Straw Hat and Bonnet Manufacturers - Bute st

[celia]

1a Bute street in luton was where my Grand uncle greatorex had this business with a partner.The Partnership was dissolved in 1901.From when William carired on the running it.Does anyone know if there are any photo's of this establishment anywhere. I have a good amount of information on William plus photo's of various kinds.So would like to add another one

Celia

[cathymcc]

Celia

Bute Street must have changed a lot but there is still a hat factory in Bute Street - newer than 1901 I would think [1950s]?

But Luton?  Hat factories everywhere!

Greatorex is a real ''hatters'' name -  they were certainly listed at 1a Bute Street in 1914 and earlier than that [search: ''historical directories''].  I think the old Bus Station is where the factory was?  It is being redeveloped now.

Please contact the Luton History Society c/o Luton Library as they would love to see your pics and may have some of their own? 

A lot of Luton pics etc were lost in the riots, I think, following WW1 when the Town Hall was burnt down by returning veterans from the hostilities. 

All the best

cathy

[celia]

Hi Cathy
William married into the Curruthers Family a well known family In Luton.I have all the info from the directories plus orbits of both William Helen and later their son all 3 included photo's. They were sent to me by a rootschat member That branch has now died.I also have a a book compleat with photo's, very kindly copied page by page.By a member of the Luton golf club of which William was one of the founder members.I have photos of the whole family  at various ages some sent by cousin Cathy.So i have been very lucky  with that side of my family I thought maybe a photo of the factory would be nice next to information in my Album.I just wish i knew what happend to the other male sibling and were they are buried,who they married. So far out of pages and pages of Greatorex i only know of 2 burial places.I don't know when they all died.The above family were all cremated.

Celia

[cathymcc]

Celia

Keep your eye on the Bedfordshire Archives online search site as it is growing fast [search: ''blars adlib'']  There is a photo of Major Andrew CARRUTHERS [1879] listed.

You can get the Company info from the National Archives [go to ''search the archives'' - then go to ''catalogue'']. 

For photos of the Bute Street factory it may be worth emailing :

museum.gallery@luton.gov.uk

Perhaps they have photos they could send you?

cathy

[celia]

Thank you Cathy i will give it a go
Celia