End of era for woolen industry
Questionable investment and changing market led to end of local outlet in 1979
(The last of a three-part series on the history of the Whitaker woolen mills in Peterborough.)
During a visit to Canada in November 1958, Basil Whitaker bought the combing machinery from Forbes Mill in Hespeler and it was set up in the Auburn mill. Whitakers in Peterborough would now produce tops that had been combed from Canadian domestic wools. A scouring machine was operating by March 1959, and carding and combing machinery shortly after.
HISTORIAN AT WORK
David Whitaker visited Peterborough in June 1959. In later years he was very critical of this move and wrote, “… we somehow, I don’t quite remember how, decided to create a wool-combing plant for Canadian wools which had hosiery properties. It must have been pressure from Ken Roberts, the manager of the day. On one of my very occasional visits to Peterborough I was told that there was a blockage in the carding area of the production line – something I had to take on board, knowing nothing of wool combing. The result was that we bought an expensive FOR carding machine from Italy to alleviate the problem. The question we should have asked was what future was there for a combing operation in Canada and would there be sustained demand?” He felt the situation improved when Michael Whitaker spent more time in Canada.
TWO LOCAL BUSINESSES
By the 1960s, then, according to David Whitaker, Whitakers was running two businesses in Peterborough. They were one of only two companies collecting Canadian wool clips, and that mainly from Alberta and Saskatchewan. The company was also selling wool tops – rolls of wool that could be processed into yarn – to the worsted spinners and wool to the woolen spinners and manufacturers. Michael Whitaker was put in charge of Canadian operations, but arranged for others to visit Peterborough and see operations first hand.
By the mid-1960s, the Whitaker family believed that wool was being handled eight times between buying at auction and reaching the dock. And there was no chance for profit at an in-between step. In Bradford area, they consolidated the steps in a warehouse and two mill houses previously used by a worsted manufacturer.
In the late 1960s, the Bradford textile industry faced poor trading years. The amount of wool used in topmaking declined by a third. In four years, 1965 to 1969, the number of combing machines declined by 25%. Many topmaking companies went out of business because tops could not demand prices that covered the costs of raw material and processing. In December 1967, Whitakers decided to close its American operation because it was not meeting its business targets. In February 1968, Michael Whitaker flew to Canada to investigate declining sales and increasing losses. He went again in June to reorganize the Peterborough operations. Whitakers moved into property development at this time, too. In 1965 the family opened its first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise in England after discussing possibilities with David Foster in Peterborough. In 1967 the company began using management accounts that allowed them to see the flow of capital week by week and month by month. Management consultants were great tools in making decisions about downsizing.
In July 1969, Whitakers tried to sell the Peterborough operations to Hart Wool (Bradford) Ltd., which said it might be interested in two years. Michael Whitaker recommended closing the wool combing operations in Canada.
The Peterborough Examiner, November 22, 1969, reported that “Canada’s Only ‘Top Makers’ Close, Leaving 50 Jobless in Peterborough.” It defined “tops” as “rolls of prepared wool fibre, ready to be spun into yarn.” Michael Whitaker attributed the closing to the drop in wool production in Canada. “The company produced about a million pounds of wool tops a year in a market that buys 20 million – one of the biggest tops markets in the world – but the raw wool just isn’t available in Canada.” Wool production in Canada had dropped to about 3,000,000 pounds a year from a high of 14,000,000. Whitakers was buying about 100,000 pounds a year from Ontario producers. Grease and dirt accounted for half the weight of unprocessed wool. Whitakers was buying wool in nine countries and selling in twenty.
NO TAKERS ON SALE
The Examiner reported, “The tops-making operation began in 1958, using some machinery bought from other tops-makers who closed down.” Whitaker said the local merchant operation would continue roughly as before 1958. Whitakers had tried to sell the Peterborough operation to other international wool dealers. Production costs were twice as high in Canada, which also had no protective tariff, whereas most countries dealing in wool did. He felt the cost differential could be covered when domestic wool was plentiful. He said six of the employees had skills that took several years of training to develop, but most workers learned their jobs in two weeks or so. There was no obvious place for the workers to go, but Whitakers would try to find employment for those who were displaced.
