Lepton

Firework Companies

Jessop's and Kilner's

The former site of Jessop's firework factory near Rowley Hill Club is pictured.

Allen Jessop was the first man to develop a fireworks business in Lepton. He was born on 16th September 1822 in Lepton to Joseph and Martha Jessop, and by 1851 was married and working as a fancy handloom weaver in Greenland, Lepton. By 1861 he had a family of four sons and a daughter and had become a coal miner, and learnt about explosives as part of this job. He began experimenting with squibs just as a hobby at first. Later, he and his wife began selling the fireworks from a basket, door to door, particularly in the weeks leading up to bonfire night in November. By 1871 he was living at Rowley Hill and being described as a firework manufacturer whilst his wife, Sarah, is said to be a firework maker. In May 1873 Allen was fined £2 plus costs after appearing at Huddersfield Police Court charged with having 2,600 pounds of explosives in his own home, less than 20 yards from his other workshops. Here he had another 600 pounds of gunpowder when he should have only had 20 pounds. He already employed 15 girls by this time. That same year, 1873, he applied for a licence to make and sell fireworks at the roadside in Dalton.

The Explosives Act of 1873 meant making fireworks could no longer be a cottage industry, so he set up a fireworks factory, Messrs Allen Jessop & Sons at Rowley which was licensed on 30th October 1876. His rival Bob Shaw's factory was very nearby. Despite the various companies setting up factories in Lepton, much of the work continued to be done by the women and girls of the village in their own homes and this practice continued until the closure of "Lion Fireworks" in the 1970s (see below). They were paid by the gross to fill the cardboard cases, add the blue touch paper and glue on the labels. Allen died in 1880 but his four sons, Elliott, Ben, Humphrey and Eli carried on, employing 40 hands in 1881, but the partnership was dissolved in November 1882 when Ben decided to leave. In 1891 Ben was licensed victualler of the 'White Lion' public house in Lepton, but by 1897 he had set up his own company with his nephew, Harry Kilner, son of his sister Mary Ann (see below), building a new factory, "Jessop and Kilner Fireworks" in Highgate Lane. Ben may have been no angel. In October 1893 he was fined 10 shillings plus costs for using obscene language in a tramcar!

In 1906 Ben Jessop and Harry Kilner parted company, Kilner setting up yet another new factory, on fields where Rowley Hill School now stands, called "The Yorkshire Fireworks Company" which became "Lion Fireworks" in 1936, not far from Allen Jessop's original works, which had continued under the management of Elliott Jessop, the oldest brother. This, the original company, continued until 1910 when Alex Parrett, who had been managing it since 1906, bought it. Parrett had previously worked as a salesman for Brock Fireworks, the oldest firework company in Britain. He continued the factory until after the First World War when, not able to make it pay, he sold out to "Standard Fireworks". "Lion Fireworks" continued production in the village, still in Kilner ownership, but new stringent safety regulations and a downturn in trade forced closure in 1973.

The two younger brothers, Humphrey and Eli, had set up their own company together, "Jessop Brothers" after Ben's departure. This latter company was eventually purchased by rivals "H. Shaw & Son". Eventually Ben Jessop, who had brought his son into the business, trading as "Ben & Able Jessop Pyrotechnics" also sold his company to the local rapidly expanding "Standard Fireworks" based at Crosland Moor. "Standard Fireworks" continued production in Lepton until 1987, the last Lepton firework factory to close its doors.

See the photo carousel for a portrait of Ben Jessop

When war broke out in 1914 the Lepton factories obtained contracts for filling grenades and transported them by rail from Fenay Bridge Station. However this gave rise to several accidents. "Standard Fireworks" had a contract with the Admiralty in fact and had one of what should have been the safest explosives factories, built in a stone quarry with purpose built gunpowder stores, but on 5th June 1918 an explosion at the Crosland Hill works caused severe damage to the buildings, although luckily there were no fatalities.

