Lost Buildings: Greatfield Hall

This is a brief edited version of a report undertaken as part of the Historic Kidderminster Project. Greatfield Hall was one of many mansions built through the fortunes made by Kidderminster carpet manufacturers. It was pulled down in the mid-1930s to free the site for development.

In March 1838 the Kidderminster firm of architects Messrs Knight and Nettleship placed an advertisement directed at ‘persons desirous of contracting for the erection of mansion and offices in the neighbourhood of Kidderminster for George Crump Esq.’.

Crump was the nephew of carpet manufacturer, Charles Wright, who had taken him into partnership by 1830. He was dead by January 1857. His widow was then leasing Greatfield Hall to another carpet manufacturer, Henry Jecks Dixon, who successfully made the transition to power looms with the erection of Long Meadow Mills in 1854. He lived at Greatfield until his death in 1881.

Dixon’s son, Henry, took over Greatfield Hall, which was the scene of violent riots in 1884. Dixon attempted to introduce a new curtain product to be woven by women only. This provoked the male weavers into strike action. Dixon’s refusal to talk to the union and his use of non-union labour drove the strikers to desperation. Street demonstrations occurred on a large scale, and a march to Greatfield Hall had to be halted by baton wielding policemen, but not before windows were broken at the hall.

Another prominent carpet family took Greatfield Hall through its final period. Jimmy Humphries took up residence in 1902. He was the son of John Humphries of Blakebrook House and grandson of James Humphries of the Grove, Blakebrook. Jimmy remained at Greatfield until 1934. In June 1935 the Shuttle commented that Jimmy had lived until recently at Greatfield Hall which he sold on the death of his wife to take up residence in the south of England. The paper also stated that “the estate on Bewdley Hill is now to be developed for building”. It is not known exactly when the mansion was pulled down. In 1949 the borough council purchased the open space for a park.

Greatfield Hall on Bewdley Hill, ready for demolition 1934.

Author: Nigel Gilbert; Historic Kidderminster Project Ref: 295

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