Waterhouse
Mill was first built by 1791 by Peter Lomas (pictured
below). It didn't survive many years, being burnt down in 1800.
It was rebuilt and became the premier fine cotton mill in the
country.
Cotton spinning ceased on 5th August 1960 and most buildings were
demolished in 1962, leaving only the single story office
used today as the reception office, the recreation pavilion and
a small shed.
Modern buildings were then erected on the site for Kay Metzeler
who make foam blocks for the motor, aircraft , furniture and other
industries. The foam is used for components such as seats. At the
time of writing Kay Metzeler have announced that this mill will
be closed by mid 2011. A further page will cover the Kays era.
The mill was originally water powered using a large wheel.
Water was extracted from the River Dean at the weir behind the
end cottage alongside the Recreation ground. The water passed along
a wide leat under the railway viaduct (though the leat came before
the railway) into a large mill pond, which has since been filled
in (see the picture above). The water then drove a c.23ft wheel
let into the ground. The used water was then routed through a long
sough to the river, possibly near to Bollington Corn Mill, below
Garden Street bridge, though the exact outlet has yet to be identified.
The best history that we have of Waterhouse Mill was discovered
on eBay and acquired for the Civic Society. The transcript follows
...
 ------ Editor's
introduction -------
The following material on Waterhouse Mill and the firm of
Thomas Oliver & Sons Ltd. is taken verbatim from the
History written by the Revd. A. C. Oliver. This has been
transcribed from the original handwritten pages (right) by
Jaqui Parker to whom I am most grateful, with subsequent
editing by myself, the webmaster. There were a few words
that we could not determine and these are shown as -----.
Very few changes have been made to the words and only where
clarification is required and these are marked by curly
brackets {}. Comments in round brackets () and gaps in
the text ____ are those of the original author. Web links
have been added where additional information can be found
elsewhere. There is extensive use of pre-decimal currency.
For those unused to this please see the Wikipedia
guide .
The pages came to us in a loose leaf file, un-numbered and
not necessarily in the sequence intended by the author. I
have therefore ordered them to provide, in my view, an appropriate
flow of the story. The pictures referred to in the text were
not provided with the text. I have therefore included a selection
from the Bollington Civic Society Discovery
Centre historic picture collection.
------------------------------------
|
Thomas Oliver & Sons (Bollington) Ltd.
Notes, Compiled by Revd. A. C. Oliver
on the History of the Firm during 150 Years,
dated February 1940.[1]
One hundred and fifty years of Fine Cotton Spinning
Forward
Sometimes the growth and scope of one enterprise may be seen
more clearly by comparison with another which has grown up
during the same period of time. We shall generally find that
the same principles, energy, courage, resourcefulness, and
perseverance have been at work in each case to bring them to
whatever success they may have attained.
At the time of writing, celebrations are being held in Australia,
on the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of
its first Colony in New South Wales. So we may take the rise
and growth of that part of the British Empire, known as Australia
for a comparison. For the Firm, known as Thomas Oliver and
Sons, was founded almost at the same time as the first Emigrants
settled in New South Wales. A simple record of achievement
is the best answer to the question, "What has been done in
those 150 years"?
In both the Colony and the Firm, we have a Community of Britons,
facing an unknown future, with openings for trade and commerce
as yet unexplored. We find difficulties, and obstacles, seen
and unforeseen, to be faced with courage, wisdom and patience.
These are opportunities for expansion, work seized with faith,
foresight and resolution,. There are mistakes and "set backs"
to be corrected and overcome. These conditions and principles
are at the base of both enterprises, and have been at work
during the slow passage of the years.
We look at the beginnings of a little business, in a little
mill, driven by the waterpower of a small stream from the
peakland moors. Again, we see a few settlers, among the rocks,
scrub, and gullies round Sydney Harbour. And then we shift
our view, with speed of thought, through the years, to the
great self-governing Dominion, and see it the centre of Government
of a continent. Again we look, and see the change brought
about through the years, to the modem factory with the latest
equipment of power, machinery, and transport, but now amalgamates
into one great Association of Firms under our central government
and direction. And we are forced to the conclusion that those
tremendous forces of the human spirit, courage, perseverance,
sagacity, and patience have been at work all through, till,
at last, both enterprises, Colony and Firm stand where they
are today.
