Report - G R Bodycote Ltd, Hinckley

[dweeb]

Hinckley was once the hub of Britain's hosiery trade. The stocking frame was invented there, and th whole town grew up around the manufacture and dying of Stockings, tights and socks.

My UE career was born through going in these works as they were demolished. In 2009 there is only one company still manufacturing stockings (well, thights), and only a handful of factories standing. The few that remain are to be demolished this year, leaving only one or two converted, not really showing the impact the trade had on the town.

Bodycote was one of the smaller works. It closed some time in the 1990's, but the building was used for a while to store and pack garments made in India. Demolition has started, creating an entry point.

I was shocked to see knitting machines still in place, very old ones too. I thought the whole works had been stripped! As I was taking pictures I heard some noise for inside. A shady fella emerged from around the corner, with a basket full of copper. I had a chat with him, he was ok really, for thieving scum. I even managed to convince him to give me the brass plate from the front of the works out of his plunder... well I thought better I have it than the melting pot, eh?!

A couple of externals from before demo started, and one from today...

 

[dweeb]

they're some of the weirdest machines ive ever seen!

I was lucky enough to see them working at Hinckley's last hosiery works. I'm a maintenance engineer by trade, and understand machines pretty well, but these are so complicated that you look at them and wonder how the hell anyone ever invented or made them! Thread flying about everywhere!