Tag Archives: 1909

1909 Pig Slaughtering in Miles Lane

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From the minutes of the Mitcham Parish Council of 25th January 1909

The following letter from the Clerk to the Croydon Rural District Council was read :—

TOWN HALL, CROYDON. 25th JANUARY, 1909.

Dear Sir,

MITCHAM ALLOTMENTS : SLAUGHTERING OF PIGS.

I am directed to forward the subjoined copy of a resolution passed by the District Council at their last meeting, and to ask that you will bring the same before the Parrish Council.

Yours truly,
E. J. GOWEN,
Clerk.

R. M. CHART, Esq., Clerk of the Mitcham Parish Council.

” The Medical Officer reported that in the course of Mr. Rabbetts’ inspection of the Piggeries on the Mitcham Allotments he found two pigs had recently been slaughtered and dressed in a shed belonging to Mr. William Sayers, who resides at 1, Clifton Cottages, Miles Lane, Mitcham. The shed was constructed of wood with concrete floor, and had a copper in it for heating water, which was obtained from a surface well close to the Piggeries. Mr. Rabbetts cautioned Mr. Sayers against using this shed as a slaughterhouse a few months ago, when he found that a pig had been slaughtered there. The Committee directed the attention of the Mitcham Parish Council be called to the circumstances, with a view to the prohibition by them of a continuation of this practice.”

Notes
1) Miles Lane, now called Miles Road, is shown in this map of 1910

1910 map

1910 map

2) Before 1915, Mitcham was part of the Croydon Rural District Council.

Minutes of meetings held by the Mitcham Parish Council are available on request from the Merton Heritage and Local Studies Centre at Morden Library.

Maps are reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.

Lyxhayr

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Manufactured at Grove Mills, on the Wandle in Mitcham.

First manufactured in 1903 by a company called ‘The Patent Horse Hair Co. Ltd.’, ‘lyxhayr’ was a curled fibre of vegetable origin for many upholstery filling applications. Developed by a chemist called Mr Holmes, the process was patented.

As well as hair from horses, wool or cotton fibre, called ‘flock’, was used in filling mattresses and furniture. Sometimes, hog hair was mixed in with the horse hair to reduce cost. Animal hair however was not hygienic, and the company’s advertisement in 1907 said that the Public Analyst for Hackney, Dr Leo Taylor, had found that the hair contained almost the same amount of bacteria as London sewage.

Being made from vegetable, this artificial horse hair was free of bacteria.

In 1905 the company changed its name to Lyxhayr Ltd. and Mr W. A. Dickinson was its Managing Director. Mattresses made with lyxhayr were popular with hospitals but cheaper, less hygienic ones were still being sold.

Mr Dickinson was one of those who lobbied parliament leading to the Rag Flock Act of 1911, which was the first attempt to regulate the abuses.

1907 ad

1907 ad

Listed in the 1938 commercial directory as

Mitcham Fibre Mills Ltd., horse hair substitute manufacturers, Grove Mills, London Road. Trading As “Lyxhayr, Mitcham;” Telephone Number 0807.

News Articles
These are from the British Newspaper Archive.

Western Chronicle – Friday 5 February 1909
1909 fire

At one o’clock on Saturday morning a fire broke out the Grove Mills, Mitcham, an artificial horsehair manufactory. The fire brigades from Croydon, Sutton, and Mitcham attended, but the four-storey brick building was completely gutted. The damage is estimated at from £5,000 to £6,000.

Pearson’s Weekly – Thursday 4 January 1906

A VALUABLE addition has been made to the list of hygienic articles by the introduction of Lyxhayr. A substitute for horsehair, Lyxhayr is a natural, vegetable, woody fibre, which has been chemically and mechanically treated. As a stuffing for beds and chairs, where the maximum of health and cleanliness is desired, it is gaining great appreciation. Full particulars of Lyxhayr can be obtained from the selling agents, Messrs. Dollery and Palmer, 110 Cannon Street, London, E.C.