105	Advert for Aiguilles Milward
M116	Official catalogue entry of International Exhibition 1862 -- Thomas Samuel and Sons – British Needle Mills	1862
M117	Agreement between John English of Feckenham and Thomas Perkins – manuscript 1790	1790
M118	Agreement between John English of Feckenham and Thomas Perkins – transcribed 1790	1790
M120	‘Chair‘ as needle case
M174	Illustr and descriptions of needle cases -- early 20c	1910
M212	Notebook -- 1882 - c 1922 re agents and travellers	1882
M233	HM and Sons Ltd -- Analysis of Sales 1917 – 1918	1917
M236	Milward adverts etc 1887	1887
M312	Merchandising marks act 1926	1926
M390	Needle industries -- Sales Figures (incomplete) 1932 - 60	1932
M400	‘Making a point of quality’ NI Group booklet -- 1965	1948
M401	Diary of visit of Mr Day to USA and Canada -- 1931	1931
M407	Correspondence re patent registration and registered designs -- 1901	1901
M505	Correspondence with agents in Germany re registration of trademarks 1900s	1900

Category Q: Price lists and Catalogues

Ref	Item Description	Date
M7	Henry Milward and Son Price List -- c1893	1893
M16	Selling Price list in Victor Milward’s writing incl list of customers -- 1883-1885	1883
M17	Milwards catalogue (incl J James items) 1936	1936
M17a	Milwards range of products -- 1974	1974
M17c	John James and Sons Price List 1939	1939
M17d	Milwards Catalogue -- no date
M39	HM and Sons -- Price list 1887	1887
M81	Dan Ching Industrial Catalogue 1945	1945
M84	Price Lists - A Chambers -- Sail and Packing Needles 1822	1822
M85	Meetings of Manufacturers, with Prices and Costs Jan 1872	1872
M124	Milwards catalogue 31pp -- 1920	1920
M127	Illustr – Hand sewing needles
M128	Illustr -- Seers packages
M183	Price List -- Fish hooks -- HM and Sons -- George A Clark and Bros 1/1/1862	1862
M373	HM and Sons -- Price List for Indian Market c 1900?	1900
M382	Dan Chung Ind Co Ltd -- History and price lists 1948	1948
M398	John James and Sons – catalogue -- Hardware Needles 1930	1930
M399	John James and Sons catalogue -- 1948 -19 49	1948
M404	HM and Sons -- Price List -- cover only

Category R: Packaging

Ref	Item Description	Date
2.40	Paper Wrapping for Hand Sewing Needles 1900-1949 -- Betty Brown	1900
5.46	John English co -- repros of labels – undated
M133	Illustr of Needles and packets
M134	Illustr of Needles and packets
M229	Dictionary of terms to describe needle put-up, packing etc EN and FH Ltd
M242	Needle packet labels offprints and registers 1934	1934
M287	Offprints of needle packets -- Redditch Companies and USA
M500	Offprints of needle packets ex Needle Industries archive part 1
M501	Offprints of needle packets ex Needle Industries archive part 2

Category S: Forge Mill (pre museum)

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.46	Forge Mill - JG Rollins - The Engineer 12 Nov 1965	1965
1b.4	Forge Mill - notes re
2.1	Story of brickwork outside the east side of Forge Mill-- drawing of similar mill in Bradford
2.23	Forge Mill Redditch -- JG Rollins 6pp 1966	1966
2.29	Sale of land including Forge Mill - 1946	1946
2.36	Sale of land near Redditch -- 21 Feb 1922 -- (Forge Mill)	1922
2.37	Sale of land near Redditch -- 23 Oct 1922 -- (Forge Mill)	1913
3.34	From Abbey Metal Works to Museum of Needle Making -- JG Rollins -- Industrial Archaeology vol15 No3 p 281 1980	1980
3.38	Industrial Archaeology Vol 15 No3 p 281 (see item 34 above) 1980	1980
5.21	Conveyance of Forge Mill to Redditch UDC 1959	1959
M153	Memos re needle making and proposals for museum

