Howard Ln, Denton
The founding partners of this hat manufacturing business were Thomas William Radcliffe, William Wood and James Ogden and it was founded between 1871 and 1881 under the style of Radcliffe, Wood & Ogden.
In 1918 it was incorporated as a limited company under the style of Radcliffe & Ogden Ltd, Company No. 152607, and its Registered Office was at the works on Howard Ln.
This company was dissolved on the 24 Dec 1928 and the company chairman at the time of liquidation was Albert Radcliffe, son of Thomas William Radcliffe.
Later, this building was used as a canteen by Oldham & Son Ltd. This company was founded in 1865 as a general engineering firm making machinery for the mining and hatting industries. Oldham safety lamps became well known in the mining industry but it was dissatisfaction with the quality of batteries supplied for them that led the firm to move into the manufacture of batteries.
Right: A leaflet for a new range of silk and felt hats introduced by Radcliffe & Ogden,
on the 1 Jan 1891.
By the 1890s, top hats were made from hatters' plush, a soft, shiny, silk. It is understood that there are now no looms capable of weaving this traditional fabric.