Overview
The bleaching works of Anton Driessen, one of the Driessen brothers, was a textile bleaching works on the Slingebeek in Dale. It was established around 1847 and remained in use until shortly after the Second World War.
After settling in Aalten in 1826 to establish a Dutch branch of the family business, Anton Driessen initially leased part of the bleaching works belonging to his cousin Heinrich Driessen near the Grote Maat farm. By 1841 he had plans for a bleaching works of his own. He had his eye on a piece of common land described as “four bunders in size, situated in the so-called Slat near Aalten”, closer to the village.
At the time, the municipality of Aalten was in the process of dividing the shared marke lands. The plot in question belonged to the marke of Aalten. The ‘commission for the division of the marke lands’ initially rejected his request. Anton persisted, however, and eventually succeeded in acquiring the land.
On 6 February 1847, the Provincial Executive informed Anton Driessen, described as a “manufacturer, bleacher of cotton, linen and yarn”, that the Minister of the Interior had granted permission to move the equipment from his existing bleaching works to the newly acquired site on the Slingebeek in Dale. He was also permitted to erect the necessary buildings there. The licence cost him ƒ2.49.
Disused after the war
After the Second World War, N.V. Textielmaatschappij v/h Gebr. Driessen took the bleaching works out of service, probably because outsourcing had become cheaper. The building was then given a new use as accommodation for Aalten’s scouts.
Today, a small shed stands on the site of the former bleaching works, partly constructed from remains of the original building.
Address history
Population register 1880–1890
Dale 20
Bleaching works
Population register 1890–1900
Population register 1900–1910
Dale 20
Population register 1910–1920
Dale 29
1934 address directory
Dale 32 > 14
Bleaching works
1967 address directory
Dale 14 > Slatdijk 2
Shed
Owners
This overview is not complete.
| Year | Plot | Owner | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1832 | C-182 | Engelbert Stapelkamp, farmer | 7,040 m² arable land |
| 1881 | C-1491 | Johan Bernard Anton Driessen, manufacturer | 271 m² factory, bleaching works |
| 1923 | C-4377 | N.V. Textielmij. vh. Gebr. Driessen | 24,150 m² factory & meadow |
| 1946 | C-4489 | N.V. Textielmij. vh. Gebr. Driessen | scout hut & yard |
| 1950 | C-4961 | N.V. Textielmij. vh. Gebr. Driessen | 23,630 m² scout hut & grassland |