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early in the last century needle-making was carried on in the neighbouring parish of Studley, and soon found its way to Redditch, by which time the names of Hemming and Bartleet had made the vicinity famous for its manufacture. Some estimate may be formed of the extent to which the trade has grown from the fact that at the present time it is calculated there are about 200 millions of needles produced every week in the entire district, which includes Astwood Bank, Studley, Alvechurch, Feckenham, Hunt End, Crabs Cross, &c., giving employment to some 10,000 persons. The superiority of the Redditch needles is recognised all over the world. The Germans and others have competed for the inferior sorts of needles, but themselves send to Redditch for the best article. Formerly the steel-dust created in the grinding of the needles was very destructive to the lives of the workpeople, but an ingenious contrivance for carrying off the dust was invented a few years ago, and the process is now much more harmless. The principal manufacturers of Redditch are Messrs. Hemming and Son, Bartleet and Sons, Mil ward and Sons, Thomas and Sons, James and Sons, Holyoake and Son, Baylis and Sons, Harrison and Co., Kirby, Beard, and Co., and Allcock and Co. The condition and prospects of the trades are on the whole very satisfactory. The Workshops Regulation Act is now applied to the district, and as very large numbers of women and children are employed in the several manufactures it is believed this piece of legislation will have a favourable effect on the rising generation by restricting their hours of labour. Redditch has been represented at the Paris Exhibition this year by Messrs. Bartleet and Sons, Milward and Sons, Boulton and Sons, and Kirby, Beard, and Co., each obtaining a silver medal except Messrs. Milward and Sons, who, however, obtained a bronze medal. Sewing machine needles were exhibited by Messrs. Bartleet and Sons, suitable for all the different machines amongst their complete assortment of needles and fish hooks, which obtained a silver medal; also by Mr. Heath, of Crabs Cross, and Messrs. Townsend and Co.,