In October 1937 Mrs Mary Ann Kilner, daughter of Allen and sister of Ben Jessop, and mother of Harry Kilner, reported to be the oldest firework maker in the country, recalled her childhood in the "Huddersfield Examiner" as follows. 'Mrs Kilner told reporters with a chuckle that, as a girl of eight, she would stand on a stool filling fireworks while the grown-ups would sit on barrels of gunpowder to work. “I used to work from six in the morning until ten at night, but look at the young people today they are idle.” ' Mary Ann Kilner died aged 91 in 1941.

The Kilner factory was the scene of several serious accidents. On 28th May 1937 miner George Eagleton, who had been tarring a partition nearby, heard an explosion and ran into a blazing hut, bringing out two women Ida Norris(37) and Elsie Hindle (24) who were taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary but unfortunately died of their burns that evening. A verdict of "accidental death" was recorded at their inquest. Then in February 1944 six women lost their lives and one was badly injured at a time when the factory was making parachute flares for the Ministry of Aircraft Production during World War II. The fire began after a "blinding flash" in a hut where 18 women were assembling and packing the flares. In July 1946 the families of the deceased and injured brought claims at Leeds Assizes against owners Louis and James Kilner for negligence. A Home Office inspector, Captain Eade, gave evidence that he'd inspected the factory at intervals before the accident and found it well-run and the owners willing to meet his suggestions for improvements, but Mr Justice Lynskey found in favour of the women who were awarded £3,134 for those killed and £1,562 to the survivor, Joan Knapton (21). The women's escape had been obstructed by packing boxes.

Shaw's

In 1865 Bob Shaw and his two nephews, Harry and Edgar, set up a fireworks company in competition with Allen Jessop in Turner Quarry behind Rowley Hill Chapel, quite close to their rival's concern. In fact, their business was licensed under the Explosives Act shortly before Allen Jessop's, on 19th May 1876. This company became know as "Globe Fireworks" and continued producing fireworks in the village until the 1960s. They were not without their share of accidents, including some involving relatives of the owners.

On 30th October 1886 Mrs Emma Shaw, 67, widow of Henry and mother of Foster Shaw, and herself described on the 1881 Census as a firework manufacturer of Rowley Hill, put some fireworks before her cottage fire to dry. They had been returned from Leeds because they were damp. Sadly, a spark from the fire set them aflame and Mrs Shaw was badly burnt trying to put them out. She died on 6th November and a verdict of "accidental death" was returned at her inquest. Before this, in October 1875, Elizabeth Rose, aged 11, and Sarah Berry, 12, were working in Mrs Shaw's manufactory alongside some of Mrs Shaw's own children, Robert 20, Emily 15 and Arthur 13. As the sun was shining brightly through the windows Robert Shaw attempted to fix some newspaper over the window, held in place by a file. Unfortunately the file fell into a pot of gunpowder and the resulting spark caused an explosion. Elizabeth Rose died of burns soon afterwards and Sarah Berry some weeks later, whilst Emily Shaw was also badly burned.

Then at the factory in December 1886 one of the wooden huts was completely blown apart by an explosion, worker Ann Kaye suffering minor burns whilst another, Elizabeth Norris, was injured in falling. However, Robert Shaw, brother of the owner Foster Shaw, and Jane Kaye who were also in the hut escaped uninjured. Then on 22nd October 1913 six company employees were badly burned and one died.

The company was also summoned and fined at times for unsafe practices. For instance, in June 1895 Foster Shaw was summoned by Captain J. H. Thompson, Her Majesty's Inspector of Explosives, for 7 breaches of the Explosives Act. These breaches were serious as the factory employed a large number of people and there were also houses close by. The factory contained too much explosive and two different kinds were in close proximity. The premises were in a filthy state with grit and spillings on the floors which again might cause explosions. The factory was inspected twice a year and up until now had exemplary reports and was even thought to be a model factory, but not now. However, the owner got away very lightly, being fined just over £7 for all 7 offences. In March 1914, Robert Shaw was fined £10 plus costs for manufacturing fireworks in an unauthorised place (his greenhouse). On ocassion, the company itself fined its own workers for breaking safety rules as when Ann Kaye wore clogs without the required protection causing an explosion from which, luckily, everyone got out unharmed in January 1887.

