Les Waddington, sept générations de cotonniers : 1792-1961
Institution:
Paris, EHESSDisciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
The waddington company's first cotton mill was founded in 1792 at stremy-sur-avre by henry sykes,an english merchant. In 1812, he was joined by several members of his family, including his grandson thomas and his son-in-law, william waddington. The waddington family took control of the company at the death of its founder in 1813. During the forty-year partnership of thomas and his brother frederic, which began in 1825, three factories were added. They were succeeded by their sons, richard and evelyn. True to their protestant background, the waddington family began early on to create innovative social institutions and, by the end of the xixth century, waddington's had gained a reputation as a prosperous company with forward-looking social policies. Richard waddington and his elder brother, william henry, both deputies and, later, senators, made note insignificant contributions as centre left republicans during the iiird republic. From 1913 onward, the company seems to have operated under its acquired momentum. The slump of the nineteen thirties, however, proved fatal to waddington's; the gradual demolition of the firm's factories began in 1934. The company ceased to exist in 1961.
Abstract FR:
Situes au bord de l'avre, les ets waddington ont pour origine une filature de coton, cree en 1792 a st-remy-sur-avre, pres de dreux, par henry sykes, negociant anglais. En 1812, henry sykes fait venir d'angleterre sa fille, son gendre william waddington, ancien negociant et banquier, et son petit-fils, thomas, precedemment forme dans une grande filature anglaise. A la mort du fondateur, en 1813, la famille waddington reprend l'affaire. A partir de 1825, thomas s'associe a son frere frederic. Durant leurs quarante annees de collaboration, tous deux developpent l'etablissement, creant trois nouvelles usines. A la generation suivante, leurs deux fils, richard et evelyn, prennent la releve. A la fin du xixe siecle, la maison waddington est reputee pour sa prosperite et ses innovations dans le domaine social. En effet, tres attaches au protestantisme, les waddington se sont lances tres tot dans le developpement d'institutions sociales novatrices. Richard waddington et son frere aine, william henry, deputes puis senateurs, jouent un role important au sein des republicains de centre gauche sous la iiie republique. A partir de 1913, l'entreprise semble vivre sur sa lancee, mais la crise des annees trente lui sera fatale. Des 1934 commence le lent demantelement des usines. Les ets waddington disparaitront definitivement en 1961.