Hastings Hosiery Mills, 1946 - 1965

OBJECT TITLE / NAME

Hastings Hosiery Mills, 1946 - 1965

DATE1946 to 1965

MEDIAArchive

COLLECTIONHastings-Western Port Historical Society

REG NO.A141.36

HISTORY

The Hosiery Mills was built in 1946 by P. J. Gaskin on the south-eastern corner of Victoria and Church Streets, Hastings. At first it employed five people, but this was later expanded to fourteen. The factory made premium socks and hosiery with five knitting machines, and by 1960 was manufacturing 35,000 dozen pairs of hosiery annually with eighteen staff. In June 1954 the factory was damaged by fire, but was rebuilt and continued until 1965, when it was closed.

DESCRIPTION

The collection consists of: 2 empty invoice books; 1 instruction manual for Autoswift model EL knitting machine; 1 Autoswift model B instruction manual; 3 copies of Autoswift model E instruction manual; 1 Autoswift Model E catalogue of parts, rev. 1953, published by Wildt & Co. Ltd., Leicester, England; Autoswift models L & B illustrated parts catalogue; catalogue of parts and instructions for high splicing and rubber attachments; 1 Autoswift model DW double feed half hose sock machine operating instructions; 10 advertising brochures; 6 sheets of plans; sock samples

SUBJECTS

Factories, Knitting mills, Mills

KEYWORDS

Gaskin, P. J, Hastings, Hastings Hosiery Mills, Wildt & Co. Ltd.