 The
following extracts are from George Longden's report to the
KRIV project[1] ....
Ingersley Vale Mill ...
by 1878 (27)[2] the
long occupation of the mill by the bleaching and finishing
firm dominated by members of the King family had begun. The
firm appears as Bates and King in 1878 (27)[2] and
1883 (33)[3];
William King & Co
in 1887-8 (25)[4];
and A.J. King & Co from 1892 (44)[5].
The firm became part of the Bleachers' Combine around 1900,
but retained its name and management.
Alfred J. King was living at Clough Cottage (formerly Clough
House, I presume) by 1890 (45)[6],
and may have been effectively in charge by then. Under A.J.
King the firm seems to have been a progressive and expanding
enterprise. Various developments had a physical impact on
the Ingersley Vale site. The first were the extensions of
1895. The local paper announced that these were to consist
of a one storey shed, 82 feet square, to "accommodate
a number of calendars used in the process of bleaching",
and a two storey warehouse, 40 feet by 25 feet. These were
to be situated south of the mill, built across and to the
east of the river - the northern end of the block of buildings
which can be seen today [2005]. The shed occupied the former
lawn of Clough House. The house was demolished, and A.J.
King moved to Rock Bank House. It was decided to drive the
new machines by electricity, and use electricity to light
the whole works (20, 23 Mar 1895, 22 Jun 1895, 5 Oct 1895)[7].
...
 A.J.
King lived at Limefield (1898) and became a progressive Liberal
member of the Bollington Urban District Council, and played
an important role in the completion of the waterworks scheme
and in instigating a drainage scheme with a sewage works
for the village. He represented Bollington on the Cheshire
County Council from 1901 to 1906, and from 1906 to 1910 was
Liberal MP for the Knutsford Division [which then included
Bollington. See election poster left]. After electoral defeat
in 1910, he and his family moved to Windermere, where they
were visited from time to time by parties of workers from
Ingersley Vale (48, p33)[8].
See Ingersley Vale mill for
an A. J. King & Co Ltd document. |
