A Bradford hygiene company is looking back at the industrial history of the city as part of a project about lost mills. Christeyns, located in Victoria Mills on Rutland Street, is teaming up with 509 Arts to explore the history of its site. This place used to be home to wool combers W & M Thompson Black and later, Oil & Soaps Ltd in 1981. Christeyns took over the business in 1998, continuing the mill’s long link with textiles.
Through the Lost Mills of Bradford project, Christeyns found historical documents from the 19th century. Justin Kerslake, Christeyns UK’s operations director, said, “We are absolutely delighted to work with 509 Arts on this project and very proud to play a part in maintaining Bradford’s rich heritage. The mill is very much a part of our daily operations, and we have maintained many original features that remind us of its past and the role it played in the success of the city.”
Even though many mills in Bradford are gone or changed, in 1900, there were over 350 mills in the city, making Bradford known as the ‘wool capital of the world’.
509 Arts celebrates this history through a new website featuring stories and unseen photos in the Lost Mills and Ghost Mansions Learning Zone. There’s an archive page with interviews and radio shows, a media wall of photos and documentaries, and a Lost Mills Map, which includes Christeyns’ Victoria Mills.
The project is a joint effort with Bradford Community Broadcasting and is funded by Bradford Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the Arts Council.