A HISTORIC loom which forms a special piece of the district’s textile heritage has been delivered to a museum in the city, but the delivery was not as straight forward as originally thought.

A Hattersley Standard Loom was delivered to the Bradford Industrial Museum in Eccleshill yesterday, following delays and issues getting the loom into the building.

It was first due to be delivered on Tuesday, but had to be postponed due to high winds, and yesterday large wooden doors had to be removed to get the loom, suspended from the crane, through the opening in what was a perilously tight squeeze.

It took around two hours to get the loom into the building, and it will not be up and running until next week.

The loom is a full width loom of the same type used to weave woollen and worsted in mills across the district.

It was developed in the 1920s by engineering firm George Hattersley & Sons of Keighley, which was founded in 1789.

While the museum already has other Hattersley looms in its collection, this is the first Standard it has had.

Hattersley built their first power loom in 1834, but it was destroyed by hand loom weavers concerned for their livelihood.

They quickly built a replacement and the company grew and developed into an internationally renowned heavy engineering company, making spinning and weaving machines.

It closed down in 1983, but its looms are still in operation in many textile mills around the world, and are still used to weave Harris Tweed.

It is believed the company send a number of looms to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland just after the end of the First World War.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, executive member for healthy people and places, said: “This is a very exciting addition to our collection of looms at the Industrial Museum helping us to tell the fascinating story of Bradford’s textile past.

“The Hattersley Standard Loom will be instantly recognisable to anyone who worked in the textile industry as it was used by many of the mills in the district up until quite recently.

“The loom that we are taking delivery of is believed to be in working order, although it will require some cleaning and setting up.

“A small selection of cloth is currently weaved at the museum and the intention is to weave on this Standard loom as well.

“This is a very generous donation as the donors have also paid for the transportation and installation of the loom at the mill, so there is no cost to the museum or the council.”