All this could only have been done by the co-operation of
"all hands". In both, Colony and firm, there must have been
a willingness to adapt and re-shape in the face of new conditions
and circumstances. And each entity, the Colony and Firm,
have kept its own individuality. The early Colony may have
been merged with others, as they have sprung up, into the
Commonwealth of a great Continent. The Firm may have been
amalgamated into one great "Association of Fine Cotton Spinners
and Doublers". But each concern retains its own individuality,
which contributes to the success of the whole. Both Colony
and Firm have been listed in the hundred and fifty years
of their existence, by those "two impostors success and failure",
and have learned how to "treat them both the same", as Rudyard
Kipling, the great poet of Empire, has it. There has been
the early flush of success and expansion, (by the discovery
of the goldfields) on the one hand, and there have been lean
years, some filled by wars and loss, and even famine. And
yet, with that instinct for righteousness, which is the strength
of all, both have emerged to celebrate a great achievement
and with that vigour and strength which are still needed,
when Empire and Nation, Colony and Firm, may need all the
resources of mind and body, to face the constantly shifting
problems of the world today. We may close this introduction
with some lines of the poet Whittier (a few words altered)
"But through the drive
"Of its loud life, hints and echoes of the time behind steal
in;
"And love of Colony and nation, E'en the factory's humming
rhyme
"Point the path of truth and duty to each true man of the
time"
The rise of the Great Republic of the U.S.A. began at the same
time as the Firm, and the Colonies of Australia. Its growth was,
of course, marked by the same qualities of courage, tenacity of
purpose and perseverance as they were; but I have preferred to
take the British Continent of Australia as a parallel for the history
and progress of the Firm.
A. C. O.
The History of Bollington and the Mills
Bollington is a parish in the Forest of Macclesfield
and in the ancient Parish of Prestbury, which at one time included
even Macclesfield. Strangely enough, the River Bollin from which
it most probably derives its name, does not come nearer to
it than two miles, and it is really situated {on} a little
river called the Dean. The village lies in a lovely valley,
at the foot of the hills rising into the Peak District of Derbyshire.
An undoubted Roman road is marked on the map in Codrington's
"Roman Roads {in} Britain", running from Manchester, through
Levenshulme (this part is still called "High Street") and on
to Stockport and Hazel Grove. From there it went on to Aquae
(Buxton). The historian Whitaker mentions a Roman road going
on through Adlington, and an old ordnance map shows a "Roman
Road" going over Billinge, in which case, Bollington has a
connection with the times of the Roman occupation of Britain. In
any case, before the Macclesfield Canal was brought through the
village in {1831}, or the Railway in 1870, it was partly along
the Hazel Grove to Manchester road that loads of raw and manufactured
cotton were carried by horse and cart, at a cost of from 4/- to
6/8 per load.
In 1353, the Manor of Bolyngton was in the hands of the Black
Prince. This passed on to Queen Isabella, and she granted the
mill of Bolyngton to William de Shirborne for life. He enjoyed
this only a few months, and then the Black Prince granted it
to Robert of Plumstoke his yeoman and barber for life. It then
passed to William Soty a yeoman for life.
These were troublous times, and in 1354 this mill was nearly
in ruins. However, in 1358 the Black Prince visited "his
manor and mill of Bolyngton", and he ordered the gift of "two
oaks fit for timber, from his Forest of Lyme", to William Soty
for the repair of his mill of Bolyngton".
Bollington
Hall is near to where this old mill was situated. And in the passage
of time it is believed that Elias
Lomas and his brother Peter
Lomas (b.1750 d.1822) {right} came to
live there. Near by there was a tanyard owned by the two brothers
on the site now occupied by the house and garden known as "Brook
House" But after some years, they saw the possibilities of another
business which was springing up in the North of England - cotton
spinning. At the other end of the village there was an old building,
which had been a brewery, as far back as 1662 {but we are very
unclear about which mill this might have been}.
This they rented, and established there a business which,
not many years after, became known as "Thomas Oliver & Sons,"
for Thomas Oliver in the year ____ married Mary
Lomas {daughter
of Peter Lomas}.
On July 23rd, 1838, Thomas
Oliver bought from
Thomas Creswick, Samuel Rodgers, and Mary
Creswick, for £6,000,
the land on which the Waterhouse Mill was built, and the land for
the Reservoir by means of which the Waterwheel was driven, also
"The Waterhouse" and fields adjoining, as far as the boundaries
of the Estate of C. R. B. Legh Esq. of Adlington Hall. "The
Waterhouse and a large garden" were there in 1838 and Thomas
Oliver lived there. Except the south end of the house, this
was rebuilt, and my uncle enlarged by his son Thomas
Oliver in 1870. He married Maria
Creswick, daughter of James
Creswick,
of {Crookesmoor}, Sheffield, on Oct. 4th 1862. James
Creswick was a partner in the local firm of Thomas,
James and Nathaniel Creswick, which was the pioneer of the silver
plating industry.
There is a deed in the possession of the Fine
Spinners Association dated 1774. This is a statement of land settled
on Mary Creswick, a daughter of William
Creswick, Gentleman, of
Little Padfield, Glossop, Derbyshire on her marriage on Sept.12,
1774 to Peter Lomas. Farsighted, bold and wise management characterised
the conduct of both these families, who were respectively
engaged in the silver plating and cotton spinning industries.
And perhaps these characteristics still further blended
and re-acted to the advantage of both families and firms, for
some years after, Thomas Creswick married Mary Oliver;
and Phoebe Ann Oliver married James
George Antrobus Creswick of Ecclesall Grange, nr. Sheffield, also, as above mentioned
Thomas Oliver of the Waterhouse, Bollington married Maria
Creswick, daughter of James
Creswick of {Crookesmoor} in
1862.
