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Edward Ripley and Son, Business Archive

Archive Collection: BUS/Ripley Contains digital media

Details

Type of record: Archive

Title: Edward Ripley and Son, Business Archive

Level: Collection

Classmark: BUS/Ripley

Creator(s): Edward Ripley and Son(); Ripley, Henry William(); Ripley, Edward()

Date(s): 1831-1950

Language: English

Size and medium: 249 vols

Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/6963

Collection group(s): Business Archives

Description

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Please see the attached Concordance.pdf to ascertain the relationship between the numeration of the records and the shelf numbers used by Special Collections.


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Large collection of wage books giving an almost continuous record from October 1831-1950.


[The volumes are numbered 3-251 in the Brotherton Library sequence]


1. Wages. Oct. 1831 - May 1834.

Record of weekly wages paid to about sixty named male workers. No indication of occupation. Other figures may indicate output or rate. At the back are irregular sums paid to Joseph, William, Samuel, and Denton Holdsworth, and others, for given numbers of days worked giving rate of pay.


2. Wage Book. Jan. 1841 - Jan. 1844.

Similar to item 1 with about 150 workers. Again at the back are sums of cash paid to four or five named men probably persons working just for odd days. Members of the Holdsworth family are again included.


3. Wage Book. Jan. 1844 - Nov. 1846.

As and continued from item 2. About 230 workers by 1846.


4. Wage Book. April 1851 - Jan. 1853.

Ks items 2 and 3 with rate of pay per week given for each worker. Over 300 workers.


5. Wage Book. Feb. 1853 - Sept. 1854.

As item 4. About 400 workers by 1854.


6. Wage Book. Sept. 1854 - Dec. 1855.

As items 4 and 5. FromJan. 1855 workers are placed in departmental categories: various different dyehouses, crab house, singers, sorting place, drying chamber, grey room (some women), chemists,

makers up, masons, blacksmiths, etc.


7. Wage Book. Dec. 1855 - June 1857.

As the latter part of item 6.


Items 8-12 are Wage Books similar to item 7·


8. July 1857 - March 1860 (500 workers).


9. Dec. 1863 - Oct. 1867 (600 workers).


10. Nov. 1867 - Sept. 1871 (600 workers). Includes more dye house workers and millwrights.


11. Sept. 1871 -July 1872·


12. Feb. 1872 - Dec. 1873. Overlap with item 11 because of slight change in format.


Items 13-57 form a series of Wage Books each covering one year or half-year. Weekly record of wages paid to workers in various departments as in items 8-12. From 1877 there are weekly summaries

of wages paid out in each department. The number of workers slowly increases to over 1,000 from the 1880s. By the 1890s the departments increase to include new shed, boilers, and economisers. By the 1890s they include: various types of singeing, tentering, burling, milling, and many finishing departments.


13. 1874.

14. 1875.

15. 1876.

16. 1877.

17. 1878.

18. 1879.

19. 1882.

20. 1883.

21. 1884.

22. 1885.

23. 1886.

24. 1888.

25. 1889.

26. 1890.

27. 1891.

28. 1892.

29. 1893.

30. 1894.

31. 1895.

32. 1896.

33. 1897.

34. 1898.

35. 1899.

36. 1900.

37. 1901.

38. 1902.

39. 1903.

40. 1904.

41. 1905.

42. 1906.

43. 1907·

44. 1908.

45. 1909·

46. 1910.

47. 1911.

48. 1913.

49. 1914 No. 1.

50. 1914 No. 2.

51. 1915 No. 1.

52. 1915 NO. 2.

53. 1916 No. 1.

54. 1917 No. 1.

55. 1917 No. 2.

56. 1918 No. 1.

57. 1922.


58. Wage Book, 'Mechanics'. Jan. Iglg - Dec. 1922. Weekly wages (gross and net) paid to about 135 named workers giving their exact occupations, length of working week, rate, and time worked. Items 59-185 form several parallel series of departmental wage books, I925-33. Each give the weekly wages paid to named workers with an indication of their age, rate per week, and time put in. Gross and net amounts with details of deductions and contributions are given. Numbers of workers in the main categories for which data is given are: burling (about thirty), soft finishing (over 200), power and steam (about fifty), dyeing and finishing (about seventy). Other numbers are given by the items where relevant.


