Friday 13th February 2026  

Quorn Business and Industry

Up until the mid nineteen century most industry in the village was cottage based, primarily frame-work knitting. During the 1820s two hosiery factories were established and by the middle of the century Quorn had a sock and glove manufacturer (Websters) and a twist lace, silk net and cotton tatting factory (Balms), located where the Church Rooms are now. Wrights Mill, elastic webbing manufacturers, arrived in the village in 1860. By 1911 Wrights employed over 30% of the working population of Quorn and they are still present in the village today.

In addition to the factories, this section also contains information about the quarry, the railway and shops, all of which had an impact on village life.

		Ivy Rennocks – Wright’s Commanders Band, 1930s Faith Ivy Rennocks (known as Ivy) was born in 1916 and lived with her parents Arthur and ...... cont.
		The History of Quorn Gas Works, the Brinks, established 1854 There is little sign today of the Quorn Gas Works that were situated on the Brinks in ...... cont.
		Charles Clutsom – A life in the elastic webbing industry Charles Clutsom was born in Wales in 1886 after which the family moved to Norfolk and ...... cont.
		Memories of Outdoor Work for M W Wright & Sons by Marlene Bradshaw nee Lidierth Marlene Lidierth grew up in Quorn in the 1950s and lived with her family at 33 Castledine ...... cont.
		Station Road, Quorn, 1905 On the left is a very old cruck constructed building that was sadly demolished and ...... cont.
		Glass from the Pig and Whistle pub, Quorn This etched half pint glass (look carefully!) is thought to date from the 1940s or 1950s ...... cont.
		Apple Tree pub, Quorn The Apple Tree pub started as a beer house, probably in the 1870s. The first positive ...... cont.
		Facers Timber Yard, fire 1985 On 5th November 1985 there was a huge fire at Facer’s timber yard on Meeting Street and ...... cont.
		Frank Facer and The Hall on the Green, Quorn Harry Facer and his wife Ann moved to Quorn in the 1860s and had eleven children, so the ...... cont.
		White Hart, Quorn, matchbox label, 1980s This is a matchbox label, from a box of promotional matches, either given out or sold at ...... cont.
		Quorn Griswold Workers 1896 This item appeared in the newspaper in the second half of last century, but refers to ...... cont.
		Sale of Quorn Fields Farm 1933 Quorn Fields Farm was situated down a long track off Barrow Road, now known as Flesh ...... cont.
		Wright’s presentation watch, Miss Ellen Ball 1953 Ellen Ball, known as Nell or Nellie, was born in Quorn in 1888. She worked at Wright’s ...... cont.
		John Mellor Cars, Wood Lane, Quorn John Mellor Cars had premises in Loughborough and Quorn. The Quorn garage was on the ...... cont.
		M Wright and Sons, WW2, producing military webbing for the USA M Wright and Sons Ltd of Quorn produced American webbing alongside British military ...... cont.
		Two Crescent Hosiery Co. Ltd, Quorn Two Crescent Hosiery Co. Ltd was a hosiery company founded by George Farnham of Quorn ...... cont.
		A Barge from Cupitt’s Coal Wharf, Quorn; at Mountsorrel Wharf, 1908 Explaining the Pictures Photographs 1 and 2 were taken at Mountsorrel Wharf in ...... cont.
		Rural District of Barrow upon Soar - Official Guide This booklet ‘Rural District of Barrow upon Soar - Official Guide’ was published during ...... cont.
		Quorn Cross, early 1960s Although this view of Quorn looking from Meeting Street up towards Quorn Cross is easily ...... cont.
		Barrow on Soar and Quorn Midland Railway Station The old, now demolished, Midland Railway Station was very firmly in the Parish of Barrow ...... cont.
		The Manor House Hotel, Woodhouse Road, Quorn The Manor House Hotel on Woodhouse Road opened in 1899, the year after the opening of the ...... cont.