Newsome's

Around the same time as Allen Jessop and Bob Shaw, George Newsome was also dabbling in the fireworks industry, but without much regard for government legislation. In January 1878 he was fined along with Jessop's and Shaw's for breaches of the Explosives Act. George Newsome was fined for manufacturing fireworks without a licence and for having too much explosive material at his premises. Undeterred, in March 1879 George applied to Lepton Board to establish a fireworks manufactory at Rowley Wood. But he had not learnt from past mistakes and in September 1881 George and Samuel Newsome, his son and partner, were again prosecuted under the Explosives Act. Seven charges were made, including making fireworks within 50 yards of a footpath, allowing grit on the workplace floors, not supplying protective clothing for workers, not making provisions for preventing accidents, and employing 5 workers instead of the 4 they were licensed for. They were fined and all their materials confiscated, and as a result seem to have gone out of business. In fact, they seem to have taken away and sold some of the materials intended for seizure, after which George fled to America, leaving Samuel, who was unable to pay a further fine, to be imprisoned for a month in lieu of payment.

Standard Fireworks

This company was founded in 1891 in Huddersfield by James Greenhalgh, eldest son of William Greenhalgh, a wholesale draper. James followed his father's profession but at some point wanted to set up in business for himself, which he did with a partner, a Mr Booth. William Greenhalgh had sold fireworks too during the bonfire season and James was particularly interested in that side of the business. Both William and James were supplied by the Lepton firework companies. James decided to set up Standard Fireworks, acquiring a place to store them safely on Leeds Road and leaving the drapery side of the business to his partner. The Lepton factories at first co-operated by agreeing to paste the Standard Firework label onto the products they supplied him, but at some point they realised this was not a good idea and refused. As a result James and his son Edward decided to manufacture their own fireworks, leasing a site at Crosland Moor for this purpose in 1910. The company flourished and were eventually able to buy out both Allen Jessop's original works from Alex Parrett in 1917 and Ben and Able Jessop's company, continuing to use their Lepton premises until 1987. Standard even took over Brock's Fireworks, the oldest in the country, in the end (1988) and became a major employer with over 500 staff in the 1980s, but they were bought themselves by a Chinese company, Black Cat Fireworks in 1998 who still produce the Standard range at Crosland Moor. The factory at Crosland Moor is pictured here as it was around 1970.

Accidents continued to happen at the Lepton factories under Standard ownership. On 6th December 1935 an explosion occurred which killed Kathleen Marjorie Leather of Emley. She had been bending powder filled paper tubes to make jumping crackers, the same process that had been used for 50 years, said the manager at her inquest. She was badly burned and died before anyone could reach her, and another 3 women were burnt, but the verdict was one of "accidental death" with no blame to the company. In 1933 there had been a factory blaze at the Crosland Hill premises, tackled by Huddersfield Fire Brigade, in which 4 people were seriously injured and half of the huts were destroyed. Then in November 1937 a further fire, which had started near the boiler house chimney at around 5am and was fanned by a strong wind, damaged 6 of the sheds. Factory girls carried buckets of water from the nearest hydrant 250 yards away to help put out the flames. Manufacturing fireworks was a very dangerous business!

Factory hours in Lepton were as follows:

Pre 1930 - 7am to 5.30pm - half hour for breakfast and one hour for dinner.

Post 1930 - 7.30am to 5.30pm - no breakfast and one hour for dinner.

Post 1945 - 8.00am to 4.30pm - tea break and half hour dinner.

The Obelisk

The obelisk is an unusual modern feature located in The Square, the centre of the village where the doctor's surgery, chemist and post office can be found. It was created by local artists Jan Yatesand Bronwyn Norris working with local schoolchildren and youth groups and was installed when The Square was refurbished in December 2009. The stone beneath it is a waymarker which stood for centuries on Highgate Lane on the Wakefield to Huddersfield highway at the junction leading to the small settlement of Greave House.

