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The hostel years 1920s to 1970s

For fifty years (1920s to the 1970s) Stansfield Grange was a hostel for women mill workers. Information about these years has been gathered from interviews with former residents. Quotations in italics are from hostel women who lived at The Grange.

This period was a uniquely interesting time at Stansfield Grange. For the previous three hundred years mill workers at Triangle enjoyed the advantages of working in a rural setting: conditions were better than in many mills in the towns and cities. However, this posed a problem for the mill managers as there was a limited local population from which to recruit the workforce. So, when Illingworth Morris took over from the Morris family in 1920, The Grange was converted into a hostel for up to one hundred young women mill workers.

‘Many were the tales told after lights out. She [Miss Margison] used to sneak through the halls listening at bedroom doors.’

This photograph was likely to have been taken between 1881 and 1900, after William Morris had died. The play equipment in the garden was probably for Thomas’ two nieces Elize and Maud. This photo was used on the back of the1950s hostel brochure.
This photograph was likely to have been taken between 1881 and 1900, after William Morris had died. The play equipment in the garden was probably for Thomas’ two nieces Elize and Maud. This photo was used on the back of the1950s hostel brochure.