On Derby Street King and sons’ corn mill (now Fresh Asia,) was converted into the Shaftesbury Laundry by John Treece in 1896. It was steam powered and the egg-ended boiler is now in Nottingham Industrial Museum. The laundry offered washing, dyeing and ironing. The business was successful, enabling the Treece family to purchase the building in 1910. The High Road facing room, used to receive laundry items, was known for its caged parrot who called “Shop!” as customers entered.
Frances Potter of Meadow Lane worked there in the 1930s. She recalled Friday as the busiest day as she ironed men’s shirts wanted for weekend socialising. It was often 9pm when she finished work on a Friday. Her boss was Winifred Treece. The business closed in 1968.
Gordon Treece, grandson of the founder, worked there for 41 years from the age of 15. He was responsible for the Rotary Club charity project, selling 50 chimney bricks in aid of the Stroke Association, in 2001. The Shaftesbury laundry chimney was the last of Beeston’s ten factory chimneys to be demolished. It took two days to dismantle it, brick by brick.
In a ceremony at the Town Hall bricks were presented to Broxtowe Borough Council, Beeston & District Local History Society, Broxtowe College, Roundhill School and The Cornmill restaurant who sponsored the event.
The other chimneys were Anglo-Scotian Mills, Beeston Boiler, Foster & Pearson, Shaw & Marvin, Black’s at the Humber Works, Beeston Brewery, Ericsson, Swiss Mills and Neville’s Factory (Myford)
Written by Beeston & District Local History Society.