Holyoke's 19th-century mills manufactured an array of products, including paper and paper products, silk, cottons, thread, clothing, and, the subject of today's topic, woolens.
The woolen industry was emerging in Holyoke, and Chadwick & Chadwick joined the list in 1882, along with the Farr-Alpaca Company, in the production of fine woolen products.
The fashion of the day included coats made of seal skin. The skins were rated from most expensive to least, depending on the source and quality. The best originated in Alaska and were sent to London, where they were dressed, dyed, and then exported to the United States. There were also cheaper versions originating from Alaska and several other areas that sold for a lesser price.
Demand was so great that concerns arose about extinction. English manufacturers were working on devising substitutes or imitations, and some of the best-made surpassed the feel of the real item. To the detriment of the English producers, there was a heavy tariff on the imitation materials shipped to the U.S.A.
John Chadwick of Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England, visited this country to seek out the best location and financial terms for situating a new plant to produce imitation seal skins. Producing in the U.S.A. would avoid the tariff.
In August 1882, he settled on establishing the business in Holyoke, at the Cabot Street Mill complex. Machinery was ordered from England and placed in service in the west wing of the mill building. In November, production commenced.
The business and partnership name selected was Chadwick & Chadwick. Both principals, John and Day Chadwick, hailed from Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England; however, they were not related to one another.
As the supply of genuine seal skin was diminishing, Chadwick & Chadwick was flourishing with its imitations, as well as its additional manufactured products, including matelasses and plushes.
In 1883, John Chadwick resided at 196 Beech Street, and Day Chadwick was living in the Holyoke House.
On October 17, 1887, a fire broke through the roof of the neighboring Holyoke Envelope Company space in the mill. Fortunately, Chadwick & Chadwick sustained minor water damage.
In late January 1889, Chadwick & Chadwick entered insolvency due to difficulties with its New York commission office. It was discovered that although the partnership had $80,000 in assets, its debts were $40,000. The Court of Insolvency in Hampden County issued an injunction preventing the sale of company assets. At the time, Chadwick & Chadwick were the sole manufacturers of imitation seal skin in the country.
In March 1889, the assets were sold to H. H. Schmeltering & Co. of New York for $20,000. Chadwick & Chadwick continued to operate. In June 1889, a canal washout greatly impacted the company's equipment. Two-thirds were repairable, but books, papers, and the safe were either destroyed or lost when the end of the building was opened by surging canal waters and inundated with the resultant mud.
In October 1889, the company resumed operations after the west wing of the Cabot Mills had been cleaned up and repaired. The company's safe was found and rescued.
In the 1889 Price & Lee City Directory, Day Chadwick was living at 156 Beech Street, and John Chadwick resided at 179 Beech Street.
In 1891, local, powerful manufacturing interests purchased Chadwick & Chadwick and incorporated it as the Holyoke Plush Company, the subject of Part 2, which will follow this installment.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
Holyoke Public Library History Room, Price & Lee City Directories, Holyoke, Massachusetts.
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