The Canadian mill was well-maintained and had fairly modern equipment. Whitakers updated the steam-raising plant and added a more modern boiler. They eventually sold some of the material to other plants.
WORKERS ON THE STREET
Some of those who lost their jobs included long-term employees. Harry Willis (d1969), who began as a clerk and ended as office manager. Archie Hamilton and his brother Sam were respectively Warehouse Foreman and Scouring Foreman. Donald Mackey, an accountant, had served with the Auburn Realty Co. Bob Healey was the machinery manager. Harold Haigh, Paul Harding and Jack Wild had been long-time wool sorters. Ken Roberts, a Bradford-trained woolman, was assistant manager from 1953 until he left the company over a disagreement with the Whitakers board in April 1964.
Ken Hanbidge headed the small group that remained after the combing operations ceased. Whitakers contin-
By the mid-1960s, the Whitaker family believed that wool was being handled eight times between buying at auction and reaching the dock. And there was no chance for profit at an in-between step.”
ued “to maintain wool collection and grading, scouring and sales to Warwick Woollen (the main customer) and sale for G. H. Michel on a commission basis.” Before long, Whitakers began processing “waste nylon and polyester into staple fibre.” Gordon Monkman, back in 1952, had thought the wear on machinery would make synthetic fibres less desirable than wool. The operations soon moved to Kingston where waste fibres were available from Dupont.
In 1979, the final steps were taken. Whitakers were holding meetings as early as March 1977 to review the Canadian situation. Wool textile production was in serious decline, hit hard by cheap imports from Asia. Whitakers leased the machinery in Peterborough to Andola Fibres Ltd. and refurbished an unused scourer from Peterborough in England, which was then sold to a West Yorkshire firm, Firth Furnishings Ltd. In October 1980, Whitakers sold some Auburn property between the railway and Armour Rd. to Auburn Gospel Chapel for $235,000. Later, the company sold most of the land between the railway and the river for $250,000. Whitakers’ Canadian operation ceased trading at the end of November, 1983, and the Whitaker good will was passed on to Ken Hanbidge, which was G. H. Michell agency and MMF Trading.
NO LONGER #1
Whitakers was in the 1950s the largest wool merchant in Bradford, but was surpassed by several companies in the next 20 years. Reading Mark Keighley’s history, clearly Whitakers was a three-generation family business that beamed with confidence in each generation. The history is fascinating partly because family history is woven into company history. As well, the members of the family often took risks, never lost their characteristic confidence in what could be accomplished and presided over a varied business landscape. Peterborough was marginal to the company’s operations, especially in the later years. But within the Canadian wool scene the Peterborough base was highly regarded and always significant.
Today a condominium development sits on the former riverside site, and the Whitaker name survives with the local street and in the name of the condominiums. The name “Auburn Mills” has not survived, but the use of Auburn is ubiquitous in the area. The name was given to all the area north of Parkhill when Thomas A. and Frances Stewart settled there in 1822.
(The book on the history of Whitakers has been very UsefUl in developing the wider Universe of Whitakers in Peterborough: Mark Keighley, Whitakers and Wool (PUblished by Wood PUblishing, Grove HoUse, 12 Riddings Road, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, 2012 ISBN 978-0-9555993-2-3). Direct qUotes not otherwise noted have come from this book. Cy Monkman has talked to me often aboUt the history of Whitakers. In addition to providing pertinent information to Mark Keighley, Cy has lent me docUments and photographs and this has helped me fill important gaps.) Elwood Jones, Professor Emeritus of History at Trent university, is the archivist, Trent Valley Archives, 567 Carnegie Avenue, 745-4404, and editor of the Heritage Gazette of the Trent Valley. He can be reached at ejones55@cogeco.ca