Did you or your family have connections to the Westbury Woollen Mill Industry?

The Laverton Housing Trust administers the Almshouses that are the result of selling all but one of the houses in Prospect Square and building two developments with the proceeds. 

There are at present 14 homes under the Trust and there may be opportunities in the future to increase the number of properties owned by the Trust.   These homes are at times available to applicants over the age of 55 where the residents pay significantly low monthly maintenance contributions compared to rents in the commercial sector.

In past years the homes have predominantly been occupied by workers or descendants’ of the woollen industry workers, but since the last cloth mill in Westbury closed this link with the mills inevitably becomes part of Westbury’s interesting history.  Despite this the Trust continues with the ethos of Abraham Laverton for provision of convenient and comfortable homes for elderly or disabled people of Westbury.

Within the Westbury history there are many benefits that the Laverton family have bought to the town.  Abraham Laverton acquired the Angel Mill in 1852 – (this building is seen in Edward Street opposite Morrison’s supermarket).  Within the building he revived the woollen trade, giving much needed employment in the town. The last two woollen mills in Westbury closed in 1969.  He was also for many years involved as a Director running the Westbury Iron Company and Westbury Gas Company.

Abraham’s legacy to the town includes The Laverton Institute built in 1874; this now houses  the office of Westbury Town Council and serves as a social venue for many events. He also had an Infants School built, this is now a private house,  both of these are in Bratton Road.

In 1868 Abraham stood for Parliament (for Westbury) against J L Phipps and lost by 27 votes – in those days voting took place by a show of hands in the Market Place.  A later election took place this time against C P Phipps but Abraham lost again.

The political rivalry was unbalanced by the fact that Phipps and some of his associates threatened their workers that they would lose their employment or be evicted from their homes if they voted for Laverton.

Laverton petitioned an accusation of intimidation against Phipps and as a result in 1872 Parliament passed the Ballot Act which introduced secret ballots for elections.  This was an important step contributing to British Democracy.

Prospect Square, the horseshoe shaped development off Bratton Road, was instigated by Abraham and completed in 1869.  He decided to build these to re-house residents who had been evicted by his political rival Phipps because they had voted for Laverton despite the threats from employers, also to house some of his own workers giving them better living conditions.

When Abraham Laverton retired from his textile business he went to live at Farleigh Castle dying there in 1886. In his will he left the business to his nephew William Henry Laverton. William knew his uncle’s wishes and set up a charitable trust with the Prospect Square properties.

The Laverton Housing Trust members are local volunteers including a descendant of Abraham Laverton and they meet regularly to administer the Trust.  They invite anyone over the age of 55 years of age who worked or had a member of their family working in the Mill Industry in Westbury who would possibly like the opportunity to live in one of the homes owned by the Trust in the near future or in years to come.

If you are interested please send your details in writing to: Mrs Margaret Hart, secretary, The Laverton Housing Trust, 9 Westbury Road, Bratton, Westbury, Wiltshire. BA13 4TE