Battersby Hats of Stockport: an illustrated history

In 1863, Stockport warehouseman William John Battersby refused to change the date of his wedding, a decision that ultimately cost him his job.

He could never have guessed that this would be a pivotal moment, not just in his life, but ultimately in the history of the British hat industry.

Starting his own business in a rented building with just twenty-one employees, within twenty years he had a purpose-built factory bearing his name, which was to endure for over a century and export to every continent.A proud and industrious workforce helped the business prosper over generations and through two world wars, until the latter half of the twentieth century saw the once-great industry decline and finally fade away.Using a wonderful collection of contemporary, largely unseen photographs, accounts and documents, Battersby Hats: An Illustrated History shows the progress of the firm and also the private triumphs and tragedies of the family who ran it.

This is a fascinating celebration of the efforts and dreams of the founder, his descendants, and the employees who sustained this world-famous firm throughout its existence.