The Firm of "Thomas Oliver & Sons" began, in what was known
as "The Bollington Mills" i.e. the "Higher Mill" formerly a Brewery,
and the "Lower Mill" afterwards a paper mill. These were leased
from Mr Harrop of Stockport, a solicitor and Mr Creswick of Sheffield,
also a solicitor.
But about 1838, "The Waterhouse Mills" were built
{see note below this section} and the activities of the
firm were removed there. In these lovely rural surroundings the
mills were erected and the business carried on. The sheltered position
was most favourable for fine cotton spinning, and contributed
not a little to the high quality of the yarns afterward
spun there. The little river Dean ran by the mill and
at the foot of the gardens of the Waterhouse and Brookhouse.
This was conducted by a "flume" to the waterwheel which
supplied the power for driving the machinery of the mills.
Pheasants, hares and rabbits can still be seen from the
mill windows; and until the advent of the dye works and
bleaching works at the top of the village the river was
a trout stream of note. Mr. James
Creswick who married
Miss Phoebe Ann Oliver is said
to have caught a splendid dish of trout for the wedding breakfast at 4a.m.
on his wedding day!
Editor's note ------ There is some discrepancy
between the date given here for the first construction of the mill
at Waterhouse - 1838 - and the date found in other documents giving
1791 for the same. The earlier date is actually the more likely.
"Swindells & Oliver" "Oliver & Swindells"
A partnership of "Swindells and Oliver" existed
from Nov. 12th 1832 - Nov. 12th 1842 when it was dissolved by mutual
agreement and a certain amount of "coolness". This was renamed
as "Oliver and Swindells" in 1847, but there is no record of when
this was terminated. Probably it was when the "Adelphi Mills" were
built {in 1856}.
The Earliest Records of the Firm
The earliest source of information about the Firm
of Thomas Oliver & Sons
is contained in a ledger commencing August 3rd, 1790. But this
shows a business already in being. There are items for repairs
of buildings, and also of machinery. There are records of the
installation of used machinery, but those are to keep pace with
the invention and use of larger and better machines, especially
for carding and spinning. For instance, in 1790 the firm of Randle
Astle (?) were paid £57-15 for 11 Jennys at £5-5-0 per Jenny. Thomas
Leeming of Salford £54 for 2 Carding Engines, Thomas Daniels £14-14-0
for "a new card" 3/6 for a "Rap" Reel and for 69 Jennys at £6-6-0
£454-14.
19 Reels at £1-10. £28-10. Counters & desks
£2-2 and for skips £60. From Joel Needham of Stockport in the same
year was bought "a new spinning hub 216 spindles at 6/3 per spindle,
£70" and "a Drawing Frame" £30.
Later in 1792, there were bought 38 pairs of washers and doffers
£17.14,10. A box of cards, the 5 inch doffers £21-17-4. In
1793 By Jenny Strings £ 1-11. By Billy Strings £2-12-0. In
1797 Mr. Amos Mel1or "By making Jennys & Repairs £53-17". In 1799 Thos.
Ashton. By a new Mule 252 spindles at 4/9 £59-17. By W. Meek, Buffalo
Hydes £8-18-1. By Mr. Garside, Stretcher £20. 2 Horses £50. Geo.
Swindells, Bollington (among other things) drumbanting £34-4-1.
In 1801 To a new spinning mule £60. By work done
for waterwheel £14.12.11. In 1802 1 Carding Engine £30. To Philips,
Wood, and Wilkinson, Stockport, new spinning mule, 216 spindles,
£70. Do. at 5/5 per spindle, £57.7.
A new reel, £2-5. 1 Drawing Frame £30., in 1806 5 Card & Engines,
£64.
Insurance of Mill & Machinery
251 1804-5 {251 refers
to the page or section in the account book}
|
£ |
|
| Mill |
450 |
|
| Waterwheel |
50 |
|
| Millwrights work including all gears |
50 |
|
| Clockmakers work Carding & Breaking Engines and all movable
utensils |
300 |
|
| Stock Cotton in ditto |
100 |
|
| Stores |
30 |
|
| Stock in ditto |
20
|
|
| |
£1000
|
|
Insured in Phoenix Fire Office
(there is no date for this
entry, but as it is on the last page in the ledger it is most
probably 1804-5). |
|
|
| An estimate of machinery in B L factory. |
|
|
| |
£ |
|
| 19 mules |
1110 |
|
| Mill |
700 |
|
| Waterwheel Cistern & Running Gear |
375 |
|
| 9 Carding Engines |
540 |
|
| Puker |
36 |
|
| Batts Frame |
40 |
|
| Draws & Rov.s Frames |
94 |
|
| Cases for 2 sets |
30 |
|
| Stock of Yarn & Cotton in Mill |
55 |
|
| Straps Skips etc. |
20 |
|
| |
|
Total £3000 |
| (an abridgment of the above appears below) |
|
|
| Mill |
700 |
|
| Waterwheel & Running gear & Cistern |
395 |
|
| Machinery & Clock Makers work |
1850 |
|
| Stock & Straps etc. |
75 |
|
| |
Total £3000
|
|
The Ledger of 1790
This is a book, strongly bound in "suede" leather of 500 pages.
