Collection of tools, machines and products made and used by the Oldham based roller covering business, Clegg and Mellor. Clegg and Mellor created coverings for a range of roller types, including those for combing machines, winding machines, draw frames and spinning machines. The material dates from around 1930-1989.
This collection of material comes from the roller covering workshop of the Oldham based company Clegg and Mellor.
Clegg and Mellor was founded in the 1860s and moved into the Werneth Lodge site in Oldham, in the early 1900s. The company was taken over by an apprentice of the company in the 1930s and the company continued to manufacture textile roller covers as well as draft aprons. In the later years of the company, there was an attempt to diversify into leather handbags and belts. The company closed in the 1980s. A large number of the tools and machines were made by Dronsfield Brothers, who were based at the Atlas Works in Oldham and manufactured a range of textile machinery.
Ending machine, with cover guard and rollers on side. Dronsfield Brothers patent, Oldham
This machine fastened the ends of the leather tubes on the roller bosses through friction, it was used in the textile roller covering process.
Ending machine, almost complete, but missing guard and rollers, manufactuer unknown.
Slide on leather cutting machine with blade attached, and five spare blades in a wood box, manufactured by Dronsfield Brothers.
Honing tool, with screw locked blade attached, manufactured by Dronsfield Brothers.
Box of rollers, hot opening tool parts used for separating loops of leather and hot cutting machine parts
Knife sharpening holder for Dronsfield splicing machine. Manufacturer is likely Dronsfield Brothers.
Leather working tool, pallet-shaped with leather strip tacked on both sides
Three wooden ending sticks
Wooden opening tool marked 'roller hot' opening tool
Two hand cutting knives for leather working
Thirteen gauges for cloth for draw frame rollers, seven wooden, three steel, and three aluminium
Horizontal pulling on machine, hand operated, possibly missing a holder attachment. Has a spring gauge attached, which is moved by turning the handle, to the side of the machine. Made by Dronsfield Brothers.
Testing machine, for testing 'parallelism' and for paring of rollers of the same diameter. Manufactured by Dronsfield Brothers.
Five wooden boards and one wooden roller likely associated with various roller covering machinery.
Box of 13 spring gauges and one rod for a pulling on machine.
One box of spares for the Reed paper machine, contains plastic tubes, frame parts, and rollers.
Parts of Reed papermaking machine in large white vat. Contains rollers (some with textile covering) and frame parts (plastic and iron), with textile belt.
Steel plated, iron rollers on a stand for display and small piece of leather and wooden block.
Black plastic apron with purple cotton ties used by the roller covering firm Clegg and Mellor.1930-1989
Bag of tools labelled as 'clearer pulling on machine tools'.
Metal tin containing orange leather hots made for Shaw Jardine.
Box of six rollers, made of cast iron, with steel plating.
Six tape gauges for aprons, varying sizes, made from cast iron with steel plating.
Wooden rectangular basket with a wide top that narrows towards the base and sides made up of uneven slats. Base is made from from one piece of wood, which is now dislodged.
Ten wool mix sleeves (5&1/2 inches x 8 inches), look to have been cut to size, and then sewn inside its edge.
One box of parts from foot operated vertical pulling on machine, contains spring gauges and a frame part.
Bench guillotine.
Two parts of a bench guillotine frame, square frame with a with a turnable globular handle, and geared roller attachment. Cast iron frame is painted green.
Part of a bench guillotine table, iron frame, and six piece wood table top. Parts of the frame have been painted red, and the other parts green. Also with three tubs of arbors, various belt drives, and two machine guards.
Two green flat metal rods and small bag of screws and small metal parts associated with bench guillotine.
Marble cutting block on wood base, in an iron frame, with a leather belt and cover for the bench guillotine.
Pulling on machine tools, oblong with hooked ends.
Display case showing textile roller coverings types.
Splicing machine manufactured by Dronsfield Brothers Ltd, Oldham.
Three boxes of rollers, a drawer of solid rollers, and a drawer of loose boss rollers.
Wooden chest, painted grey, with iron handles.
Circular varnish boiler, on three iron legs, with a stretching frame(?) along its top edge. Has a tap on the side, with two pressure indicators(?). Handled lid is removable, and has a mixer attached. Manufactured by Andrew & Suter Ltd, St. Albans.
Circular varnish boiler and gas ring, on three iron legs, with a stretching frame(?) along its top edge. Has a tap on the side, with a thermometer. Handled lid is removable, and has a mixer attached. Boiler contains small wooden parts and plastic hose.
Iron paste boiler, cylindrical vat on four feet, with a geared stirring mechanism, no lid.
Iron hood for an ending machine.
Three machine parts, appear to be guards for roller covering machinery.
Two frame parts for either a calendering machine or grinding machine.
Cutting plate, rectangular, with glass.
19 wooden drawers for holding textile rollers. Drawers have two either one or two ornate iron handles. Also two wooden frames.
Seven parts from calendering machine, frame parts and rollers, manufactured by Dronsfield Brothers, Oldham
Splicing machine, likely a complete unit.
Two wooden drawers of textile parts, first drawer comprises a selection of wooden rollers of differing thicknesses and two felt covered clearer rollers, second drawer comprises rolls of white leather in two cardboard boxes and small plastic bag, wooden board with felt cover and small tool for removing roller lap.
Ceramic bottle for 'candem' roller varnish.
Box of rollers with cotton wrapped round them, and a larger textile covered roller, with a piece of felt attached to a wood board.
Over centre press.
Mechanism and race for vertical pulling on machine, manufactured by Dronsfield Brothers, Oldham.
Two hand calendaring boards with handles.
Cutting board for making parallel strips, manufactured by Dronsfield Brothers, Oldham.
Calendering machine frame parts, with drive shafts attached.
Curved iron sheet, likely associated with another machine.
Cast iron A-shaped frame on wheels. Two cast iron bars align vertically underneath the top bar, with two cranes on metal wires attached.
One box and roll of sheep skin.
Roller covering equipment, tags attached, 'Clegg & Mellor No. K3404' and 'L1990.106 Mr. B Brierley Roller Covering Equipment, 4 yards x 36" wide, green worsted plush'.
Roller covering equipment, tag attached; 'L1990.106 Mr. B Brierley Roller Covering Equipment Blue Swansdowne'.
Cloth washers, tag attached reads; 'L1990.106 Mr. B Brierley (roller covering equipment) cloth washers'.
10 rubber roller covers (tubes)
Roll of goat skins used by roller covering firm, Clegg and Mellor, around 1930-1989.
Roll of goat skins used by roller covering firm, Clegg and Mellor, about 1930-1989.
Small piece of black felt.
Two metal rollers and seven metal rollers with covers, with tag, 'S.Dodd & Sons, Ltd. Lyon Works Oldham Glegg & Mellor'.
Roller setting gauge, label attached mentions 'Cook+Co. Manchester'.
Grinding machine parts, made by George Angust and Co. Ltd.
Section of pulling on machine, gear and chain belt visible, manufactured by Dronsfield Brothers, Oldham.
Two textile rollers, wood central spindle with rubber covering.
5 Welsh tanned roller skins.
'Angus (Gacots)' concentricity tester, with gauge. In separate parts, contained in wooden case.
Manufactured by Mercer.
Box of rollers and associated ephemera.
Box of rollers and associated ephemera.
