Carpet Beating Works: 1902

 

White's Directory advert for Sheffield Patent Carpet Beating and Dye Works. 1902

Photo: OUR Broomhall

W. E. Franklin’s Carpet Beating Works had a branch on Broomhall Street, Broomhall but was based on Ecclesall Road near Endcliffe Park.  He actually lived in Onslow Road.  This photograph, from an old advert in a trading directory, shows a drawing of the corner of Ecclesall Road near Onslow Road in 1902.

The advert reads:

“The Sheffield Patent Carpet Beating and Dye Works.  All kinds of furs cleaned and freed from moths.  Ostrich feathers cleaned and curled.  Gentlemen’s clothing cleaned by the patent process.  Every description of curtains and wearing apparel cleaned and dyed.  Fast patent black, dyed daily.  Cashmere, French Merino and all-wool dresses dyed, without being unmade, to any shade of colour.  Feather and flock beds cleaned and purified.”

Cars had just about been invented in 1902 but were still very rare so the company had horse drawn carts – “Carts collect and deliver free.”  They had telephones in 1902. The company’s telephone number was 596.  Automatic dialling was not invented until 1912 so making a phone call meant picking up the handset and saying, “Operator, give me 596.”  The operator would then have to take a lead with a plug on each end and connect one end to your telephone line and the other end to line 596.

See 1901 advert for carpet beating works