Even after 150 years is still almost perfect in its condition.
The book itself tells its own tale of foresight and determination.
For it must have cost a considerable amount in those days
and those who bought it had evidently an ambition and outlook beyond
the comparatively small business for the recording of the
transactions for which it was originally purchased.
Throughout it is beautifully kept, the writing is "Copperplate"
in character, and there are very few erosions or mistakes.
The spelling is often quaint. "Pottatoes", "By Comishion",
"Spining", "Braught Fod" "A Riem of paper", "Candels", "Mahogony",
"oile". This last is spelt incorrectly and also correctly,
according to modern usage as "oil" on the same page; also
"att" and at. But these spellings and variations are not
surprising for in those days, people often spelt phonetically.
As has already been pointed out, the book seems to show a business
already in being, before the date of the first entry, August 3rd,
1790.
There is a Register of the Parish of Fretherne
Gloucestershire, of which has Mr.
A. C. Oliver was Rector, of about
the same date. In this, the name of a man called "Tykel" is spelt
in eleven different ways, and three of these variations appear
on the same page, and in the same handwriting!
Extracts from the Ledger of 1790 - 1805
1790 By "Comishion"
1792 To "Spinning" 172lb at 14d per lb.
" Mr.
Philip Antrobus 2 doz of 13s Haks.
Att 22/-
" To Iron & Brass & 2 Bank Notes,
£4-7-5½
" Wm. Gosling To 3 Bank of England Notes
£3-0-0
1793 Wm. Cartwright, Sadler, Macclesfield.
A Bill for Straps and Sadling
" Joseph Frost, Macclesfield, By Candels
£4-15-0
May 12 1794 One Years Rent for 5 houses in Bollington £12-18-0
1794 By Carriage of 8 cwt of Cop ---- to Manchester 6/8
" To oile 3½ pints 2/7½
1795 To Saml. Hatton, Macclesfield,
18 baskets of coal, & carrying £1-1-0
" To amount of Goods Braught Ford.
(This for the spelling!)
" By ¼ Pew in the new church £20-0-0
1797 1 Riem of Paper 36lbs at 4½, 13/6
1798 By various purchases of candles
(these were in the autumn & winter
months.
Does it show the illumination
of the mill in those days.)
1798 Joseph Wood, rent of our room for spinning
of cotton, @£40 p. annum
1799 Thos. Sutton, One House, @£2-8-0 per year.
Sept 29 1800 To rent for Tanyard £25.
1800 Richard Corliss, Blackburn, Mohogony
Chamber stool, £3-3-0
1800 By ten years rent, for Fastening the Weir
to the Swinewood Field at one
Guinea per year £10-10
1801 Edward Douman Esq, Shrigley. To Hay £10-17-6
1802 Timber, 184 feet at 9d
" 1 Skip, Italian Lambskins £3.
" Thos. Hadfield, Druggist
By 9 Gall 5pts Pale Oile @ 5/-
£2-8-1½
April 13, 1802 To Team to Blackburn £4-4
April 16, 1802 To bringing Horse & Chaise back 5/-
" Carr. To Flash 1/6
" By One Pipe of Rape oil £30-16-0
1803 John Upton Macclesfield
" By 2 gallons of Neatsfoot oil & 1
lb of glew 12/10
" By ½ a cow hide £1-17-6
" By ½ a hide of white leather, 15/-
" John Latham, Rainow, to Horse Beans
16/6
" Geo. Antrobus 2 pecks Pottatoes 2/6
" To A Horse to Manchester 4/-
1804 Richd. Hemming, Worcester, 2 Barrels
of Cyder, £9-14-8
252 The following quaint entry appears on the last page of the
Ledger.
"An excellent Drink for a horse for swell'd legs. Take half pound
of honey 4 ounces of liquorice powder 4 ounces of Carraway seeds
one ounce of grains of Paradise all well powdered together to
be given in a quart of warm ale."
There appears in 1804 two short letters to Mr. Peter Lomas pressing
for payment of a/c showing that the firm was not exempt from
troublous times and shortage of Capital, but weathered the
storm.
There do not appear to be any books or documents showing the progress
of the firm after 1806. Possibly these were lost or destroyed when
the new offices were built. The finest counts which were spun as
shown in the old ledger were from 8s to 60s. but it is certain
that the Firm kept abreast of each new demand for ever finer counts.
A large and handsome new mill, running at right angles to the earliest
buildings, was built, and spinning mules of from 1400 to 2600 spindles
in a pair were installed. A large and powerful beam engine drove
the machinery, carding, combing, slubbing, intermediate, moving
frames, and several thousand doubling spindles in the lowest storey.
This engine was coupled by a shaft under the road to the waterwheel.