Category T: Forge Needle Museum

Ref	Item Description	Date
2.21	Forge Mill Needle Museum -- JG Rollins
3.33	Booklet -- Needle Making and Forge Mill -- John Luty	Undated
3.35	Magazine article re Forge Mill 1980	1980
3.40	A Case for the Restoration of Forge Mill -- 1980	1980
4.16	Letter from WKV Gale 18/3/1981 stating that brickwork remains are ‘not a bloomery’	1981
4.27	A case for the restoration of the Forge Mill -- John Luty
4.43	Description of Forge Mill Museum -- Stourbridge and North Worcs Select July 1988	1988
5.1	Miscellaneous notes marked Forge Mill Needle Museum
5.42	Cuttings re Forge Mill Needle Museum 1987 etc	1987
M186	Abbey excavation -- Redditch Indicator 14/7/1975	1975
M417	Receipt to Mrs Ann Gardiner 1988 for display boards and sample books given to Forge Mill	1988
M418	List of items on loan to Forge Mill Needle Museum -- 1983	1983

Category U: Records of individuals, families including obituaries

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.44	Samuel Allcock’s memoirs - Sporting Goods Review -- 1897	1897
1b.1	John English of Feckenham -- BCG Nokes -- Coventry Coll of Education
1b.1a	Webb Gould family History
1b.2	Holyoake family papers incl obituaries and references to court cases
1b.10	Wm Avery ‘In Memoriam’ 1899	1899
1b.11	Misc papers re Redditch and Mills family
1b.25	Henri Charles Guillaume - account of life and particularly of development of needle making machinery 2004	2004
2.24	John English of Feckenham -- BCG Nokes -- Business History Vol XI 1969 -- Duplicate of 1b.1	1969
2.25	Webb/Gould family history -- Eliz Atkins -- Duplicate of 1b.1a -- 2016	2016
3.14	Ed Buller probate 1684 -- Feckenham WEA Local history group report -- 1988	1988
3.21	Picture of Abel Morrall 1985	1985
3.45	Memo to uncle (Wm Hall) for needles 30/6/1873	1873
4.8	A Hardener’s Life and Business -- Ivor Mutton -- Astwood Bank – manuscript and typescript 1930	1930
4.12	Cottrell family -- notes from census etc
5.20	Notes on needle families including Milward and Morrall
5.24	Obituary Morton Stanley 1896-1928	1928
5.31	Obit - Death of Walter Humphries. March 1930	1930
5.35	Obituary Robert Bartleet 20/12/1902	1902
5.37	Story of Ernestine Mabel Clarke 1872-1940 -- A very distressed lady	1872
5.49	The Hemming Family
5.50	The Hemming Archive -- Extracts from -- (2 sets)
M24	The Mills family -- The Redditch Ind March 1891 and Warehouse and Drapers Journal June 1891 re JF Milward
M237	Robert S Bartleet Obituary and account of funeral 1887	1887
M239	Newspaper cuttings from 1940s inc CF Milward obituary May 3 1947	1940
M243	Press cuttings misc - some re John Mills of Washford c 1784	1784

