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Grout's Silk Factory

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).

This page was added by Laura Matthews on 18/06/2007.

Comments about this page

My brother,David Steadman started as an engineer at Grouts and finished up as Chief Engineer,he still has one or two contacts from his work mates. My brother is now over the 80's.

By Ivor Steadman
On 12/05/2008

My mother Irene Joan Lock born 1920 went to work at Grouts as a dyer when she was 14. She later became an invisable mender and I am donating her mending items to The Time and Tide museum.

By Kay Chapman
On 07/11/2008

Does anyone know if any staff records exist for Grouts? My great-grandmother (Harriet Leach/ Baldwin / Davey) worked there in 1911 as did her daughter (Ethel Leach / Baldwin / Davey). Would love to know more.

By Daryll
On 23/02/2009

My grandfather John Dallimore was night watchman at Grouts from about 1918 then was the gate house keeper living in the gatehouse with his family until his death in 1924.
Does anyone have any knowledge of him or pictures.

By Paul Dallimore
On 30/03/2009

Both my Mother and my Aunt worked at Grouts in the 1930s and 40s.Irma and Honor Baker.Do any records of employees still exist?

By Valerie Clare
On 30/11/2009

I believe my family worked at Grouts in 1871, Frederick and Margaret Hewitt. Would appreciate knowing of any employee records also.

By Paul Taylor
On 04/03/2010

I worked at Grout & Company until closure in 1996. I thought all records etc were sent to Norwich Library Archives but I am not sure if these were destroyed when there was a fire in Norwich Library.

By Glynis Barney
On 14/06/2010

Does anyone know what shops if any were in silk mill roadmgreat yarmouth in the past?

By julie reader
On 28/07/2010

My Mum (Molly Terrell) worked at Grout's until 1943 when she left Yarmouth after her mother (Rosa Terrell)was killed as a result of a German bombing raid. She still has the letters of reference provided by Grout's.

By Chris East
On 28/07/2010