Burling (sub Dept S). 1925-1930:

59. Jan. - June 1925.

60. Jan. - June I926.

61. Jan. - June 1927.

62. July - Dec. 1927.

63. Jan. - June 1928.

64. July - Dec. 1928.

65. Jan. - June 1929.

66. July - Dec. 1929.

67. Jan. - June 1930

See also items 133-4.


Soft Finishing (Dept S). 1926-31.

68. Jan. - June 1926.

69. Jan. - June 1927.

70. July - Dec. 1927.

71. Jan. - June 1928.

72. July - Dec. 1928.

73. Jan. - June 1929.

74.July - Dec. 1929.

75.Jan. - June 1930.

76.July - Dec. 1930.

77.Jan. - June 1931.

78.July - Dec. 1931.


Power and Steam (Dept 06). 1924-32.

79. July - Dec. 1924.

80. Jan. - June 1925.

81. July - Dec. 1925.

82. Jan. - June 1926.

83. July - Dec. 1926.

84. Jan. - June 1927.

85. July - Dec. 1927.

86. Jan. - June 1928.

87. July - Dec. 1928.

88. Jan. - June 1929

89. July - Dec. 1929.

90. Jan. - June 1930.

91. July - Dec. 1930.

92. Jan. - June 1931.

93. July - Dec. 1931. (Includes also other mechanics and builders - about 150 workers in all.)

94. Jan. - June 1932. As 93·

95. July - Dec. 1932. As 93·


Dyeing and Finishing (Dept D). 1925-30.

96. Jan. - June 1925.

97. July - Dec. 1925.

98. Jan. - June 1926.

99. Jan. - June 1927.

100. July - Dec. 1927.

101. Jan. - June 1928.

102. July - Dec. 1928.

103. Jan. - June 1929.

104. July - Dec. 1929.

105. July - Dec. 1930.

See also item 134 and other dyeing sections.


Black Dyeing (about thirty workers). 1925-6.

106. Jan. - June 1925.

107. July - Dec. 1925.

108. Jan. - June 1926.

See also items 119-24 and 126-32.


Wool Dyeing and Cotton Dyeing (over 100 workers). 1925-30.

109. Jan. - June 1925.

110. July - Dec. 1925.

111. Jan. - June 1926.

112. Jan. - June 1927.

113. July - Dec. 1927.

114. Jan. - June 1928.

115. July - Dec. 1928.

116. Jan. - June 1929.

117. July - Dec. 1929.

118. Jan. - June 1930.


Wool, Cotton and Black Dyeing (about 150 workers). 1930-3.

119. July - Dec. 1930.

120. Jan. - June 1931.

121. July - Dec. 1931.

122. Jan. - June 1932.

123. July - Dec. 1932.

124. Jan. - June 1933·



Yardmen, carting, motormen, chemists, makers up, packers, etc. (about twenty workers). 1926-31. (See also early items in the next series.)

125. Jan. - June 1926.


From item 126, black dyeing and 'damages' are included making about sixty workers in all.

126. Jan. - June 1927.

127. July - Dec. 1927.

128. Jan. - June 1928.

129. July - Dec. 1928.

130. Jan.-June 1929.

131. July - Dec. 1929.

132. Jan. - June 1930.


From item 133, black dyeing is excluded and burlers are added. Finishing also included in item 134 making about 100 workers in all.

133. July - Dec. 1930.

134. Jan. - June 1931.


Other occupational series covering shorter periods. 1924-5 and 1932-3.

135. Carters, Makers Up, Packers (about thirty workers) Jan. - June 1924.

136. Grey Room, preparing, dyed drying and finishing (about 100 workers). Jan. - June 1925.

137. 'Stove white', crabbing, and some finishers (about sixty workers). Jan. - June 1925.

138. July - Dec. 1925. As item 137.

139. Mechanics and Builders: Lighting (about thirty workers). Jan. - June 1925.

140. July - Dec. 1925. As item 139.

141. H Dept. (about forty workers). July - Dec. 1932.

142. HDept. Jan. - June 1933·

143. S Dept. (All Finishing.) Jan. - June 1932.

144. S Dept. July - Dec. 1932.

145. S Dept. Jan. - June 1933.


Pool Wages Books. 1930-7. Weekly gross and net amounts due to between ninety (1930) and

200 (1936) numbered workers.

