History
Thurcroft Industry
A branch of the Midland Bank was opened at Thurcroft in September, 1925 at 26 Green Arbour Road.
April, 1968, BSC gave details of a new plant costing £500,000 was to be built at Thurcroft Brickworks, to have a capacity of 40000 bricks a week, four times as large as the existing plant.
Four years later,on 7th April, 1972, negotiations were being made to sell nearly half of British Steel's brickmaking capacity. The main deal was with Butterley Brick Company of Ripley, Derbyshire, which involved the sale of the BSC's brickworks at Thurcroft.
There were 540 employees at Thurcroft Brickworks who were offered re-employment on terms comparable to their previous terms of employment. Thurcroft along with Castle Brick Company in North Wales had been producing 80 million building bricks a year. The sale was completed on 10th May, 1972.
February 1970 saw the opening of Thurcroft Industrial Estate.
C.M.T established a depot in Thurcroft in August 1970, specialising in Rubber, Plastic and Asbestos products. The general products division handled asbestos textiles, millboard and ceramic fibres plus a wide range of industrial protective clothing ie footwear and gloves.
The structural materials division handled asbestos cement goods, insulation and plaster boards, roof lights and accessories.
The engineering division specialised in heat resisting materials for electrical and mechanical duties.
Thurcroft was chosen by the company because it is in the centre of the motorway network, in the 70's the total work force was 48, 17 of these lived in Thurcroft.
During the 70's C.M.T increased it's business so much that it outgrew it's site in Thurcroft, the firm moved to North Anston to a site three times bigger.
In August 1971 Wood Bastow moved to the Estate. The Wood Bastow group of companies were founded in Nottingham in 1934 by Mr G Wood and Mr Charles Bastow. The company employed about 30 people producing surgical knitted elastic and hookside corsets. The business developed as the range of products increased and therefore further factories were built, the firm at that time were producing foundation garments, lingerie and swimwear.
The Thurcroft factory, built in June 1970, provided employment in the local area, the firm employed 240 women 84 of which lived in Thurcroft. Goods were mainly made for Marks and Spencers and distributed to stores throughout the British Isles, goods were also exported to Paris, Brussels and Canada.
Southcroft Engineering Co. Ltd. - This factory opened in Thurcroft in October 1971, it specialised in stainless steel equipment, they manufactured a range sterilising tables, commercial catering sinks, preparation tables, mobile tables, mobile vegetable sinks, cupboards in stainless steel and aluminium, shelves and chopping benches to mention a few. This firm came to Thurcroft because they found it to be the best value for money as regards size and convenience. In the 70's the firm employed 20 people 12 of which lived in Thurcroft.
Transfleet Services - they moved to the site in 1971, the firm chose Thurcroft because of it's proximity to the motor way. Transfleet was not a factory in the normal sense but a commercial vehicle repair workshop with adjacent offices. Transfleet hired out tractors, platform tructs etc., they also had their own team of drivers of heavy goods vehicles. The firm employed 10 people 3 of which lived in Thurcroft.
The Pillsbury factory opened in April 1972 - the largest on the estate
The factory employed 300 people, 240 of those lived in Thurcroft. The products were doughnuts, apple turnovers, fruit scones, danish pastries etc. Since the invention of refrigerated fresh dough in the 1930's Pillsbury dough developed machinery, and aquired a technical knowledge of fresh dough which ensured a consistant quality at the lowest cost. The American company made dough products to accommodate the tastes of people in this country, two of these products, scones with or without fruit and dinner rolls were not available in any other country.
The company would not allow any of it's employees to join a union, which didn't please their employees. Pillsbury dough extended their business three years after opening at a cost of £135,000, and were able to employ in excess of an extra 120 employees.
Newspaper cutting dated 8th March, 1978 about Pilsbury, who had a Bakery at Thurcroft, and were going to supply dough to the Continental market.
The very first Wynsors World of Shoes store opened at Thurcroft, in 1983 occupying retail premises of approximately 7500 square feet.
The other industrial estate in Thurcroft is the Nine Trees Trading Estate on Morthen Road.