About this time the lace trade grew into a large industry, and
this led to the Firm specializing in ever finer counts, and a
large trade chiefly with Nottingham, but also with Brussels, Calais,
St. Quentin's and other places on the Continent. By 1860, the
counts spun were from 140s to 220s, in two and even three different
qualities x, xx, and xxx. As already mentioned, in 1862, at the
time of the American Civil War, such foresight was shown, that
enough cotton was bought and stored to carry on work during that
time, which brought such trouble and suffering to most of the Lancashire
cotton trade. This helped considerably to bring the village of
Bollington through this very difficult crisis. In 1886 the counts
rose to no less than 420s. this order was repeated before each
Jubilee of the late Queen Victoria, and the Coronation of King
Edward VII so it is probable that the output of this count 420s
was used for some specially fine lace for these great events.
Ring doubling was introduced in 1885-6 and this
enabled the firm to deal in counts from 80s upwards. The firm has
always kept abreast of new demands and markets arising from the
invention of new fabrics. Some of these were for white bleached
thread and softer and ----urized twists for mixing with
silk. So rapid were these changes and demands that, whereas
in 1881 only about 30 varieties in count and qualities were
produced, in 1887 the firm was dealing in over 100.
In the Great War 1914-1918, a great deal of the thread for
the material for making the wings of the aeroplanes then
used, was spun at the Waterhouse Mills. This was used both
in England & France, & Mr.
E. L. Oliver had several journeys to the Continent during the War,
to ensure that the thread was up to the standard of strengths required
for this purpose. As may be here mentioned that two of Mr. E.L.
Oliver's sons served in the War, Mr.
Ian M. L. Oliver with the
South Staffordshire Regiment, and was wounded at Kemmel Ridge,
and Mr. Gordon Oliver with the French Army.
It will be within the knowledge of many people,
(especially, perhaps, the ladies!) what beautiful and charming
fabrics have been during ---- bad years brought out for dresses,
stockings, curtains etc. etc. and the firm has always
kept abreast and even in the forefront in this matter.
The Trade Mark, "The Happy Valley" has been registered
to describe many of these products which have a wide range of
various fabrics the last English team of Cricketers which
visited Australia was presented with shirts of beautifully
soft texture, woven from cotton spun by the Firm, and many
of them wrote to express their appreciation of the usefulness
and comfort of the material.
From the foregoing it will be gathered that wise, orderly,
and courageous advance has marked the progress of the Firm
of Thomas Oliver & Sons through the century and a half of its existence.
And there is every reason to hope that these qualities will be
manifested in the years to come; and that the Firm of Thomas Oliver & Sons,
will continue to contribute to its own prosperity and
that of the Fine Spinners Association of the village
in which it had its rise and progress through the years,
and incidentally therefore to the Cotton Trade of England.
By wisdom and foresight the firm laid in a stock of cotton
sufficient to carry on through the American Civil War, and
the resulting cotton famines, which caused much distress
in the village.
Editor's note ------ The history omits to
mention that in 1898 Thomas Oliver & Sons became a part of The
Fine Spinners & Doublers Association which was set up to enable
cotton mills to trade collectively and benefit from the increased
scale and, no doubt, reduced competition! Beyond the scope of
the history it can be added that by the 1950s the company was
suffering from the effects of depression in the industry and
the mill closed for the last time on 5th April 1960. It was largely
demolished in June and July 1962 to be replaced immediately by
a modern industrial buiding for Kay Metzeler.
The Waterwheel & Engines
The driving power for the first mills, the old
Brewery, and the Paper Mill was a waterwheel. When the business
was removed to the Waterhouse Mill, at the other end of the village,
the same method of driving the machinery was employed again
the foresight and courage and wide range of vision for the
future of the firm was evident. For the water wheel installed
was the third largest in the Kingdom {see
note below this section}.
The second largest was also in Bollington, at the Bleach Works
at Clough Vale. The largest of all was that at the Great Laxey
Mill in the Isle of Man.
The "Flume" was led from the little River Dean
to a large reservoir, so that there was almost always, except in
abnormally dry seasons, sufficient head of water to drive the wheel.
As the business expanded, even this did not give sufficient
power; so a fine "Beam Engine" was installed. There was
a shaft in a tunnel under the road to the mill, by which this
could be coupled up to the waterwheel, if desired. In 1906
both of these were done away with, and a powerful horizontal
engine by Messrs. Musgraves was installed. This was started
by Mrs E. L. Oliver and was named after her, "Florence
Adelaide". The boilers in the Engine House were also, naturally,
renewed and brought up to date, from time to time, to keep pace
with the --------- and alterations in the engines.
Editor's note ---- this claim (third largest
wheel in the Kingdom) must be regarded with some doubt. Inspection
of the site shows that it would be difficult to obtain a great
height between the leat and the level of the river below Garden
Street weir. This view is supported by evidence given in a Chancery
Court case of 1806 in which it was said "... that the head of
water afforded is three feet and the diameter of the wheel turned
by it 23 feet." While a big wheel, this was unlikely to be third
biggest.
The Mechanics Shop
The Waterhouse Mills were furnished with a very
well equipped mechanic shop. Lathes for both wood and metal, blacksmiths'
shop and a staff of mechanics and carpenters dealt with a very
large range of not only repairs, but alterations of machinery.
