British Dyes

1915 Read Holliday and Sons played a critical role in wartime production, concentrating on explosives manufacture; the government wished to safeguard its work, and consequently arranged for a new company, British Dyes Ltd, to be formed which purchased Read Holliday and Sons. The Government provided part of the capital, repayable in ten years. The research staff in Huddersfield grew to 100 chemists to support the range of acid, basic, mordant, sulphur and vat dyes. Joseph Turner became a managing director of the new firm.

1916 British Dyes Ltd was recognised by the British Cotton and Wool Dyers Association for their contribution to maintaining supplies of dyes in the face of the German embargo.

1916 The company performed well, paying a dividend of 6% on its capital.

The Turnbridge Works, which had produced dyes since 1860, was becoming obsolete. A new plant was built in Dalton, on a site further down the River Colne valley, near to Major Holliday's Deighton works. Holliday's recruited workers, customers and processes from Read Holliday and Sons, causing lasting friction with British Dyes. The design and layout of the Dalton Works presented startup problems.

Dr. Herbert Levinstein, head of the Levinstein company, made recommendations to solve the operating problems at Dalton. The Dalton Works covered several hundred acres and had units for the production of raw materials.

1919 British Dyes was brought together with its great rival Levinsteins as British Dyestuffs Corporation.

1926 British Dyestuffs Corporation became part of ICI.

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