146. Jan. - Dec. 1930.

147. Jan. - Dec. 1931.

148. Jan. - Dec. 1932.

149. Jan. - Dec. 1933.

150. Jan. - Dec. 1934.

151. Jan. 1935 - March 1937·


Sundry Wages, Extras and Allowances, and Interdepartmental Transfers,1920-32:


152. Sundries wages. Jan. 1920 - June 1924. (Watchmen, coalstokers, ashfillers, etc., about fifty workers.)


153. Sundries. July - Dec. 1925.


154. Extra Wages and Allowances. July - Dec. 1925. (Watchmen and dining room mainly.)


155. Jan. - June 1926. As item 154.


156. Sundries. July - Dec. 1927. Similar to item 155.


157. Sundries. Oct. - Dec. 1926, Jan. - Dec. 1927. Interdepartmental transfers information.


158. Feb. - Oct. 1926. As item 157.


159. Extra Wages and Allowances by Department. Aug. 1926-Nov. 1927.


160. Extra Wages and Allowances by Department. Jan.:- Dec.1928.


161. Sundries and Interdepartmental transfers. Jan. 1928 - Oct. 1929. Summaries of amounts paid out by each department.


Items 162-4 are similar to 161:


162. Jan. - Dec. 1930.

163. Jan. - July 1932.

164. July - Dec. 1932.


Pressers Wage Books. 1925-31 Weekly pressers' wage totals with piece-work, deductions, and

contributions details:


165. Jan. - June 1925.

166. July - Dec. 1925.

167. Jan. - June 1927.

168. July - Dec. 1927.

169. Jan. - Dec. 1928.

170. Dept S. Jan. - June 1929.

171. Dept D. Jan. - Dec. 1929.

172. Dept D. Jan. - Dec. 1930.

173. Dept S. Jan. - June 1930

174. Dept S. Jan. - Dec. 193I

175. Dept D. Jan. - Dec. 1931.

176. All Depts.Jan. - Dec. 1932.


Summary Wage Books. 1925-32. Total weekly wage totals paid out by each department with awards,

deductions, contributions, net and gross figures:


177. Dec. 1925 - Dec. 1926.

178. Jan. - Dec. 1927.

179. Jan. - Dec. 1928.

180. Jan. - Dec. 1929.

181. Jan. - Dec. 1930.

182. Jan. - Dec. 1931.

183. Jan. - Dec. 1932.


Bradford Dyers Association Wage Books. 1923-33.

184. 'B.D.A. Ltd'. Jan. 1923 - June 1933.

Record of weekly wages paid to about ten named male workers giving rate, time, amounts earned, and details of deductions and contributions.


185. 'B.D.A. Ltd Certifications'. May 1925 - June 1933.

Weekly certifications of total amounts paid out in wages. Signed by heads of various departments and by book-keepers. Items 186-249 give similar details to the previous wage books but refer to all departments (about 700-800 workers in all). Each book gives data for a quarter year, i.e. Jan. - March, April- June, July - Sept., or Oct. - Dec. The series is complete from July 1933 to Dec. 1950.

Biography or history

Edward Ripley and Son, of Bowling Dye-Works, Bradford, were dyers and finishers, established c.1806, originally as George Ripley and Son. Edward Ripley's son Henry discovered a system of dyeing superior to that used by their competitors, a factor which made the firm and the family wealthy.


Henry Ripley had the model village Ripley Ville or Ripleyville in Broomfields, Bradford, built primarily for the company's workers. It was started in 1866 and finished in 1881. Edward Ripley eventually became a Conservative MP in 1874 and was created a baronet in 1880, shortly before his death in 1882.

Access and usage

Access

Some parts of this collection have not been listed in detail and the content may be protected under the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation. Please consult the relevant part of the catalogue for specific details. Where a detailed record does not exist, please contact Special Collections. Upon receipt of your request, a member of the team will discuss your requirements with you and review relevant material accordingly

Collection hierarchy

Only an overall description is available.

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