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Origin and history

The Clarenson mill, located in Elbeuf, Seine-Maritime, is a former textile factory built in the second half of the 18th century. Originally built of wood and brick, it spanned eighteen spans, but today represents only three-quarters of its original size. This industrial building, typical of the early architecture of the Industrial Revolution, was raised at the beginning of the 19th century to meet growing production needs.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the factory was headed by Georges-Paul Petou, a manufacturer from Louviers, who also became the mayor of Elbeuf in 1823. Around 1840, a 20 horsepower steam engine and a brick chimney were installed, marking a significant modernization. The activity, initially focused on the sheets of wool, became diversified under the impulse of the associates Clarenson and Lebret from 1880, with the production of so-called novel fabrics, awarded in international exhibitions.

The factory changed hands several times: bought in 1853 by Edouard Bellest, it was then taken over by his son Henri, associated with Clarenson and Lebret. The public limited company Bellest Clarenson and Lebret, founded in 1914, continued until the definitive closure in 1961. Part of the workshops, converted into housing, contrasts with the eastern section, registered with the Historical Monuments since 1994 and under rehabilitation. The chimney and iron structures still bear witness to its industrial past.

The site experienced intense activity, employing up to 368 workers in 1889, and exporting part of its production to the Far East. The awards obtained at exhibitions in Paris (1855, 1889), London (1862), or Vienna (1873) highlight the quality of his articles. Today, the building houses a printing house in its former offices, while the protected part, owned by the municipality, awaits a complete restoration.

Technical transformations, such as the addition of boilers (1879, 1900) or mechanical trades, reflect the evolution of production methods. In 1930, the factory still had 18 trampling machines, which had since disappeared. Its decline is part of that of the Norman textile industry, but its registration in 1994 makes it a major testimony of this part of French economic history.

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