		Quorn Fields Farm History – The Hickling family and farm sale in 1974 Quorn Fields Farm was situated down a long track off Barrow Road, now known as Flesh ...... cont.
		Quorn Lodge Farm, 1952 The author of the following piece which appeared in the press in 1952, is describing a ...... cont.
		The Moss family in Quorn and Quorn Fields/Lodge Farm The milk bottle below was dug up from an old tip in Quorn and dates from the 1920s. It is ...... cont.
		Buddon Wood, Quorn, Trig Point, 1950s Before 1974, Buddon Wood in the south of Quorn Parish, off Wood Lane, was beautiful ...... cont.
		Bennett’s Trade Directory 1901-02 – Quorn entries Below is the Quorn section from Bennetts trade directory for Leicestershire for 1901/02. ...... cont.
		Bennett’s Trade Directory 1899 – Quorn entries Below is the Quorn section from Bennetts trade directory for Leicestershire for 1899. ...... cont.
		Wrights Directory 1899 – Quorn entries Trade directories are a valuable source of information for both the local and family ...... cont.
		Kelly's Directory 1899 – Quorndon entries Directories are a valuable source of information for both the local and family historian. ...... cont.
		Frederick Penfold, Quorn stonemason Frederick Richard Penfold was a stonemason who had his business in Quorn. He married ...... cont.
		Wrights Directory 1898 – Quorn entries Wrights Directory 1898 – Quorn entries Trade directories are a valuable source of ...... cont.
		George Gartshore (1830 to 1917), farrier to the Quorn Hunt This document relates to the payment of expenses to George Gartshore by his employer, ...... cont.
		Wright's Directory 1896 – Quorndon entries Trade directories are a valuable source of information for both the local and family ...... cont.
		Gambles building firm, 1950s Brothers Ron and Aubrey Gamble ran a building firm in Quorn, G Gamble and Sons, which was ...... cont.
		Adnett’s grocery shop, High Street, Quorn Ernest and Joan Adnett ran a grocery shop in Quorn, at what is now (2022) Ferrari’s ...... cont.
		Rex Bloore, Quorn – business card Rex Bloore was well known Quorn businessman in the 1960s and 1970s. His main business was ...... cont.
		Aylward and Son, electrical shop, High Street, Quorn Frederick and Elizabeth Aylward moved to Quorn in about 1935. They lived on Loughborough ...... cont.
		22 High Street, Quorn - discovery behind a wall! In September 2021, local optometrist Mohammed Bhojani was having some alterations ...... cont.
		Bull in the Hollow/Needless Inn The Bull in the Hollow is a well-known landmark, standing as it does on the main road ...... cont.
		Quorn, Hunt Class railway engine Over the years Quorn has given its name to many products; from ships to custard and ...... cont.
		A fete in Quorn, probably 1940s Quorn has always liked a good fete or celebration and it is thought that this one may ...... cont.
		Hilda and Mary Harper, Leicester Road, 27th May 1941 Looking down Leicester Road from outside no 14, which is roughly where the entrance to ...... cont.
		John Henry Boyer Warner, 2 September 1849 – 12 April 1891 JHB as he was known is remembered locally for selecting ‘Quorn’ as the name for a small ...... cont.
		King William IVth pub, Leicester Road, 1930s A rare coloured photograph of the King William IVth pub, which stood on Leicester Road, ...... cont.
		Harold Crossley, Quorn Fields Farm Harold Crossley was a hostler (ie he looked after the horses), employed by farmer Percy ...... cont.
		Three Quorn businessmen These three Quorn men are (left to right) Stan Orton, Tommy Howlett and Frank Hudson. ...... cont.
		The Quorn Ranch Company, North America Introduction The Quorn Ranch(e) Company was an English syndicate formed in 1886 ...... cont.
		A Quorn football team, circa 1919 This photograph is a football team taken in Quorn. The player on the back row, (second ...... cont.