John Oldfield (foreman) W. Goodwin, J. C. Walker were some
of the employees there.
A blunderbuss hung on the walls of the shop. This weapon was
still in its place up to 1900, but about that time it disappeared.
Other mills in the village were similarly armed against any
attempts on life or property. The use to which it might be
put for this purpose may be illustrated by an incident which
happened at Messrs. Swindells' Mill. A new watchman, an Irishman,
was engaged and Mr Martin
Swindells gave him many other instructions
for his night duties; that if he heard any suspicious noises
he was to shout three times, "Speak, or I'll shoot". Mr.
Swindells did not quite trust the pluck of the new man, so to test
it, he hid himself behind some barrels and packing cases. When
the man came round, Mr. Swindells set up a violent commotion
in his hiding place. The Irishman yelled out "Shoot or I'll
Shout three times" and let go in the direction of the noise.
It was fortunate that Mr. Swindells was well hidden so he
escaped injury.
The Great Flood of 1872
A great flood visited the village in the week June 18-25, 1872.
A thunder bolt fell in the field, just across the river
at the bottom of the Waterhouse gardens. This made a considerable
hole, like a large shell hole in the Great War. Damage
to the extent of £7000 was done in the Raw Cotton Store, and
in the Doubling Rooms. Cops were carried into the Waterhouse
gardens, and gooseberry bushes were covered by them far more
effectively than if they had been purposely entwined by cotton
to keep off the birds. Many years afterwards, when some doubling
frames were dismantled to make room for new ones, traces of
silt from the flood were found inside the rollers which drove
the spindles. The flood ran into the Waterhouse, at one door,
and out at the other, across the hall, and men were employed
making banks of turf and clay to stop it from spreading to
the rest of the house. Much damage was done in the rest of
the village, but the Waterhouse Mills suffered the worst. This
low lying and sheltered position in the valley, though excellent
for the prosecution of the fine spinning industry, exposed
them to the worst ravages of the floods.
Members of the Firm
Thomas Oliver |
Peter
Lomas, born 1750, died 1822.
Thomas Oliver born 1756, died 1856
{Thomas Oliver born 1786, died 1858, married Mary Lomas}
Thomas Oliver born 1821, died 1897
William Creswick Lomas Oliver born ____ died ____
(The partnership with his brother Thomas was dissolved Dec 22nd, 1882)
Thomas Creswick
Oliver, the son of W. C. L. Oliver, only
had a short connection with the business, from 1875 to 1879.
On Jan 3rd, 1883 he became a member of the Manchester Stock
Exchange. In 1933 he became the oldest member, and was made
an Honorary Life Member. He died six years afterwards in
{19 April} 1939.
Alfred Creswick
Oliver {author of this work}, son
of Thomas Oliver was a member of the firm from 1879 to 1887
when he went to Oxford. In 1890 he took Holy Orders, and
after serving in four curacies at Piling {and} Middleton
in Lancashire, Wirksworth in Derbyshire, and Eccleshall in
Staffordshire, became Vicar of Barlaston Staffordshire in
1902. In 1918 he became Rector of Fretherne, Gloucestershire.
Edmund Lomas Oliver, 2nd son of Thomas Oliver entered the
Firm in 1882. On Jan 3,1899 it was incorporated in the Fine
Spinners & Doublers Association Ltd of this he became
a Director in ----, a position which he held till his death
in 1933 {Doubts over this date; genealogy says 26 Jul
1953}.
Percy Creswick Oliver third son of Thomas Oliver entered
the firm in 1884. He died in ____.
Ian Maurice Lomas
Oliver, son of E. L. Oliver, entered the
firm in ____. He served through the Great War, with the South
Staffs Regiment and was wounded at Kemmel in April 1918.
He joined the firm in 19__ and in ____ was made a Director
of the Fine Spinners Association.
Percy Gordon Oliver, second son of E. L. Oliver, served
in the French Army in the Great War. In 1918 he joined the
Firm.
{Editor's notes: We have two pictures labeled Thomas
Oliver. Unfortunately it is not clear which is which, though
the dress and appearance of the top one pictured seems
of an earlier age than the one pictured lower down.
Edmund Lomas Oliver is pictured twice,
once in his younger years and again in his older years.} |
Thomas Oliver |
William Creswick
Lomas Oliver |
Edmund Lomas Oliver |
Edmund Lomas Oliver |
{Acknowledgements}
I am indebted to the Revd. R. N. Betts former
vicar of Bollington, author of the "History of Bollington Church"
for many of the particulars of this history of the village. {He
may have meant 'Bollington Through
the Centuries'.}
To Mr. S. H. West, the manager of the mills at Baslow, Derbyshire,
for the whole of the section dealing with the history and
work and activities of the firm in that village. {This
is missing from the material we have.}
To Mr. George Swindells for particulars as to the partnership
of "Oliver & Swindells".
To
Mr. H. V. Snape for information about the firm and the County ___.