Category V: Redditch history and development

Ref	Item Description	Date
3.12	Letter and map of Redditch landmarks 1988	1988
1.42	Redditch in 1776 -- Joseph Monk -- Redditch Indicator -- 1886	1886
1.51	Urban Sanitary District of Redditch 2nd annual report	1875
1.52	Redditch Indicator 20 October 1860 -- misc extracts	1860
1b.9	Old Redditch – W Avery -- Lecture 21/12/1986	1886
1b.12	The Old round House and copy of Joseph Monk Memories of Redditch -- 1890	1890
3.19	History of Redditch through the museum – Vincent Gaffney -- 1988	1988
4.11	Memories of Back Hill -- Peter Hartford 10/1/1993	1993
4.17	Redditch Coat of Arms
4.22	Redditch shops in the 1920s	1920
4.41	Report on pollution of Abbey Meadow Brook 18/1/1902	1902
5.12	Tales of the Redditch District -- Redditch Indicator 1879	1879
5.15	History of St Stephens Church Redditch
5.38	Plan of proposed ‘Plymouth Playing Fields’ and street map of Redditch -- 1891	1891
5.40	A Village with a View – Astwood Bank -- Astwood Bank News April 2000	2000
5.41	Beer and Cider off licences – Redditch 1875	1875
5.44	History of Bordesley Hall -- Daphne Drake 1956	1956
5.56	Schedules of property in and around Bordesley Abbey
5.57	Schedules of property in and around Bordesley Abbey
5.58	Letter from Ian Hayes 2/9/1998 re land at Bordesley Abbey	1998
5.59	Misc information re Hunt End and Crabbs Cross
5.64	Proposals for Redditch 1963	1963
M55	Illustrations of Redditch District Buildings incl Washford Mills c1900	1900
M190	The Position of Sanitary Inspectors -- The Lancet 19/9/1896	1896
M338	Scrap Book 1897 – 1902	1897
M361	History of Redditch -- Redditch Indicator Centenary edition September 1959	1959
M502	Redditch district beer and spirit licences 1875 also booklet ‘150 years of Midland Bank in Redditch’

Category W: Redditch property

Ref	Item Description	Date
1b.18	List of Licensed Premises in Redditch and District 1875	1875
2.28	Redditch Road Studley -- History of property -- 1946	1946
5.11	Plan of property in Bromsgrove Road, Redditch, sold 1846	1846
5.27	History of numbers 62, 64 and 66 Enfield Road, formerly Hunt End Road
M29	Chapel Green, Redditch -- Illustr

Category X: Censuses

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.12	Burial records -- Redditch 30 Aug 1816 -- Edward Matthews – pointing stone	1816
1.18	Extracts from census for Redditch -- 1841	1841
1.25	Census -- Headless Cross – 1851	1851
1.31	Report of Med Officer of the Privy Council details high death rate Alcester and Tardebigge -- 1861	1861
1b.28	Hosiery needle makers -- 1881 Census -- Loughborough	1881
4.32	Perkins family references in censuses etc
5.25	J Davies and Co - entries in Directories etc 1823-1940	1823
5.33	1891 census -- totals of various needle workers	1891

Category Y: Miscellaneous re needle industry

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.6	Ref to Rd Hemming - Letter and statement of a/c with William Dowbigg -- 1799	1799
1.9	Milward receipt - £1 - 2 – 0 for pins	1810
1.11	Bartleet – Hemming trade token -- Illus of	1813
3.20	History of WEMACRU + list of participants – David Symms	Undated
3.31	Space age needles	1983
3.37	The Old Lady – booklet -- Art re Threadneedle Street – Bank of England Magazine Xmas 1980	1980
3.42	Painting of Forge Mill -- as greeting card	Undated
3.44	Photo of Sign	Undated
4.7	Extract from The Ladies’ Complete Guide to Needlework and Embroidery
4.26	Letter from Barry Meade re corrections to article in The Lady by Lindsay Price 17/3/1994	1994
4.35	Notes for Wyn Davies by B Meade re needlemaking 3/5/1989	1989
4.47	Advert for British Steel and Iron Federation 1954	1954
5.34	Proclamation re import of needles – Charles II
5.48	Tools of the Trade -- Classic Stitches
M319	Envelope marked Copper Plates and Zincos catalogue 1930s and 1940s -- empty
M346	Envelope containing 346a and 346b
M33	Advert for Wrightson’s New Travelling Directory 1818	1818
M53	Card re Coronation 1953	1953
M62	Visit of British Association to Washford Mills Sept 1913	1913
M188	The Wild Barfield Journal Dec 1969 (furnaces)	1969
M238	Press cuttings 1950s and 1960s	1950
M317	Needlemakers Association Minutes 1968 – 1971	1968
M322	Association of Fish Hook Makers Minute Book 1946 – 1955	1946
M323	Export Group -- Minutes 1946 – 1955	1946
M325	The Needlemakers Association -- Formation 1947 Minutes 1946 – 1954	1946
M326	The Needlemakers Association -- List of members 1915	1915
M326	Redditch and district Needle & Fish hook Employers Assn -- Minutes 1915- 1919	1915
M327	Redditch and district Needle & Fish hook Employers Assn -- Minutes 1920 - 1940	1920
M335	Worshipful Company of Needlemakers -- scheme for prizes 1876	1876
M360	Press cuttings 1940s to 1963 – Milwards, Needle Industries, Studley, Arrow Works	1940
M372	Needle and Fish hook Manufacturers -- Minutes 1956 – 1959	1956
M391	Correspondence re fire at Central Works December 1977	1977
M392	Letter re visit of Queen Mother June 1981	1981
M394	Fire at Aero Needles Redditch Indicator 1979	1979
M406	Minutes of meetings of Needle Makers Assn 1964 re standardisation with German needle sizes	1964
M507	Association of Fish hook Makers -- Rules -- 1946	1946
M508	Needle Maker Association -- Rules -- 1946	1946
M509	Federation of Needle, Fish Hook and Fishing Tackle Makers -- Rules -- 1951	1951

