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Sportspace - Hemel Hempstead
 
 
Sunday, 1st August 2010

 
5 Home Park Mills

Home Park Mill pictured in late 1930s
HOME Park Mills were within the park that was attached to King Henry III’s palace at Kings Langley.

The mill was built by John Dickinson in 1825 and enlarged in 1838, at which date it turned out 10 tons of paper each week.
In 1878 the first colouring machine was built at Nash Mills - prior to this all paper staining had been done by hand.

The new machine was damaged by fire five years later, but this was repaired and the colouring expanded.

The mill underwent an entire change in 1888 when it finally closed as a paper milland a large three-storey colouring mill was built with the water wheels being replaced by turbines.

The early part of the 20th century saw a big increase in the demand for coloured paper and for a time a night shift was introduced at Kings Langley.

Later in the century, gummed paper tapes were produced at Home Park Mills for use in packing and the product was known as Holdfast.

But sales nosedived - possibly because DRG produced Sellotape at nearby Borehamwood - and in October 1989 the closure of the mills was announced with the loss of over 300 jobs. The mill, which stood on a site of about 18 acres, was sold for development the following year.

To return to the John Dickinson introduction page, click below
 
 

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