To Miss Spencer of Mobberley for some of the particulars
of the mill, and the photograph of it. {We
don't have the photograph.}
To Messrs. Ian & Gordon Oliver {pictured
left 1950}
for much of the matter relating to recent years, and access to
books and documents.
And Chiefly to the Directors of the "Fine Spinners & Doublers
Association" for access to the old deeds and
documents and books relating {to} the Firm.
A. C. Oliver
Mobberley
The Firm had a mill at Mobberley in Cheshire. At what time cotton
spinning began there is not clear. But a bill from Messrs. Kay,
Engineers, of Bury, Lancashire, was seen by A. C. Oliver about
1884. The bill was for engines to the value of £1890 erected in
the mill about 1859-60. An offer for the mill property for £5000,
was by a Mr. W. I. Harter, of Mobberley Hall, on April 27th, 1875.
The negotiations were somewhat prolonged, but ultimately accepted,
for on July 23rd, 1878, a letter was received from Mr. Harter,
"To Mr. J. Oliver, Dear Sir, May I ask what was the arrangement
about whitewashing the Mobberley Mill outside? Did you do it, or
were the tenants Kay & Richardson expected to do it? Yours
truly, W. I. Harter". The business was after turned into a Crêpe
Mill. This came to an end in August, 1887; and the mill was pulled
down about 1891. Miss Spenser of Fern Bank, Mobberley, has a picture
of it.
An account of travelling expenses of Mr. J. Oliver shows "Sept.
17, 1871, Expenses to Mobberley, 3/6"
An Old Agreement (from the Ledger 07/1790)
Be it remember'd it is this day agreed by and between S. Gregg
of Styall in the County of Chester, of the one part and Mary
Crooks and Thos Lees of Manchester in the County of Lancaster
of ye other pt. as follows That ye said Thomas Lees shall serve
ye said S. Greg in his Cotton Mill in Styal in ye County of
Chester as a just House Servt. Twelve Hours in each of the
six working Days & to be at his own liberty at all other times. The Commencement
of the Hours to be fix.d from time to time by the said S. Greg,
for the sum of eight years at the wages of 9d per week the first
year and 1/- per Week the remainder part of this time & Mr.
Greg engages to find the Thos Lees with Meat Drinks Washing & Lodging
suitable to one in his station during the said term, and that
if the said T Lees shall absent himself from the service of
the said S. Greg, in the said working hours during ye said
term without his consent first obtained, that the said S. Greg,
may abate his wages in a double proportion for absence; and
the said S. Greg shall be at Liberty, during ye said Term to
discharge the Serv.t from his service for misbehaviour or want
of employ.
As written {by} their hands this 12{th} Day of July {17}96
It is agreed for Mr. Greg
To receive his Wages &
Find
him with Clothes |
Mary Crook
Thos Lees |
Spelling
1lb
of "Glew" 60 Bundels Twists. Ballance --- of sundrie people
1795 1 Riem of Papers
1 Riem of Paper Law. P. Wagstaffs
115 1796 Timber Dales (? = Drals) 184 feet at 9d
1797
Dr. "Sundrie" Persons
147 1798 Joseph Wood for "Carige"
148 1798 Bateman and Sherratt Cast "Mettle" Gudgeons.
149 1800 Rent from Thos Lutman spelt also Luttman on the same
page
150 1798 "Sundry" Persons
153 1799 Owing to "differant" people
155 " "Mettal" gudgeons
£1-17-2.
" " Thomas
Lomas, Jenny "Rollers"
" " Wm.
Meek, Buffalo "Hydes" £8-18-4.
153 1797 Also on page 153. Wm. Meek, Buffalo "Hides" 19/2
156 1799 "Expences" to Blackburn £1-11-6.
158 1799 William "Kirby" 40s at 3/3½ and next line but one,
" " Wm
"Kirkby" 40s at 3/7
157 1799 By "Neat" Profit £319-15
158 1799 To John Bradbury Amount "Carrige"
162 " By Nathan Duncalf
for "Pully"
165 " To 1 saddle and
plated "Stirraps"
171 1799 Lindsay 181 Linsay. Sales of Cotton.
192 " 2 Cuppling Boxes
11/3
194 1802 John Wattson, to Glassing. 1/-
199 1801 Wm. Needham Bollington Bucles (= Buckles) & Straps
199 1801 " " "Lintells"
199 1801 " " To
Glaizing" Bill 2/-
201 1802 To Ballance
201 1802 Case from Flask being "Ommited" (= omitted)
205 1803 Mr. Stuart 86 "Bundels" of Twist
215 1802 One "Barrell" Ale 18 Gall. At 10d 15/-.
