Artists Drawing of Grout's Silk Factory, Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth Museums
Notice showing the wages against peoples ages for male employees at Grout's
Great Yarmouth Museums
Notice showing the wages against peoples ages for female employees at Grout's
Great Yarmouth Museums
Information about Grout's Silk Factory
By Laura Matthews
Grout's silk factory was established in Great Yarmouth in 1815 and continued to provide employment for many local people until it closed in September 1972.
The mill was originally a barracks until 1814. The barrack master was Captain Manby, of breeches buoy fame!
The company employed people to weave and print the silk. During World War II they made silk parachutes for the air force. They used Jacquard looms, which were controlled by punch-cards, an early form of 'computerisation'.
The factory entrance was on St Nicholas Road; the site is now occupied by Sainsbury's supermarket. The public house opposite, which is now a chinese restauarant, was originally called The Silkmills, and the building behind it, I believe, was used to cultivate the silkmoth caterpillars which produced the silk.
GROUTS TIMELINE:
1795 A barracks was built in St Nicholas Rd on the site of a distillery, which was later to become Grouts Silk Factory.
1/7/1801 Nelson again landed at the Jetty and visited the Naval Hospital (later the site of Grouts' Factory.
1806 Grouts' first factory in Yarmouth was established on Northgate St, just inside the Town Wall in an old brewery owned by Mr Lee.
1815 Grouts' Textile Mill was established on the site of the old barracks on St Nicholas Rd, replacing the Northgate St site.
1818 Grouts built a five storey mill costing £7,000 on the new site.
1822 Grouts' Factory was further enlarged.
1823 Grouts' Factory was damaged by fire.
1825 Grouts' Factory was enlarged.
1829 Grouts built their own gasworks on their site off St Nicholas Rd.
5/7/1832 Grout & Co silk factory destroyed by fire, and replaced by a new building (The damage amounted to £12,000 and was uninsured).
1/2/1941 Grouts' Factory was partially destroyed by bombing.
1967 Grout and Co was renamed Pinehurst Textiles Ltd.
Sept 1972 Grouts moved from their St Nicholas Road site.
Aug 1975 Grouts moved into new premises at Harfreys Industrial Estate.
June 1996 Smith & Nephew's bandage making factory closed (formerly Grout & Co).