		Marquees for M Wright and Sons Centenary 1960 Marquees on the field on School Lane, ready for the Wright’s centenary celebration event ...... cont.
		Medicine bottle from Green's chemist, Quorn This medicine bottle came from Green's chemist on High Street, which was situated where ...... cont.
		Alfred Charles Morrison of Quorn - Pioneer of the electric milk float A fascinating article about Alfred Morrison, a former village resident, who was an ...... cont.
		Machine shop at M. Wright and Sons, Quorn, early 1920s In the 1920s the machines were belt driven, feeding off overhead line-shafting. As well ...... cont.
		M. Wright and Sons factory, Quorn, approx 1880 Fifteen men standing outside M. Wright and Sons factory in about 1880, possibly a little ...... cont.
		Manor House Hotel, Quorn The Manor House Hotel on Woodhouse Road opposite the railway station, was built for the ...... cont.
		M Wright and Sons, Quorn - Centenary Celebration, 1960 - Programme M Wright and Sons, elastic webbing manufacturers, started in Leicester in 1860 and moved ...... cont.
		Thompson and Gamble, builders of the Cradock Drive housing development Who were Thompson and Gamble? Thompson and Gamble were a well-known ...... cont.
		The QUORN Tool and Cutter Grinder Since its launch in 1974, the Quorn Tool and Cutter Grinder has achieved legendary status ...... cont.
		12 Freehold Street, Quorn – Shop and Off-Licence The first of these photographs was taken in about 1909 and shows Joseph Birkin standing ...... cont.
		M Wright and Sons, Quorn – Winding Room Wright’s factory has been in Quorn since 1870. This photograph of the winding room is ...... cont.
		Robert Sutton, Quorn Family Butcher This photograph was taken on High Street in Quorn around 1920, and shows Robert and Gerty ...... cont.
		Air raid shelter in Quorn World War Two started in 1939 and continued for six years. During this time there was ...... cont.
		The Mill House pub, Quorn, ladies darts team, October 1947 Loughborough Echo, Friday, 17th October 1947 The Mill House pub was on Leicester Road, ...... cont.
		M Wright & Sons Ltd, New automatic weaving looms, January 1947 Loughborough Echo, Friday, 31st January 1947 Invention by Quorn man New ...... cont.
		A unique Quorn business - ships in bottles! One of the most unusual small businesses that Quorn has supported over the years, must be ...... cont.
		‘Quorna’ Tape, made by M. Wright and Sons of Quorn ‘Quorna’ was a brand name used by Wrights factory in Quorn in the early and middle parts ...... cont.
		Meeting Street, Quorn – Then and now The earlier of these two photographs is thought to have been taken in about 1911. The ...... cont.
		Thomas Cradock of Quorn Court Thomas Cradock was born in Loughborough in 1795. He married Mary Octavia Grover (known as ...... cont.
		Thomas Lucas, jeweller, Quorn - Watch paper Watch papers were round papers, placed between the inner and outer case of a pocket ...... cont.
		Video - Tom Long haymaking in his meadow, 1960s This converted cine film shows Tom Long making hay in his meadow in the early 1960s. The ...... cont.
		Blacksmiths shop, Meeting Street, Quorn, 1935 On Saturday 17th August 1935, The Illustrated Leicester Chronicle published this ...... cont.
		Home Farm and the Pepper Family Life in Quorn was very different in the 1900s, with many more farms in the village. One ...... cont.
		Ploughing prize, 1848, William Sarson, Quorn The wording on this impressive tankard says: “1st PRIZE for Ploughing Presented by ...... cont.
		Jackie Mann – Quorn farmer, Soar Road, early 1900s John Mann, or Jackie as he was known, was born in Barrow upon Soar in 1854. On 12th ...... cont.
		Charles Tomblin – killed near Quorn Station, September 1936 Charles Tomblin was born in Barrowden in Rutland on 14th April 1871, one of five ...... cont.
