Henry Milward & Sons - Knitting & Surgical Needles

Knitting & Surgical Needles

The manufacture of needles was originally a cottage industry, then the industry prospered and during the industrial revolution, the industry became mechanised. By the late 1800s the company was the largest manufacturer in the whole district.

Redditch became the hub of the needle industry in the UK, with trade directries showing that in the Redditch area in 1868/9 there were 117 firms listed as manufacturers in various aspects of needle and fish tackle trades.

Under the benevolent eye of Henry 3 and 2 sons John Frederick and Victor, the industry flourished. They developed a Sick Fund, a Welfare and Benevolent club was formed, Works committees were formed, they introduced Educational schemes, even bible readings and prayers were said each morning- a tradition which continued into the first world war!

Small needle businesses amalgamated, often through inter-marriage between the leading needle makers of Redditch. Henry Milward and sons amalgamated with John James, W. Avery & Son, Wm. Bartlett, and thus the "Milward empire" grew.

William Hall of Studley amalgamated with Thos. Harper, Samuel Thomas, H. Wilkes and William Vale among others and formed a group of needle makers known as Amalgamated Needles & Fish Hooks. This resulted in Milwards and the aforementioned group being the 2 largest needle makers in the district.

In 1912 John James and Sons merged into Henry Milward and sons and a new board was announced. Members of the board consisted of C.B James as chairman and C.F Milward as deputy chairman, H.T Milward, A.D Barfleet and C.E James.

In 1930 two of the great needlemaker giants Milward's of Redditch and Hall's of Studley joined forces under a single holding company, Amalgamated Needles and Fish Hooks Limited, who formed in 1932 a separate manufacturing organisation called The English Needle and Fishing Tackle Co. Ltd (ENTACO).

However Milward's needles continued in Redditch until the 1950s, there were satellite factories setup during World War II in Evesham, Bewdley, Kidderminster and Moreton-in-Marsh. The basic needle plant was dispersed between Studley and Redditch during the war and in 1952 Arrow Works was officially opened and were still producing some brands of Milward's needles as were first made and marketed under the name of Henry Milward & Sons.

The years of greatest growth both in factory growth and world sales were at the end of the 19th century when the fortunes of the company were in the hands of Charles Frederick and Henry Tomson.