220 1804 Stephen Sheldon, Bollington "Plouging, 1 day 8/-
223 1803 Geo. Harrison, Manchester "Cambric" in Aug
& in
Sept (in the same handwriting) "Cambricks"
230 1803 "Blew" Skip Paper
232 1803 1 "Rap" Reel
239 1805 John Martin, Newcastle Staffordshire "Atorney"
142 1804 2 driving "pullies"
250 Sarah "Chaniler"
(= Challiner)
251 S Gregg of Styal
and on the 4 line of the same
Deed,
"the same S. Greg.{"}
252 1798 Richd Harvey "Waist" Buyer Ashover
Nr
Chesterfield
257 1804 Willm. Hatfield "Rowlar" Maker
Nr
Glossop "Derbishire"
251 1805 "Movable uttensils"
Various hotels
My Father tells me how he travelled by stage coach where there
were no railways. On one of these journeys to Devonshire
in the winter, he described how he and his Father arrived with
their beards frozen. Bills are extant from the various hotels
at which they stayed. At the "Three Tuns Hotel" Tiverton,
they occupied sitting room 25 and bedroom 14, as to which time
there is a note that they were "The Noble Lord Palmerston's
Sitting Room and Bedroom".
"Cumberbach' s Hotel", Liverpool
The "Charing
Cross Hotel" (this on journeys to and from the Continent) they
also stayed at the "Lord
Warden Hotel" Dover.
These last on journeys to and from the Continent, to France,
(Calais, St. Quentin, Lille), Belgium (Brussels) Germany,
Austria (Vienna). At Nottingham, the Hotel usually used
was the "Flying
Horse".
------ Great
Northern Hotel, King's Cross London 1871.
Queen's Hotel, Manchester. {1 Portland
Street, demolished 1974.}
St. James's Hotel, Regent St, London.
Waterloo Hotel, 85 Jermyn St, London S.W.
That completes Revd. A. C. Oliver's History. The remainder of
this page is written by the webmaster.
Pictures
We are lucky enough to have some very good pictures of Waterhouse
Mill taken over a long period of time. In fact our oldest picture
(immediately below) is one of the earliest in our collection, taken
before the railway was built in the late 1860s.
|
Waterhouse Mill, 1860s before the railway
came to Bollington. The railway viaduct that today bisects
Bollington was built across Wellington Road from left to
right in the centre of this picture. Notice the Methodist
Manse to the right. The apparently grassy area immediately
behind the Poplar trees is, or had been, the mill pond, actually
looking as though it has been partly filled in (see next
picuture). This, and the presence of the boiler house chimney,
suggests that water power was replaced by steam before 1869.
It is very unclear where the water wheel was. It may have
gone by this date.
Another feature is notable by its absence from the picture;
the gatehouse, built in 1922, which exists today as the reception
building for the present mill.
At
a later date, about 1910 (the railway has been built; compare
the Poplar trees) there is a small mill pond. Perhaps the
lie of the land prevents us seeing this in the picture
above. Such a pond may have been required to feed the boilers
for the steam engines.
Still no reception building to the left of the entry road.
However, a tower has been built on the right hand corner
of the mill. This could have supported a water tank in
the top section - to provide a head of feed for the boilers? |
 |
 |
Two pictures from the air. One might suppose that they were
taken on the same day. They are both from postcards which look
like two of a set. Details of the mill seem to be the same.
So why are the tennis courts laid out differently - in the
top picture the nets are parallel to the river, in the lower
picture they are at right angles! Close inspection suggests
that the nets in the upper picture have been hand drawn! |
 |
These aerial pictures were taken in or after 1930 (the reception
building was built by then). The small mill pond has now
gone, although the leat remains, as it does today. There have
been a number of changes to the buildings along the front -
compare with the two pictures above.
|
 |
This picture, while looking old, was taken in
the mid 20thC. The clue is the building on the extreme right
which was built during WWII and provided as a children's
nursery so that more mothers could go to work in the mill.
This nursery continued into the 1970s before the asbestos
clad building was deemed unsuitable and demolished.
The reception building, built in 1922, is also shown in
front of the mill to the left.
Note that the building to the front right of the mill has
been substantially altered as the pictures progress. |
 |
Workers leaving the mill - it says 12:20 on the clock,
so this would be for lunch or maybe knocking off time on
Saturday. Dated 1959, towards the end
of cotton spinning; in fact spinning finished on 5th August
1960.
Notice the light pattern on the end wall of the main building
- compare with the top two pictures and it can be seen that
the darker stonework has been added later. Further examination
of the pictures shows that an additional row of large windows
(see picture below), rather like a garret, was added to the
sides of the main building to extend the top floor across
the whole building. |
 |
The end of Waterhouse Mill. It was demolished in June and
July 1962 to be immediately replaced by modern industrial buildings
for Kay Metzeler. The latter is winding up business on the
site with closure expected by June 2011. |
Additional Information
Higher and Lower Mills were leased in 1832 to Martin Swindells
and Thomas Oliver in partnership.
At some point, presumably early in the Swindells-Oliver occupation, the second
Higher Mill was built.
This was essentially an old-style cotton mill. The
rooms were taller than in the old mill, with taller windows. The new mill was
wider, but still narrow enough for a single-span queen-post roof.
The Swindells-Oliver partnership was dissolved in 1842.[2]
References
Clicking the reference description takes
you back to the text
1 History
of the Firm during 150 Years, Revd. A C. Oliver,
1940
2 Kerridge
Ridge & Ingersley Vale, An Historical Study,
George Longden, 2002. Document