Lepton Cross

This once stood at the corner of Rowley

Lane and Green Balk Lane and may have

originally been used as a guide post at the point where two important routes crossed. Although the shaft of the post disappeared long since, the base is preserved near the porch over the old entrance into the parish church.

Lepton Poor House

A large plot of land off what is now Fenay Bankside was described as the Poor's Land on the 1780 township map, and next to it already stood a building, described in 1813 as 'an old stone and slate cottage with two low rooms and a very bad chamber, in bad repair'. By 1822 this building had been restored and enlarged by its tenant, John Turner. This house is described in the 1851 census as "the Poor House" and is occupied by John Turner junior, aged 58, a farmer of 4 acres. By 1871 John is still there with one of his sons, Joseph, living in an adjoining cottage. The Poor House, then, probably did not house destitute individuals but rather the income from letting the cottages and the land was used to support the poor. This idea is supported by the fact that when Joseph Turner sold the dwelling house and by now two adjoining cottages, outbuildings and several pieces of land to Frederick Michelbacher, pork butcher, in 1880, the purchase price of £757.6s.4d. was to be invested in Consols, the dividends from which were to be applied in aid of the Poor Rate. Beginning in 1875, Lepton School Board held meetings in one of the cottages which still exist on Poplar Bank.

Rowley Hill Chapel

Rowley was once one of the small satellite settlements around Lepton, and a need for its own chapel arose when Fred Sykes, an enthusiastic temperance worker organised a series of religious meetings in Rowley Hill early in 1885. He then reported back to a local meeting of preachers that Rowley was in need of its own place of worship. Four preachers from the Queen Street, Huddersfield, Wesleyan Circuit responded by setting up a mission there. At first services were held in the open air on a site opposite the Working Men's Club on Thursday evenings, starting in June 1885. They proved popular, so that from September onwards the missionaries rented a cottage nearby and began to hold services on Sunday afternoons and evenings as well as on Thursday evenings. Again the services were well received and it was decided to raise funds in order to build a chapel. Fetes, bazaars and sales of work were organised and voluntary contributions accepted, and the architect, Mr J. G. Wilson, chosen. The foundation stone was laid at a ceremony on 14th August 1886. The opening ceremony followed on 5th February 1887. The sandstone building finally cost £465. As early as 1891 the Trustees were proposing a Sunday School be attached to the chapel, but it took another 21 years before there were sufficient funds to begin building. The schoolroom, much welcomed, was officially opened on 15th February 1913. For a long time the chapel and schoolroom remained the centre of Rowley village life, but eventually attendances dwindled. An attempt to keep the chapel alive by holding joint Anglican and Methodist services there failed and eventually the chapel was forced to close. It was then renovated and converted into two dwelling houses.

Rowley Hill Club

This club began life in the cottage which now forms part of the building, although it moved for a time to a bigger and better building built by members across the street. After a while, however, this building proved too expensive to maintain and had to be sold off, the club returning to its original premises which have been expanded and adapted over time.

Botany Bay

This is the name given to a double row of cottages on Botany Lane on the outskirts of Great Lepton, which were built in 1805 to provide housing for textile workers. They are named after Botany Bay in Australia, where Catain Cook first landed, perhaps because that was a very remote part of the world at the time, just as the cottages were remote from the nearest settlement. The surrounding area has long been used for coal mining, from simple sink holes and day holes to a full scale colliery, Lodge Mill Colliery. This colliery was owned by Benjamin Elliott and Sons Ltd, who also owned the brickworks at Kirkheaton and Fenay Bridge (see Kirkheaton). In the early 20th century the colliery used a tramway and an aerial ropeway to transport the coal to a terminus just below the cottages and these must have been clearly visible to the inhabitants. Much of the coal was used in the company's brick kilns.