The recently closed Oke’s Toy Warehouse and Ace Toy Supplies building was once the Cleckheaton spinning mill, which was relocated from Yorkshire in the UK to Shepparton in 1949. Many thanks to Mario Bettanin, Cleckheaton manager for 43 years, for sharing his scrapbook history with me.
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The Cleckheaton story (promotional flyer) 1949 to 1957
And here is the story of a little bit of Yorkshire transplanted to Victoria.
Eight years ago, a complete industrial unit — plant, executives and key workers — left Yorkshire and restarted production 12,000 miles away in a country town in Victoria, Australia. The firm making this bold move was Cleckheaton (Yorkshire) Ltd, a worsted spinning mill that took its title from the town of the same name near Bradford.
Its new home is Shepparton (population in 1949, 6000; today, 11,000), 112 miles north of Melbourne, a prosperous centre of a rich fruit-growing district. Thirty-one people, including seven complete families, made the long journey from Cleckheaton to Shepparton. The day after they landed in Melbourne, they watched the Premier of Victoria lay the foundation of their new mill.
Australian workmen worked round the clock to build the mill. Yorkshire engineers and key personnel installed the plant — about 400 tons in weight of textile machinery, packed in 300 huge wooden crates, that had crossed the oceans!
Expansions
Four months later, the first yarn from the mill, spun by experienced Yorkshire spinners side by side with the Australian girls whom they had trained, was on its way to the knitting factories. Cleckheaton has prospered — present staff numbers are 180, compared with 50 in the first year of production. Two major expansions were carried out in 1953 and 1956, while the third is now in progress — the installation of a complete spinning unit for processing synthetic fibres. Production is fully booked for months ahead, and further expansion in the near future is, says manager E. Burkill, “almost inevitable”.
Regular dividends have been paid, with last year’s dividend being 10 per cent on a capital issue of $135,000. A recent new issue was fully subscribed, giving additional capital of £77,000.
And the Yorkshire men and women who started a new life in Shepparton? All those who went to Australia in 1949 are still with Cleckheaton, although the firm had promised to pay their fares if they wished to return to England at the end of three years.
1959: We get the wrap-up on British TV from Harry Gordon
LONDON, THURSDAY. — Australia last night received one of its best boosts in years on British television. Millions of BBC viewers saw some Yorkshire migrants — now in Shepparton — being asked about their new homeland. One middle-aged woman migrant summed up her feelings: “It’s a beaut,” she said in the broadest Yorkshire tones. “I wouldn’t go home if you paid me.”
The migrants, who work for a woollen mill, were asked probing questions by the roving reporter, Alan Whicker. These were some of their responses:
• “Back home, we lived in a two-up-and-one-down apartment, crammed in next to the neighbours. Here we have a brand-new home with three bedrooms and a fine big garden.”
• “Australians aren’t as reserved as people back home. We’re always going to parties and meeting people.”
• “Our house is like a little palace compared to what we had at home.”
• “The pay rates here are roughly double what they are back home. Just look (with a wave at the road in the background) at all the new cars.”
• “There are no class differences. I go fishing and golfing with all sorts of people; a working man is one of the gang.”
What did they miss about Australia? One millhand thought for a long time and said: “Some good Yorkshire fish and chips. Apart from that — nothing.”
Progress since 1956
1956: Spinning mill opened at Tatura.
1960: Acquired Eaglev Mills Ltd.
1961 Formed Thomas Carr (Australia) Pty Ltd carpet yarn spinning jointly with English partners.
1962: Acquired Lincoln Mills (Australia) Ltd. Spinning mill opened at Mooroopna.
1964: Acquired Mutual Stores Holdings Ltd, a property group that was subsequently sold in 1973.
1966: Acquired Emu Wools (Australia) Pty Ltd. Hand-knitting yarn mill opened at Benalla.
1971: Acquired F. S. Falkiner group of grazing and stud Merino sheep properties in NSW and Queensland for $2.6 million. This move linked wool growing and manufacturing activities and launched Peppinella and Wanganella Australian Merino Wool fabrics in Australia and overseas.
1974: Plans announced for an expansion of carpet yarn spinning operations by jointly owned Thomas Carr (Australia) Pty Ltd. New factory premises built on Cleckheaton’s Benalla property.
1991: Cleckheaton became a subsidiary of Wangaratta Woollen Mills and was called Australian Country Spinners.
Circa 2000: Cleckheaton, Shepparton closed its doors.
Lost Shepparton Facebook memories:
Dorothea Caverzan
I worked there in the late 1970s and will always remember the friendly staff. Payroll was delivered by two security guards who arrived in a souped-up vehicle, and I heard Harry Breeze remark, “Here comes Starsky and Hutch”, in his very broad accent. I do remember Bevan and Michelle; they were so young and so nice.
David Carroll
Whenever I take my grandson there, I can still see the electrical work I helped install for Smith and Nelder in the 1960s. The main office entrance was from Lockwood Rd. I lived in Gilchrist St at the time, and on still nights, you could hear the factory, which worked 24 hours a day in three shifts — a great piece of Shepparton history, Cleckheaton. I have family in the UK who live in a town adjacent to Cleckheaton.
Meredith Kitto
My great-grandmother, Mrs Ellen Danson, owned the property that Cleckheaton was built on. Her house was next door. And my grandmother, Kathleen Higgins, worked there.
Maggie Jean
My grandparents, mother and auntie were part of the very first crew who came out from England!
Jayne Hatt
My dad was one of the original pioneers of Cleckheaton when it originated from Yorkshire, UK. My mum and sister also worked there to establish an amazing institution for Shepparton.
Margaret McNamara
My husband, Max, was a bobbin boy in 1955, age 14 years.
Pics of the past columnist