Display case

This wood framed and glass fronted display case previously hung in the Millwall ropework factory owned by Hawkins and Tipson, London's largest rope manufacturer. The case includes labelled samples of manila, sisal and steel wire rope manufactured and supplied by the firm. George Hawkins and Alfred Tipson established their ropeworks in 1881. The firm expanded and flourished along with London's docks and, by the 1920s, had office headquarters at Lloyds Avenue in the City and operated two rope work factories: the Globe ropeworks at Millwall and the Mebro ropeworks at Edmonton, north London. Being primarily dependent on business from the London's docks the firm declined along with the docks and eventually closed in the 1980s.