11-645: The Shirley Institute was established in 1920 as the British Cotton Industry Research Association at The Towers in Didsbury , Manchester , as a research centre dedicated to cotton production technologies. It was funded by the Cotton Board through a statutory levy. A significant contribution to the purchase price of The Towers was made by William Greenwood , the MP for Stockport , who asked that
22-508: A deepened channel into Manchester; Williams was in favour of a series of locks. Both engineers were invited to submit proposals, and Williams' plans were selected to form the basis of a bill submitted to Parliament in November 1882. Due to the intense opposition by Liverpool and the railway companies, the necessary enabling Act of Parliament was not passed until 6 August 1885. Certain conditions were attached: £5 million had to be raised, and
33-403: A research centre dedicated to cotton production technologies. It was funded by the Cotton Board through a statutory levy. A significant contribution to the purchase price of The Towers was made by William Greenwood , the MP for Stockport , who asked that the building be named after his daughter. The Institute developed Ventile , a special high-quality woven cotton fabric. It also developed
44-532: The Shirley Institute , and then the BTTG ) is a research establishment for new technologies in cotton production. The Shirley Institute was established in 1920 at a cost of £ 10,000 to accommodate the newly formed British Cotton Industry Research Association . It is a Grade II* listed building in the suburb of Didsbury , located 6 miles (10 km) south of the centre of Manchester , England . The building
55-769: The tog as an easy-to-follow measure of the thermal resistance of textiles, as an alternative to the SI unit of m K/W. The BCRA merged with the British Rayon Research Association to form the Cotton, Silk, and Man-Made Fibres Research Association in 1961. Douglas Hill was director of research of the BCRA before the merger, and led the new organisation. The director of the BRRA, Leonard Albert Wiseman became deputy director. Len Wiseman became director on Hill's retirement in 1969, and held
66-474: The building be named after his daughter, Shirley. In the early 21st century, the estate land of the Shirley Institute was redeveloped and a new business park was constructed. Italics denote building under construction Shirley Institute The Shirley Institute was established in 1920 as the British Cotton Industry Research Association at The Towers in Didsbury , Manchester , as
77-417: The building be named after his daughter. The Institute developed Ventile , a special high-quality woven cotton fabric. It also developed the tog as an easy-to-follow measure of the thermal resistance of textiles, as an alternative to the SI unit of mK/W. The BCRA merged with the British Rayon Research Association to form the Cotton, Silk, and Man-Made Fibres Research Association in 1961. Douglas Hill
88-523: The canalisation of the Rivers Irwell and Mersey resulted in the creation of the Manchester Ship Canal project which made the rivers into Manchester navigable for sea-going ships. He invited representatives of several Lancashire towns, local businessmen and politicians, and two civil engineers, Hamilton Fulton and Edward Leader Williams . Fulton proposed a tidal canal, with no locks and
99-623: The ship canal company had to buy both the Bridgewater Canal and the Mersey & Irwell Navigation within two years. In 1920 it became the base of the Shirley Institute of the British Cotton Industry Research Association as a research centre dedicated to cotton production technologies. A significant contribution to the purchase price of £10,000 was made by William Greenwood, the MP for Stockport , who asked that
110-466: Was constructed in the period 1868–72, for an estimated cost of £50,000. The house was designed by Thomas Worthington , for the editor and proprietor of the Manchester Guardian , John Edward Taylor . The building was described by Pevsner as "grossly picturesque in red brick and red terra cotta." The Towers was once the home of the notable engineer Daniel Adamson – whose idea for
121-670: Was director of research of the BCRA before the merger, and led the new organisation. The director of the BRRA, Leonard Albert Wiseman became deputy director. Len Wiseman became director on Hill's retirement in 1969, and held the post until 1980. In 1987–1990 it merged with the Wira Technology Group to form the British Textile Technology Group (BTTG). 53°24′29″N 2°13′34″W / 53.4081°N 2.2262°W / 53.4081; -2.2262 The Towers (Manchester) The Towers (later known as
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