Comments on: Frost Brothers, Rope Makers & Yarn Spinners

By: MARY Mills

MARY Mills — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:52:18 +0000

Oh – and also if I can do a bit of self promotion here. When I started looking at the Frost ropeworks in Shadwell I thought it might be connected to the gas works which was – sadly – the next block along.
I think it very likely that some of the earliest gas works in London were connected to east end ropeworks – and at least one of them in Sun Taver Fields. talk about it in my book:

Mary Mills. The Early East London Gas Industry. How it began and how it helped London Industry to Grow

By: MARY Mills

MARY Mills — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:38:34 +0000

Greenwich Industrial History Soc has been sent a photo copy booklet ‘A History of Frost Brothers and the Charlton Rope Works’ – the first section is about the Shadwell Works. I wondered if you had encountered this booklet in writing your article above???? It is by a D.R.Frost and we might want to contact him/her/children – again – any info? Clearly we are interested in Charlton – Bridon – which closed a few years ago although the works football team is still active!

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Sun, 02 May 2021 17:47:47 +0000

I love the map, showing the ropeworks at the heart of the community

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 01:16:50 +0000

Only Fools and Horses? I’m sure that’s Del-boy Trotter second at the back on the first photo!

By: sara midda

sara midda — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:52:41 +0000

Amazing.
Thank you
Best, Sara

By: Eric Forward

Eric Forward — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:39:24 +0000

Another amazing post. Such ingenuity & innovation for something we now take for granted. Like Bernie this is also new knowledge about the naming of Cable street. I lived minutes away from this site and wasn’t completely ignorant to the relevance of rope-making in the area, but that was more due to recent redevelopments such as Ropemakers Yard in Stepney Green. However, I wasn’t aware of the magnitude of the industry in the area, absolutely incredible.

By: Helen Breen

Helen Breen — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:22:33 +0000

Greetings from Boston,

GA, what an important slice of industrial history in this account of the Frost Brothers Rope Works. Much of their production must have supplied the vast British Navy. The complexity of the machinery suggests several hazards for their workers too.

Great pics…

By: Linda Granfield

Linda Granfield — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 11:41:12 +0000

I’ve been to a 19th c. cotton mill factory and the sound made by the one machine they use during the tour was so loud one shudders to think of the sound of 100+ machines howling at once.

I found this 3-minute video that shows how the cable is made. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bquft1_ezIs
After the video, I went through the photos again and saw even more in them.
Thanks, GA!

By: Ros

Ros — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 11:19:57 +0000

so many things this post causes one to think about – several readers have mentioned the dangerous working conditions, and the processing of hemp must have been a health hazard in itself – all those fibres constantly flying in the air would surely be carcinogenic and I bet many cancers developed as a result, especially lung cancers. As hemp comes from the same plant as cannabis one wonders if there was a soothing high to make working there more of a pleasure but maybe also a danger in itself with so many large machines needing to be treated with caution and awareness. Yes, there’s much to be said for health and safety regulations. Then there’s the origin of the phrase ‘spinning a yarn’ meaning telling a long and possibly exaggerated story, though maybe it comes from the world of sailing where a good proportion of rope would have been destined for.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 09:55:58 +0000

It amazes me that, despite having been brought up with family connections in Commercial St and thereabouts (lasting until after 1945), I had never before heard of this ropeworks nor of the reason for the name of Cable Street.