“SHODDY” TRADE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12610, 20 July 1935, Page 5

“SHODDY” TRADE

WORLD’S RAGS SENT TO ONE CENTRE, Centre of one of the worlds strangest occupations, a. poor relation of the great wool in cl if try, i* Dewsbury; Yorkshire. . From all parts of the world woollen rags converge on Dewsbury, which knows all that is to know about rags. The wool-dasher, an expert himself, would be l a’moot ashamed in tho. presence of the sorter, who can classify, over 500 varieties of woollen mg. Bundles, op, these- dihe-ards of all nations arc itold in b'.g auction rooms. The rags are broken up and the wool recovered, te.be used again. This “shoddy” exists cn , ,'sonio percentage in almost all woollen, clothing materials. .A proeeus of. destroying tho cotton , and leaving. the wool is so malodraus that thee factories are .fair, removed from. cither buildings. ■ ■ .Rags 'from Australia are . among the most- highly, cla .scd in tiro trade. There,arc dozens of Strange callings in,the trade,- my’.vteriou,-;. names; such as “willicrV and “piecencr” being recorded in tho local marriage register 1 '~ .Dewsbury is the clearing house for shoddy, .yet produces at the. same time some of the worlds best textiles. Its slum problem exceeds that.of London)- 1 ‘two-roomed. ..back-to-back” houses .being 'built, without’ space ground of any kind, in row upon row, . with : only. ono .bdthrbom. to several hemes, • " ■ ;■ .