INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE
Frome has had a variety of industries over the years. As one of the main woollen cloth centres during the late mediaeval period, Frome relied on the abundant water available to power many local mills producing cloth for export. There were several metal foundries in Frome, some still exist, and lots of breweries making good use of the hard water in the area to produce beer. Frome is well known in the printing trade and, since the last war, for dairy products.
J W SINGER & SONS - Local man, Joseph Singer, started a small foundry producing brass candlesticks, crucifixes, bookstands etc., for churches and progressed to bronze statuary and even shell cases during WW1.
BOADICEA - CHARLIE ROBBINS - Just two of the many well-known items produced by Singers. Boadicea on her chariot sits opposite the House of Commons in London and Singer’s employee, Charlie Robbins, was the model for this WW1 soldier standing proudly outside the Memorial Theatre in Frome.
BESWICKS - Founded by Kenneth & Bob Beswick the company relocated to Frome from Essex, at the request of the Air Ministry in 1939. They produced specialist fuses for the car and aviation industry and became one of Frome's largest employers.
BESWICKS WORKFORCE - After the war Beswicks became the largest manufacturer of the domestic fuse, with their trademark Alert or Bussmann seen on each one.
BESWICKS WORKFORCE - Modern equipment in the workplace but changing financial markets saw the factory close in 1999 when the business transferred to China.
BUTLER & TANNER SELWOOD PRINTING WORKS - A Mr Butler relocated his Frome town centre printing works to Selwood Road and about 1857 Joseph Tanner was taken on as partner. By 1892 they were employing between 400 and 500 people.
BUTLER & TANNER PRINTING WORKS - Eventually, due to lack of space, Butler & Tanner Printing Works moved to Adderwell. This photo shows the Binding Shop.
BUTLER & TANNER PRINTING WORKS - This photo shows some early printing machines. Although flourishing until 2007, the company was taken over in 2008 and continued for a few more years before closing.
NOTTS INDUSTRIES - J H Nott & Sons Ltd of Swansea bought the old Silk Mill in 1923. They developed and manufactured Carley Life Floats. They also made car components in the 1950s & 60s in their up-to-date toolroom.
NOTTS INDUSTRIES - This photo shows one of the Carley Life Floats which saved many lives at sea during WW2.
WALLBRIDGE FACTORY - Alfred Tucker set up manufacturing cloth and expanding the Wallbridge factory from about 1870 and survived until 1965.
WALLBRIDGE FACTORY - Alfred Tucker employees checking the manufactured cloth after being woven.
STAPLEMEAD CREAMERY - A few days before the outbreak of WW2 the head office of Express Dairies in London was re-located to Frome at Old Ford.
STAPLEMEAD CREAMERY - Since then, Express Dairies has become a subsidiary of Dairy Crest and is still thriving as Andros Foods Company.
THE LAMB BREWERY - This section of the old Lamb Brewery has been converted into flats. The main factory built in 1858 but now demolished, was on the traffic island, seen here in the foreground.
THE LAMB SYMBOL - The lamb was used as a trademark for the brewery but the image changed over the years becoming much more playful.