Howard Ln then Ashworth St/Manchester Rd, Denton
This company of hat manufacturers was founded in 1847 with a factory on Howard Ln and the proprietors were Thomas and William Walker.
Before establishing their own hat-manufacturing company they qualified as hat makers at John Mollady & Sons who were hat manufacturers on Howard Ln, Denton, and at Saltisford, Warwick.
The proprietors of this company were John Mollady Sr, John Mollady Jr and Edmund Evans Mollady. It is understood that the factory at Saltisford closed in the 1850s.
When the Lancashire Felt Co Ltd held it first meeting on the 19 Sep 1866, it was recorded that Edmund Evans Mollady was one of the company directors. He died at Chorlton-on-Medlock in 1883, aged 59 years.
Initially, William Walker was the traveller (representative) while Thomas Walker managed the business. To begin with the company specialised in the manufacture of silk hats but as it expanded it employed more people and began manufacturing all kinds of headwear. By the time of the 1861 census the company was employing 50 men and 8 boys and Thomas Walker was resident on South St (now Stockport Rd).
Following the death of Thomas Walker in 1873, aged 58 years, and the retirement of William Walker the business was carried on by William Walker Jr, Harry Walker, Amos Wesley and Henry James Read. Amos Wesley died in 1899, aged 56 years, leaving William Walker Jr, Harry Walker and Henry James Read as the proprietors. Henry James Read died in 1902, aged 42 years, leaving Harry Walker and William Walker Jr as the sole proprietors. Harry Walker died in 1915, aged 49 years and his widow, Sarah Ann Walker née Longworth, joined the company. Around this time the company was incorporated as a limited company with William Walker Jr as the chairman and managing director.
Meanwhile, the hat manufacturing company of Higginbottom & Oldham, whose factory was on Ashworth St/Manchester Rd, became bankrupt in 1912 and T & W Walker vacated their factory on Howard Ln and moved into the former factory of Higginbottom & Oldham.
In 1951 T & W Walker Ltd went into voluntary liquidation.