Pilling & Madeley

Allgemeines

NamePilling & Madeley
OrtssitzPhiladelphia (Penns.)
StraßeTrenton Avenue
Art des UnternehmensStrickwarenfabrik
AnmerkungenLage: Trenton Avenue, Fox Street und Huntingdon Street (Südwest-Ecke). Eigentümer: Robert Pilling & Richard Madeley. Herstellung von Strickwaren aus Baumwollgarn, manchmal Wollgarn.
Quellenangaben[Hexamer General Surveys, Plate 2461 (1891)] [Philadelphia and popular Philadelphians (1891) 193]




Unternehmensgeschichte

Zeit Ereignis
Okt. 1865 Gründung durch Thomas und Joshua Madeley
1867 Tod von Thomas Madeley
1867 Nach dem Tod von Thomas Madeley nimmt Joshua seinen Schwager Robert Pilling, einen armen Baumwollspinner aus Staleybridge bei Manchester, als Teilhaber auf. Umfirmierung in "Joshua Madeley & Co."
1871 Umzug zur 316 Ella Street
1875 Errichtung der Gebäude an der Trenton Avenue
Juni 1875 Es fällt der Entschluß, eine eigene Fabrik zu bauen
1877 Joshua Madeley zieht sich aus dem Unternehmen zurück. Die Witwe von Thomas Madeley und Robert Pilling firmieren seitdem unter "Pilling & Madeley"
1879 Erweiterung der Hauptgebäude an der Trenton Avenue
1880 Bau des Bürogebäudes
1881 Aufstockung der Hauptgebäude an der Trenton Avenue
Juli 1884 Die Witwe von Thomas Madeley verläßt das Unternehmen, und ihr Sohn, Richard Medeley übernimmt ihren Anteil
1887 Bau des Maschinen- und Lagerhauses an der East Huntingdon Street
1889 Bau des Kesselhauses
1891 Bau der Kantine und des Lager- und Trockengebäudes an der Fox Street
1891 Erweiterung des Kesselhauses
1891 Bau der Nr. 3 Mill




Produkte

Produkt ab Bem. bis Bem. Kommentar
Strickwaren 1891 [Hexamer] 1891 [Hexamer]  




Betriebene Dampfmaschinen

Bezeichnung Bauzeit Hersteller
Dampfmaschine vor 1891 unbekannt
Dampfmaschine vor 1891 unbekannt




Maschinelle Ausstattung

Zeit Objekt Anz. Betriebsteil Hersteller Kennwert Wert [...] Beschreibung Verwendung
1891 Dampfkessel 4   unbekannt          




Personal

Zeit gesamt Arbeiter Angest. Lehrl. männl. weibl. Kommentar
1891 750           750 - 800 Arbeiter (40-50 Männer, 75 Jungen, Rest Mädchen)




Allgemeines

ZEIT1891
THEMABeschreibung
TEXTA fitting monument to the memory of honest, industrious and persevering men who have risen to affluence from the most humlile beginnings is to be seen in the great knitting mills of Pilling & Madeley, at the corner of East Huntingdon street and Trenton avenue. This enormous industry which gives work and sustenance to 800 men and women, was started in October, 1865, by Thomas and Joshua Madeley, who came to this country from Oldham, England, and who began the manufacture of hosiery, on the old fashioned system, in a small room in Beatty's mills at the corner of Coral and Adams streets. The young manufacturers prospered from the commencement and increasing business compelled them to move to larger quarters at the corner of Amber and Dauphin streets. Here the business was carried on until 1871, when another change was made to No. 316 Ella street. In June, 1875, the industry had assumed such proportions that the Messrs. Madeley determined to build a mill for themselves. They accordingly purchased a plot of land at the corner of Huntingdon street and Trenton avenue, and they built what was then considered a large factory. In 1879 an extension was added and in 1881 two stories were added to the original buildings. In 1887 No. 2 mill was erected, and in 1891 No. 3 mill, another large building, still further increased the establishment, and at the present time the mills cover an area of half a square and are among the largest in the city. The firm remained in the hands of Thomas and Joshua Madeley until 1867, when Thomas Madeley died and Joshua took his brother-in-law, Robert Pilling, a poor cotton spinner from Staleybridge near Manchester, England, into partnership, the title of the firm being changed to Joshua Madeley & Co. In October, 1877, Joshua Madeley retired, a wealthy man, and Thomas Madeley's widow and Robert Pilling formed the firm of Pilling & Madeley. Mrs. Madeley went out in July, 1884, and Richard Madeley, her son, was given an interest in the business. The firm now being Robert Pilling and Richard Madeley. In 1865, when the Madeleys started, the plan of manufacturing was very primitive, and the class of goods was confined to men's brown and mixed half hose. In 1883 the industry was extended and the changes in manufacture necessitated an entirely new plant with special machinery. The firm then started a specialty in the manufacture of ribbed knitted goods for women and children, which branch of business they have brought to great perfection and they have almost a monopoly in this country. Again when seamless socks and stockings became the fashion another change of machinery became imperative, and an outlay of 250.000 was made in the purchase of the best machines for the manufacture of the new class of goods. In 1886 the firm took up
another specialty in Jersey ribbed underwear, and they have also advanced that industry to marvellous proportions. Four years ago they took up the dyeing branch of the business, and they erected a large dye-house and employed hundreds of work-people. Thus from the very modest inception in one room at the corner of Coral and Adams streets, has arisen one of Philadelphia's largest factories which adds to the importance of a great city and gives employment and prosperty to nearly one thousand hands. The wages paid at the commencement hardly reached 100 a week, including the salaries of the two partners, and now the average wages paid annually reach ever 200.000. The sales aggregate 750.000 a year,
and the yarn used is about one million pounds every year. A walk over the present great factory of Pilling & Madeley is in itself an education. Nearly everything is done by machinery and the human hands simply act as feeders to the mechanical automatons. Wherever labor can be saved and time gained it is done, and the order and regularity is like that of a great army in which the most perfect discipline is required to maintain system and obedience. In one room alone 250 girls and women are employed in working the machines for the manufacture of seamless stockings and the goods seem to materialize from the clicking needles of the machines and the busy hands of the operatives as if by magic.
Even the great elevators in the factory work automatically, just a touch of a rope and the machine goes up or down at will and the gates at each floor rise or fall without being touched by a living hand and as if moved by an unseen spirit. All this has been achieved by the industry of three poor English cotton spinners.
QUELLE[Philadelphia and popular Philadelphians (1891) 193]