Wooden block for printing on silk, Langley Print Works, England (Sutton, Cheshire), mid 18th century.

Wooden block for printing on silk.
The pattern consists of oak's leaves, flowers and acorns.

Two large oval holes on the back and a smaller hole for hanging the block.

Bequeathed by Gary McAuliffe

Langley Print Works 1826-1929
William Smith arrived in Langley, a tiny hamlet two miles from the town of Macclesfield, Cheshire, around 1820. He was aware of the pure and abundant supply of water available from the River Bollin and other small streams in the area, required in silk processing.

His first commercial processes were: hand dyeing of silk and then printing it with a wax resist and then dying it with real indigo.

Later colours were used from plants, many obtained locally, and fixing or fastening the colours by the use of a mordant obtained from farm manure.

By 1826 increasing commercial demand required more space, thus the Langley Print Works were built.

William Smith died in 1848 and his son John Smith took over the Print Works calling it Wm. Whiston & Son. His telegraphic address was INDIGO. He was responsible for the huge expansion that took place up until 1900.

William Whiston was a friend of Sir Thomas Wardle of Leek in Staffordshire and it is likey that he had contact with William Morris of London.

In 1895 William Whiston took over at least four major hand block firms acquiring well over two hundred thousand hand blocks, making Langley Print Worksone of the largest industries of its kind in the world.

In 1915, after the death of his father, Harold Whiston took over the Print Works. Business deteriorated due to the loss of workers who had been called to serve their country in the First World War.

In 1929 William Whiston and Son merged with J&T Brocklehurst & Sons and became Brocklehurst Whiston Amalgamated Ltd.

Printing continued in Langley until 1964 when the works were closed. Sadly many thousands of the beautifully crafted hand blocks that had printed intricate patterns on fabrics were burnt.

Hand Block Printing
The blocks are made up of several layers of wood with the grain running in alternate directions to prevent warping. The printing surface is usually of lime or pear wood. The pattern is made by cutting away areas of wood or by adding metal to produce the design in relief.

Brass pins are put into the corners to help aligh the pattern. Five or more blocks are usually needed to make a design complete.'

Information by Thelma Whiston June 2002

This woodblock is one of two blocks bequeathed to the Museum by a member of the Langley Print Works family firm. The print works were established by William Smith in the 1820s in Langley, a tiny hamlet two miles from the town of Macclesfield, Cheshire.

These blocks were made up of several layers of wood with the grain running in alternate directions to prevent warping. The printing surface is usually of lime or pear wood. The pattern is made by cutting away areas of wood or by adding metal pins to produce the design in relief. Brass pins are put into the corners to help align the pattern. Five or more blocks are usually needed to make a design complete.

E.443-2003