Many books, magazine and newspaper articles have been written about the Haden brothers beginnings in Trowbridge and their lives working in the County of Wiltshire on the erection of Steam Engines and the repair and maintenance of machinery for the local Woollen Mills.

This short history attempts to draw together various documents, letters, articles and photographs which relate in particular to the four generations of the family who became trusted and respected members of the local community, and to give an insight into their achievements. Showing how George and James and their descendants progressed, by building up a successful Heating & Ventilating firm from the early 1800’s, and later adding its own iron foundry. The firm expanded during the 1900’s into a national company with a network of branch offices throughout the United Kingdom.

The family were deeply religious with a Congregational non-conformist denominational background, who were at the heart of the Tabernacle Church activities throughout their entire lives. Most members of the family at some time were Teachers at the Sunday School and also progressed to become Deacons and Superintendents.

This family history begins with George Haden snr who worked at the famous Birmingham Soho Manufactory of Boulton and Watt at the end of the 18th century.

      

George Haden (1788 - 1856) was apprenticed at the age of 15 for a period of 5 years to the firm of Boulton and Watt at their Soho Birmingham Manufactory as an Engineer, working on the erection of steam engines. From around the age of 22 years (1809) he was sent out on the road as a travelling agent / engineer by the firm assembling, erecting and commissioning steam engines manufactured by the firm at the Soho works.

His work took him first to the North of England. His first job according to the list of engine erectors (beginning in January 1808) was circa December 1809, for Birley & Hornby in Manchester.  He then spent several years in Scotland carrying out the erection of many steam engine installations for the firm. After living away from his home in lodging houses for so long and missing the close family ties of his Father and siblings he became disenchanted. His many letters written to his family read how he became more disgruntled with his way of life and his earnings and must have made these feelings well known to his employers.

So in 1814 Messrs Boulton and Watt sent George southwards to the West of England where there was an ever increasing demand for steam engines needed to power the machinery in the woollen mills being built in the counties of Somersetshire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. The woollen firm of J&T Clark had decided they needed to have a steam engine to power their Trowbridge Mill so this became the first engine George had to erect.  He was much taken with the town and in a letter to his father dated March 1815 said,

“In the first place allow me to inform you that I scarcely ever saw such a place for business, the town is but small it should contain 6000 inhabitants but I really believe there are 10000 in it at this time”.

There was so much work to be had around the area that it wasn’t long before he was joined by his new wife Ann Nelson (whom he had recently married in Harborne Staffs ) and later by his brother James Haden and set up home in Trowbridge. Their work thrived during the period 1815 to 1820 and their reputation for quality of work is shown by the local business men being prepared to support them financially as given in an extract of a letter written to his father in 1815.

“Several Gentlemen in this town have offered to subscribe together so as to allow me £50 a year to take care of their engines, and as my time would not be half employed in this occupation I should have the opportunity to transact other business, I think to my advantage”. 


The brothers quickly started to expand their activities to include millwrighting work repairing and maintaining the machinery of the Woollen Mills. They were so busy that they wrote in letters to their Father of the long working hours needed and also while others were able to have Christmas holidays.

“engineers were still required to work”


From the family letters we first note mention of heating stoves by James in October 1816 when writing to George from Matthew Boulton’s house in Great Tew Oxfordshire. Whether the brothers were making their own stoves at this time or erecting another firms stove is unknown. However, we know that George and James started their firm of G & J Haden in 1816 and stoves manufactured in their Trowbridge works commence from around 1819 as shown in the firm’s order books. 

We may be given a clue from a note held in the Boulton & Watt Soho Archive which says,

On 10 Feb. 1830 Creighton wrote to Brown “Mr. Hardwick should by all means apply to G. & J. Haden Trowbridge, who have done much in heating about London, and with great satisfaction.  BW&Co. have several years ago ceased to prepare stoves, and in their favour.”

Times were good for George and James as the order books show that between 1820 and 1855  around 1500 warm air stoves were made and erected.  The census of 1851 records the firm employing 83 men at St George’s Works in Silver Street Trowbridge.

George and James carried out the erection of a large number of warm air stove installations in Mansions, Churches, Banks, Colleges and public buildings under the name of G&J Haden, which can be seen in their impressive lists of contracts (of unknown date, possibly 1840's) which was prepared hopefully to influence future clients. Note: in the list of contracts the reference to Mr Creighton of Soho House Birmingham, who wrote the letter to Mr Brown commenting on the great satisfaction with G&J Haden.