Category Z: Miscellaneous not needle industry

Ref	Item Description	Date
1.2	Rent Roll of the estates of Rt Hons Worcester and Warwick for one year	1770
3.2	Letter regarding Sheldons 28/4/1989	1989
3.15	Glass phials picture	Undated
3.29	Newspaper cutting re Queen’s visit to Redditch	Undated
3.30	Presentation to the Queen -- 1983	1983
3.47	Poems by Lonie Kimmer Lowe 15/8/1877 (Copy)	1877
3.48	Poems by Lonie Kimmer Lowe 15/8/1877 (Original)	1877
4.4	Ballads of Old Birmingham and neighbourhood
4.10	Collections for the history of Worcester 1984	1984
4.14	Sir Ralph of Beoley -- Legend of Bosworth Field
4.19	Charles Henry Foyle Trust 1990	1990
4.20	Bordesley Abbey Dig 1994	1994
4.34	Info on local history sources in Redditch Library
4.49	Carnival Programme
4.54	Milward Tapestry article -- 3/7/1980	1980
5.3	Photo of Redditch Station decorated for visit of the Shh of Persia 12/7/1888	1888
5.9	Notes on Redditch Council matters 1960s	1860
5.10	Letter from Derek Baylis 11/4/1987 re Keith Johnson’s Political Atlas	1987
5.16	Song re loss of Titanic
5.28	The Leisure Hour 1896-7, Midland Sketches - Redditch	1896
5.39	Mavis Bennett -- singer
5.55	Agreement re Cottage Garden and premises in Banks Green, Upper Bentley 5/1/1939	1939
5.61	Redditch Carnival Souvenir Programme, 1954	1954
5.62	Paper hats for tradesmen
M69	Redditch Railway and Stourbridge & Kidderminster Banking Co -- Provisional agreement -- 1858	1858
M112	The Sphere 29/6/1963 -- L Hargreaves Beare as President of B’ham chamber of Commerce	1963
M113	Picture of Eden?
M131	Photo marked City of London
M136	Redditch –‘Welcome Home’ 27/9/1919	1919
M200	Agreement -- Prov Committee of the Redditch Rlwy and the Stourbridge and Kidderminster Banking Co 6/1/1858	1858
M318	Milward tapestry Correspondence
M331	Methodist Schools -- Redditch Indicator 24/12/1869	1869
M370	Papers concerning Royal visit, specialist needles -- mostly ex Redditch Indicator 1960s	1960

Abbreviations Used

HM and Sons = Henry Milward and Sons Ltd

If you wish to access the archives or obtain copies of documents, then please email the museum, addressing your enquiry to Jo-Ann Gloger, Keeper of Collections. Please note that there may be a small charge for photocopying.

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