Site of Steam-Washing Factory

The Patent Steam-Washing Factory was built in 1824 behind Wandle Villa (125006). It is shown in two watercolours by Yates of 1825. The building was huge by the standards of Mitcham, described as being 214 feet by 61 feet. The industrial process of textile dying was becoming more chemical based resulting in need for more efficient washing processes. This is presumably the market that the factory was trying to corner however it may have had an additional function as experimentation with steam dye fixing was being tested as a new printing technique. However the textile printing market in the south was in depression with the mills of the north becoming more competitive and the Napoleonic war limiting export sales and so the factory was never successful. Attempts at diversification included stocking production and block printing but none of these ventures had any success. The factory finally burnt down in April 1848 and was not rebuilt.
The relationship with the nearby textile printing factory is unclear (125038). For a period James Moore owned both the properties but seems to have acted only as landlord.
Victorian Post Medieval Post Medieval

Metadata

ARIADNE ID
10389578
Original ID
1772120
Language
English
Resource type
Sites and monuments databases or inventories
Original Subject
  • WASHING SHOP
  • PRINTING WORKS
Dating
  • 1840 – 1848
  • 1824 – 1840
  • 1837 – 1900 , Victorian
  • 1540 – 1900 , Post Medieval
  • 1540 – 1900 , Post Medieval
Place
  • England [-0.182608, 51.406944]
Type
Dataset
Publisher
  • Archaeology Data Service [Organization]
Issued
Modified

Responsible persons and organisations

Contributor
  • National Trust [Organization]
Identifier
http://registry.ariadne-infrastructure.eu/dataset/10389578
Package ID
2858
Provider ID
1104

License information

Access Rights
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