The Calico Printers' Association Ltd was a British textile company founded in 1899, from the amalgamation of 46 textile printing companies and 13 textile merchants. The industry had prospered in the latter half of the 19th century but the fierce competition led to a decline in quality and profit margins. Most of the leading companies in the industry decided to amalgamate in order "to preserve the tradition and standing of calico printing and to produce textiles of a high standard at reasonable prices." The company at its inception accounted for over 80% of Britain’s output of
printed cloth.
[Calico Printers’ Association Limited (1949) ''50 Years of Calico Printing'']
The Calico Printers' Association Limited was incorporated on 8 November 1899 with an issued share capital of £8,200,000, consisting of £5,000,000 share capital and £3,200,000 of debenture stock. Under the chairmanship of F. F. Grafton, the company established its first head office at 2 Charlotte Street, Manchester, before moving to more suitable premises at 56
Mosley Street
Mosley Street is a street in Manchester, England. It runs between its junction with Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street to St Peter's Square. Beyond St Peter's Square it becomes Lower Mosley Street. It is the location of several Grade II and ...
. In 1912, a new head office, the magnificent
St James's Buildings was completed on
Oxford Street, Manchester.
Companies involved in the merger included:
* F. W. Ashton & Co, Newton Bank Works,
Hyde
* Bradshaw, Hammond & Co
* James Black & Co, Dalmonach Works,
Bonhill
Bonhill (; ) is a town in the Vale of Leven area of West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It is sited on the Eastern bank of the River Leven, Dunbartonshire, River Leven, on the opposite bank from the larger town of Alexandria, Scotland, Alexandria.
...
* Thornliebank Co Ltd
* John H. Gartside & Co
* F. W. Grafton & Co
* Hayfield Printing Company Ltd
* Hewit & Wingate Ltd
* Thomas Hoyle and Sons
* Edmund Potter & Co
* Rossendale Printing Company Ltd,
Loveclough
* Salis Schwabe & Co
*
Strines Printing Company Ltd
* Whalley Abbey Printing Company Ltd
* Allan Arthur, Fletcher & Co
* Bayley and Craven Ltd
* Bingswood Printing Company Ltd
* R. Dalglish, Falconer & Co
* Inglis & Wakefield Ltd
* A. R. Macgregor & Co
Later history
In 1941,
polyethylene terephthalate
Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibre, fibres for clothing, packaging, conta ...
was discovered in the research laboratories of the Calico Printers' Association. The new polymer was later developed into the synthetic textile fibre Terylene by
ICI.
During the second World War the Calico Printer's Association produced cloth insignia for the armed forces of the UK and other Commonwealth countries like Canada. This was an economical measure to replace melton wool normally used in military insignia production.
The Calico Printers' Association acquired the assets of the United Turkey Red Company Ltd in 1960.
In 1968, the Calico Printers' Association merged with the
English Sewing Cotton Company
Bagley & Wright was a Spinning (textiles), spinning, doubling and weaving company based in Oldham, Lancashire, England. The business, which was active from 1867 until 1924, 'caught the wave' of the cotton-boom that existed following the end of th ...
to form English Calico Ltd, which changed its name to
Tootal Ltd in 1973.
References
External links
Carrbrookvillage.users.btopenworld.com*
{{Authority control
Textile companies of the United Kingdom
Manufacturing companies based in Manchester
Manufacturing companies established in 1899
Defunct companies based in Manchester
Defunct textile companies of the United Kingdom
1899 establishments in England
Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1968
1968 disestablishments in England