Frost Bros, Rope Makers & Yarn Spinners
Founded by John James Frost in 1790, Frost Brothers Ltd of 340/342 Commercial Rd was managed by his grandson – also John James Frost – in 1905, when these photographs were taken. In 1926, the company was amalgamated to become part of British Ropes and now only this modest publication on the shelf in the Bishopsgate Institute bears testimony to the long-lost industry of rope making and yarn spinning in the East End, from which Cable St takes its name.
First Prize London Cart Parade – Manila Hemp as we receive it from the Philippines
Hand Dressing
The Old-Fashioned Method of Hand Spinning
The First Process in Spinning Manila – The women are shown feeding Hemp up to the spreading machines, taken from the bales as they come from the Philippines. These three machines are capable of manipulating one hundred and twenty bales a day.
Manila-Finishing Drawing Machines
Russian & Italian Hemp Preparing Room
Manila Spinning
Binder Twine & Trawl Twine Spinning – This floor contains one hundred and fifty six spindles
Russian & Italian Hemp Spinning
Carding Room
Tow Drawing Room
Tow Spinning & Spun Yarn Twisting Room
Tarred Yarn Store – This contains one hundred and fifty tons of Yarn
Tarred Yarn Winding Room
Upper End of Main Rope Ground – There are six ground four hundred yards long, capable of making eighteen tons of rope per ten and a half hour day
Rope-Making Machines – This pair of large machines are capable of making rope up to forty-eight centimetres in circumference
House Machines – This view shows part of the Upper Rope Ground and a couple of small Rope-Making Machines
Number 4 House Machine Room
The middle section of a machine capable of making rope from three inches up to seven inches in circumference, any length without a splice. It is thirty-two feet in height and driven by an electric motor.
Number 4 Rope Store
Boiler House
120 BHP. Sisson Engine Direct Coupled to Clarke-Chapman Dynamo
One of our Motors by Crompton 40 BHP – These Manila Ropes have been running eight years and are still in first class condition.
Engineers’ Shop with Smiths’ Shop adjoining
Carpenters’ Store & Store for Spare Gear
Exhibit at Earl’s Court Naval & Shipping Exhibition, 1905
View of the Factory before the Fire in 1860
View of the Factory as it is now in 1905 – extending from Commercial St
Images courtesy Bishopsgate Institute
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Great images but was the building in Commercial Road, or Commercial St? It refers to both.
Good to see this history of ropemaking in London. This is also reflected in the names of Twine Terrace and Ropery Street in Mile End.
And of course, all entirely sustainable. All of these hemp based products will eventually biodegrade, leaving nothing behind them.
The factories look so incredibly clean and tidy in these images, but I did wonder about the health of the workers? They must have been breathing in a lot of hemp fibres?
Thank you again for a glimpse into London’s industrial past.
Fascinating! And rope-making can still be seen in action at Chatham Dockyard.
Interesting to note the apparently strict male/female segregation .. each have their own jobs.
What a fascinating set of old photos. I hadn’t ever thought about how long the buildings would have been at that time. What a hard life for those workers.
Amazing that only a small publication now preserves the story of such a major enterprise. Cable Street’s name suddenly feels much more meaningful.
A fascinating piece, thanks. One can only imagine the unrelenting noise the workers endured daily within these vast premises.. The smell must have been amazing too. The last pic of the exhibition stand is wonderful.