David Evans - The Last of the London Fabric Printers.
With the setting up of bleaching grounds (to whiten cloth) from the late 17th century, Crayford was seen as an ideal site for textile work, as it was within easy reach of the main markets of Central London and the Thames ports of North Kent, and there was abundant clean water from the River Cray. About 120 acres (c48.5 hectares) of Crayford were used for this activity, continuing until the late 19th century.
However, from the early 18th century several fabric printing businesses also started or changed hands in Crayford, Swaisland’s being a good example, having taken on two printing sites in 1814 and then building larger premises.
David Evans & Co. was almost the last to set up a textile printing business in 1843 and was the last remaining when operation ceased in Crayford in 2001. Already an established silk merchant in London, Evans took on the site on the Crayford/Bexley border from Augustus Applegath, also a printer but an inventor as well. Evans additionally bought nearby Shenstone, the large house which Applegath had had built in extensive grounds.
Evans produced good quality printed silks, and gained an international reputation for their Real Ancient Madder Silks, a special process involving secret recipes! It did initially, however, include the use of cow dung, and herds of cattle were kept for the purpose. The cow sheds along London Road still exist (2012). Block printing was the way of production at first but then screen and automated printing were introduced. Quality was always the watch word and clients included, among others, Liberty’s, Holland & Holland, Christian Dior and Elizabeth Emanuel.
The last silk square was printed in Crayford on 4th July 2001, and the closure of the firm was a great loss to Crayford’s industrial heritage.
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My Grandad George Hammond worked there for many years until he retired, I believe he was a foreman in the factory. He lived in Crayford his whole life and was a Royal Engineer in WW2 serving in Normandy, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
Reading some old letters written by my Grandmother I have learned that my Grandfather’s block engraving company (Macclesfield Block Engravers) made some of the printing blocks for David Evans in 1945/6. She mentioned a visit from the managing director who was very pleased with their progress, even telling them they were charging too little for one design!
https://youtu.be/QS43MsiqLok?si=kTbMUtOqS8K-ZCDR
The company features from about 15 minutes in this video.
I worked as a printer there from 1987 to 1997 learnt on hand printing tables & worked on automatic machines as well.
Good times & some good characters that I met.
i worked at david evans for a few yeats when i was young . started with a old timer who new his stuff he looked a bit like john christie who i had not heard of at that time . or i might of been put of . he used to keep a large bootle of amonia 20 litres plus out side the back door dont think that would be allowed today .he was the main tester for the new screens there was a hugh giant old fasion camera on rails the screen would be on the end of the rails and i think the amonia was used to help print the image onto the screen then the table would be set up it was about 30 feet plus covered in a waterproof leather had a long bar fitted at the side upright about 2 inches high and the full length of the table he would attach stops around 2 inches to which the hook on the corner of the screen would be pushed against then lifted down a small amount of ink of what ever colour was needed would be poured at the bottom of the screen and i would have a long squeegee like the one you use for window cleaning but no handle 6/8 inches thick 4 feet long wood rubber part half inch thick i would push the ink towards him he would reach for the squeegee and pull it to his end this took a while for me to learn speed and not stopping etc so we got a good print on paper or old cloth /silk he would then work out were the next stop went so the join was perfect then use other screens were different colours would be printed to complete the finished print . then all measurements would be given to main factory . so that they can set up stops and number screens so mass printing by hand could start so maybe around 30 40 plus meters of silk would be printed then left to dry before next screen with a different colour would be printed. around 8/10 tables next to each other all the way down to bottom of factory and just like in our room there would be large open showers were we would shower of all ink then put them in racks to dry .i went on to do a apprenticeship in block cutting we had to start by making our own small chisels to cut out block of wood around 2 feet square and inset hooks for printing just like the screens as a young man it was very interesting but construction payed a lot more. i remember old brick single story buildings but did not now untill reading online they were cow sheds before i worked there . we were always given a sik tie for christmas
I was fortunate to be able to work at David Evans as a work experience while a student at Canterburt College of Art. The year I was there was the last of them doing the hand block printing of scarves for Libertys. It was an experience I will never forget. 1978 I believe.
Is it still possible to buy this book?
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