Local Industries
Once upon a time, the Heanor area was totally agricultural. But despite its rural
history, without a doubt Heanor has been an industrial town since the 19th century
. This page lists just some of the industries (other than mining, which is dealt
with separately) which were found in the area -
I & R Morley
Morley’s factory on High Street, Heanor, was one of the largest employers in Heanor, with over 1,000 workers at its height.
A throw-
Aristoc
Langley Mill’s equivalent was Aristoc, a high-
This site also closed down in the 1990s and has been redeveloped for housing.
Langley Mill Pottery
James Calvert established a pottery on Station Road, Langley Mill in 1865. In 1883, it was taken over by the Lovatt brothers, and continued production for many years.
It became part of the Denby Pottery group in 1959, and finally closed down in 1982. Lovatt and Langleyware are still much in demand.
G R Turner
Staying in Langley Mill, the steel works of G.R. Turner was world-
Again, after first becoming part of British Steel in 1967, the steel works were closed, and, after being the base of Heanor Haulage for a number of years the site was then developed for the current Asda supermarket.
Smith’s Flour Mills
There was been a flour mill on what is now Cromford Road, Langley Mill, for two
hundred years, and Smith’s was there since the mid-
But there was a mill in the area at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 -
Vic Hallam
Vic Hallam started his firm making chicken coops and sheds at Marlpool at the end of the first world war.
By the time the company reached its peak in the 1960s, they had a huge site (seen
here) next to the Erewash Canal at Langley Mill, and were renowned for their prefabricated
buildings, particularly schools. The company was also responsible for building the
Derbyshire Miners’ Camp at Skegness. The site where the firm was based is now a business-
Collaro
During World War II, the site which had just been acquired by Vic Hallam’s was taken over for the war effort by Collaro, a London company which was moved out of the capital to avoid the bombing.
An oral-
This is only a small glimpse of the industries which went to make up the Heanor area
-
Time moves on, and the new industrial estates and business parks will, hopefully, keep employment in the area for many years to come.
Several of the industries mentioned on this page can be seen in aerial photographs on the Heanor from Above page.