I am looking for the names of firms who were operating in the Huddersfield area in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. What they made and where they were located would also be useful. It is for an event that will be held in the main library on Wednesday 11th March, one which will also include a fair amount of talk about rugby league as well and one to which all Giants fans will be invited and may find quite interesting, particularly if they had been around in the post war period.
More details later.

David Brown Gears. (tractor parts / Tank parts during the ol' war) (Lockwood)
Hopkinsons (Engineers) (Birkby)

ICI

and of course, Hanson International.

Standard Fireworks?

Holset engineering i think near lockwood or could have been near ICI. a very big company

LB Hollidays chemical factory used to make dye's i think recruited a lot of immigrant workers particularly west indians in the 50s because english people would not do the jobs.
My dad and uncle used to say that they were quite easy to spot as they came out of work coompletely blue or red depending on the colour of the day.
My dad who was a very hardworker ( nicnamed the human Jcb) was in awe of a lot of the immigrant workers because they were very hardworking ( He was less than complimentary about many of the english he worked with).. on days when he had worked really hard he used to come home and say, I have worked like a N***** today. fairly prejudicial but actually said with a lot of respect.

Do you mean just manufacturing firms as opposed to retail outlets?

Learoyds on Leeds Road made the best worsted in the world. They owned the land on the other side of Leeds Road where they had 2 tennis courts. And they refused to sell the valuable development land because the mill name could be seen from the railway line.

There were too many mills to mention.

Holmes Holset - engineering.

Yes, Standard Fireworkds.

William[? Robinsons - dye-makers.

David Brown Tractors [Meltham. [Remember the Aston Martin DBsomething? It appeared in a Bond film & was made on St Andrews Road close to where Holsets was. The 'DB' was 'David Brown' when he owned Aston Martin.

More later, perhaps.

Johnsons Quarries [Crosland Hill.

Brook Motors (also known as Brook Crompton) St Thomas' Road manufacturer of electric motors - employed about 1000 when I started in 1985. I think they set up about 1907 and also had a site at Honley.

Holmeses was W.C.Holmes at Turnbridge

There was also the big Yorkshire Eclecticity Board site at Lindley

The Gas Board was a bigger concern in the 50's & 60's and had a small tank engine that used to take coal wagons from Newtown Goods through the streets to the site where the gas holder is.

I'm sure I'll think of more later...

Do you mean James Robinsons? down on Leeds Road? My father worked there after he got sacked from LB Hollidays.

Ben Shaws soft drinks.

It was James Robinson & Co Limited. They still trade though there offices are now in the ICI/Zeneca/Syngenta building on Leeds Road.

Plus Heywood Williams of Birkby

Mitre Sports who used to be the official suppliers odf Balls to the RFL

TW Broadbent Electrical Contractors who put all the lights on the M62 and put up the new floodlights at Leeds Road

Brook Motors (electric motors) between Lockwood & Longroyd Bridge
Broadbents (textile machinery, I think) just outside town centre
Reliance Gears (gears) Fenay Bridge/Lepton

David Brown Tractors at Meltham was just about the biggest employer in the Huddersfield are in that time. I think that ICI were the biggest followed by DB Tractors and then the rest.

Useless fact No. 23543 - Broadbents made some miniature submarines during World War 2...I suppose it's a bit before the dates you were after though

Also worked on Emley Moor mast (including the one that collapsed) and Dinorwic hydroelectric power station. My father, 2 brothers , uncle & cousin all worked for TWB.

yup, my Gandad worked for them.

Hollidays also were sponsors of one of the oldest RL competitions in the world, the Holliday Cup (which I think is now on display at the George)

ben Shaws a Birkby. Still there but less staff as i now drink less cream soda with my fish and chips



Was there not a big pickle company something like Haywards pickles as well

Ben Shaws is no longer Ben Shaws, Schweppes bought them a few years back and now jut use it for mineral water, Ben Shaws is now made "somewhere else" by a different company, not sure where or who, but I will buy some this weekend just to find out you see (Yellow Lemonade, best pop in the land)

Haywards pickles, by royal appointment no less, on Wakefield Road between moldgreen and aspley.

You can buy Ben Shaws on the special "Local shelves" in Asda.
TBH, the Yellow Lemonade isn't the same; there's something missing. The Cream Soda is though.

I don't think they make it at Birkby/Fartown any more. That factory does spring water now IIRC.

Coincidently, its Shaws pickles isn't it, not Haywards?

And, continuing on the Shaw theme, Bentley Shaw brewery at Lockwood park which then became part of Bass.

Sellers Engineers down Chapel Hill - Textile Machinery.

Thornton & Ross (healthcare & domestic products) Linthwaite
English Drilling Equipment Company (EDECO) Ainley Top

Makers of Transvasin!

It may not smell as nice as Deep Heat but it does a far better job!

Slaithwaite-based yarn spinner Globe Worsted Co Ltd www.slaithwaite.net/page2.html

Slaithwaite-based yarn spinner Globe Worsted Co Ltd www.slaithwaite.net/page2.html

And what about Metrodent on Chancery Lane in the town centre (behind Wheatley Dysons) - makers of false teeth!! (My late dad worked there)

Also numerous mills, such as the one just before Earnshaws bike shop on Manchester Road, Haighs?? (not sure of the name)

Sellers engineers at Longroyd Bridge