		C. A. Taylor, Tobacconist, Quorn This letterhead and business card was kindly given to Quorn Village Online Museum in ...... cont.
		Lloyd Eric Tomlyn, 1928 to 2016 – Memories of Quorn Lloyd Eric Tomlyn was born in Mountsorrel in 1928, the son of Eric Dudley Ernest Tomlyn ...... cont.
		Harvest at Home Farm, Quorn, early 1900s Thomas Pepper was born in 1883 in Long Whatton. He was married twice and had six children ...... cont.
		Quorn Laundry buildings Quorn Laundry was based on Barrow Road, where Quorndon Terrace is today. This photograph ...... cont.
		Quorn Hygienic Laundry basket This Quorn laundry basket (or hamper) was used by the Pagets from Nanpantan Hall in ...... cont.
		Masterbuilder construction set, made in Quorn 1940s This is definitely one of the more unusual Quorn artefacts that has come to ...... cont.
		Aerial view of Wright's factory and surrounding area - approx 1952 This aerial photograph was taken in the early 1950s, as evidenced by the size of the lime ...... cont.
		Postcard – Mountsorrel Quarry 1909 This postcard raises many questions! It may be asked how a Mountsorrel Quarry postcard ...... cont.
		WW1 Puttees! Made by M Wright and Sons This advert appeared regularly in the Tatler between 1917 and 1919. It is advertising ...... cont.
		Quorn cigarette tin, early 1900s This Quorn cigarette tin is very well worn and we think is a very rare find. Underneath ...... cont.
		Quorn meat substitute and our village – a connection or not? One question that people often ask is whether there is a connection between the name of ...... cont.
		Church Room fundraising fete, June 1929 In 1922 a committee was formed to raise funds for the building of a Church Room. Several ...... cont.
		Insurance plaques, Quorn Beginning in the 18th century, insurance fire plaques were attached high up on buildings, ...... cont.
		Bus on Leicester Road, Quorn, 1910 This fantastic photograph was taken on the east side of Leicester Road in 1910. The house ...... cont.
		Two buses at Quorn Cross, 1930 A very interesting street scene showing Quorn Cross in about 1930. Whilst the quality of ...... cont.
		Wright's Factory, weaving room 1923/24 One of the elastic weaving rooms at Wright's factory, Quorn in 1923 or 1924. The ...... cont.
		Tommy Allen 1911 to 1996 Thomas William Allen was born on 30th April 1911 at 46 Meeting Street and lived in Quorn ...... cont.
		High Street, Quorn in the 1950s Two photographs of High Street, Quorn, looking towards Quorn Cross, in the 1950s, showing ...... cont.
		William Wilders – Carrier of Quorn William Wilders was born in Quorn in 1838 and died in 1893. We are lucky to have this ...... cont.
		Quorn Building Society Quorn Building Society, or as it was originally known, the Quorndon and Neighbourhood ...... cont.
		Wrights Factory Rules, 1946 The poster below hung in Wrights factory on Leicester Road for many years. It dates back ...... cont.
		Soar Valley News, April 1977 The Soar Valley News was a four page, black and white community newspaper/newsletter type ...... cont.
		Deer roaming around the White Horse in Quorn! 1988 During road works near the White Horse pub in Quorn in 1988, ancient deer bones were ...... cont.
		Howlett’s Bus Company, Quorn This is a Bedford OWB Duple bus, registration number DAY137, built during WW2. Howlett’s ...... cont.
		Vena Grain, 1895 to 1989. Oral history interview from 1985 Vena Grain was born in Leicester on 21st February 1895, and the family moved to Quorn in ...... cont.
		The Mill House Inn, Leicester Road, Quorn, early 1900s To the left of the archway is the Mill House Inn, which at this time was run by Silas ...... cont.

Total: 358 artefacts returned over 4 pages

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