Facts about Halstead

Mills

In 1818, Samuel Courtauld built two mills, Townsford at Halstead and another at Bocking. At the end of 1824, Halstead Mill was sold to Stephen Beuzeville. In 1825, Samuel installed a steam engine at Bocking Mill. An agreement dated 19 January 1825 was drawn up between Beuzeville and Samuel Courtauld and partners for the conversion of Halstead Mill for silk throwing. Beuzeville was to provide the expertise, capital, and supply the silk; Courtauld was to erect the power looms and operate the mill in return for a share in the profits; Beuzeville was to take delivery of the yarn and manufacture the crêpe, on which he was a technical expert with 20 years’ experience.

The mill appears to have been in operation by the summer of 1825, with Joseph Ash as manager. The introduction of new technology was important but the mills still remained heavily dependent on manpower, or more accurately, woman-power. The looms required supervision by an army of young female workers and even in 1838, more than 92 per cent of the workforce was female.

Sport

Halstead’s largest football club is Halstead Town F.C. The club plays in the 10th tier of the English football league system, in the Eastern Counties Football League Division One. The town is home to Halstead Cricket Club which fields three teams in the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship. During the 2011 season the club, with the help of club member and former Bangladesh bowling coach Ian Pont brought in Bangladeshi international cricketer Syed Rasel.

Other players to have played both first class cricket and for the club include former Essex and Leicestershire man Darren Robinson, international coach Richard Pybus and New Zealand U-19 and Canterbury bowler Matt Henry. Since 2010 the town has a rugby club called Halstead Templars R.F.C.