Frome Museum Frome Industries

Woollens And Cloth

Frome with its river and close proximity to the sheep areas of the Mendips, Cotswolds and Salisbury Plain, developed in Medieval times as an important centre for the making of cloth.

The Former Tucker's Mill at Wallbridge

Machine on float, 1897 celebrations

Printing

Frome has a diverse and interesting printing heritage, being present here since 1783, the best known being Butler and Tanner.

Butler and Tanner's old factory

Printing exhibit in the Museum

This press still works

Electrical Components

Cooper Bussman was founded by Kenneth and Bob Beswick in Barking, Essex in 1924, moving to Frome in 1939 to avoid the bombing.

Museum exhibit

Bussman Coopers old factory

Mainly females were employed

Metalwork

Lewis Cockey came to Frome in 1685 from Warminster, where his family were established as clockmakers. He began casting bells, and at least 63 towers in the West have Cockey inscriptions on their bells.

To read more, download the PDF here

Stand advertising Whites, later Somerset Smithy

Cockey's factory

Cast iron Tudor roses by Cockey

Fussells

The Fussell family were making edge tools in Mells by 1744. In 1791 Fussells were supplying the western counties with agricultural implements and exporting to Europe and America. The business increased and eventually there were several different branches producing different types of tools.

Notts Industries

J.H. Nott & Sons Ltd. of Swansea bought the old Silk Mill in 1923. The firm became Notts Industries and manufactured Carley Life Floats and Buoyant Apparatus. In spite of it being many miles from the sea it rapidly became the biggest manufacturer in the country of these floats and the mill became the Carley Works.