History Of
Forge Mill Needle Museum
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Forge
Mill started out as an iron forge at the turn of the 18th
century. In around 1730 it was converted to needle
scouring. The machinery housed there was used
commercially until around may 1958. Before Forge Mill became prominent needles were produced via the “cottage industry”, where people would carry out the work in their own homes. These people were known as “soft” workers. Some of them just did one particular job such as “pointing”, others did all of the stages of manufacture. By the end of the 19th century Redditch was the world’s centre for needle making. Because water power was used in the manufacture of needles in Redditch, it meat that a relatively low cost, high quality needle could be produced and so forced other needle manufacturers out of business. Some needle workers even moved to Redditch to find work when their own companies had gone out of business. Of course we did not only produce needles here, we also produced fishing hooks. |