Brush Making at Axminster, Chard and Ottery St. Mary, 1882 to the 1950s

Name: Brush Making at Axminster, Chard and Ottery St. Mary, 1882 to the 1950s
Start: 2026-03-18T19:30:00+00:00
Location: Bradshaw Meeting Room, Thomas Whitty House, Silver Street, Axminster, Devon, EX13 5AH.

Schedule

Wed, 18 Mar, 2026 at 07:30 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

Bradshaw Meeting Room, Thomas Whitty House, Silver Street, Axminster, Devon, EX13 5AH. | Axminster, EN

We are launching our 2026 programme of local history talks with a talk by David Knapman on brush making in and around Axminster.
Most local residents are aware of the old brush works at the foot of Castle Hill, but not everyone knows that for about 75 years there were two rival factories there, making tooth, nail and hair brushes (and more) in a huge range of styles and numbers. These were sold not just all over the UK, but all over the world, and the two factories (Coate's and Bidwell Bros) employed several hundred workers.
David's talk will utilise a series of photographs taken in the early 20th century for a Bidwell company brochure, showing the main steps in the brush manufacturing process, plus a range of other sources.
Tickets £5 per person. Please purchase your tickets in advance from the heritage centre, or ring 01297 639884 during museum hours or email [email protected] to reserve them for payment (cash only) on the night. Thank you.