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Sun Mill

Watts Street, Stock Brook.

The first textile limited liability company in Lancashire. Foundation stone laid 4th May 1861 by Dr Watts of Manchester

 Although dependent on a plant native to distant lands,the Lancashire cotton industry was to revolutionise Britain, and subsequently the world, during the course of the nineteenth century. The growth of the industry provided Britain with much of its wealth, and in so doing contributed to its supremacy on the world stage. As a direct result of this industry the ancient township of Chadderton evolved dramatically from a sparcely populated rural area, dominated by its Lords of the Manor, into a Victorian industrial town.

 

Its population when the first cotton factory - the water powered Bank Mill - was built in 1776, was approximately 2,000 and even at the first census of 1801 there were only 3,452 people in the township. One hundred years later the figure had reached 24,892 and some 6,000 people worked in the cotton mills of Chadderton, giving some indication as to its strength.

 

By the 1930's Chadderton was the second largest Urban District in England's most populated county of Lancashire, and at the beginning of the second half of the twentieth century the population had exceeded 32,000! Over sixty textile factories had been built throughout the town, and without doubt Chadderton can claim to have played a most important role during the significant period of history when: 'England's bread hangs by Lancashire's thread'.

 

The aptly-named Chadderton Mill, on Fields New Road, has the unique claim to fame of being the last survivor of the town's once-sizable cotton industry. Sadly, this mill was to spin its last cotton on 22nd June 2000, thus bringing to an end an era which had lasted for two and a quarter centuries.

 

Although textile processing has now ceased entirely in Chadderton, fifteen traditional mill buildings survive as witnesses to what was the dominant industry. These industrial giants tower above the local landscape, many having been adapted to other purposes, and it is likely that some of the more modern structures will survive for many years to come. As the years pass, they will serve as poignant reminders to future generations, of the industry which was largely responsible for creating Chadderton as it exists today.

 

From 'Chadderton's Cotton Industry', by Michael Lawson.

Booklet (5,000 words) available in mid-January.

 

Gazetteer

The following list gives in alphabetical order all the textile processing factories known

to have existed in Chadderton, together with any alternative name. In several cases the

mill may have been built on the same site as an earlier  one. The date of closure is the

date when all processing finally finished on the premises. The symbol **** means that

the building itself is still in existence, although used for other purposes, while a single

* after the date of demolition indicates that some evidence of the mill still remains..

   

Name	Erected	Closed	Demolished
Ace	1914	1967	****
Acorn	c1860	c1916	c1916*
Albion	1884	1934	1938
Alder Root	c1860	c1883	c1883
Apex (Green Lane)	1871	1928	c1928
Asia	1904	1981	1982
Avon (Landsdowne)	1861	1936	1937
Bank	c1776	c1840	c1895*
Baytree	1903	1959	1985
Bentfield (a)	1969	1991	****
Boundary	c1860	c1932	c1932
Bower	c1780	?	c1900
Busk	c1847	1931	1931
Butler Green	1863	1935	1948
Chadderton	1885	2000	****
Clarence	c1869	?	1889
Clough	c1776	c1800	?
Elk	1926	1998	1999
Falcon (b)	1885	1959	****
Fernhurst	1905	1964	****
Firwood	c1844	c1935	1960
Forge(Stock Lane)	1858	1940	1978*
Gem	1901	1937	****
Glebe	1866	1970	1973
Glenby	1885	1959	1962
Gordon	1884	1959	c1968
Gorse	1908	1959	****
Grimshaw	1874	c1930	c1946
Hawthorn	1878	1970	1971
Junction	1874	1955	2000*
Kent	1908	1991	1994
Lark	1901	1938	1938
Laurel	1905	c1966	1988
Logwood(c)	c1859	c1923	c1923
Magnet	1902	1966	c1967
Malta	1905	1963	****
Manor	1906	1990	****
Melbourne	1860	1959	1980
Melrose	1869	1935	c1942
Mills Hill (d)	c1875	?	1909
Mona	1905	1959	****
Nile	1898	1960	****
Oak	1874	1929	1934
Osborne	1853	1973	1973
Palm	1884	1926	1928*
Ram (Orb)	1907	1971	****
Ramsey	1906	1934	1979
Raven	1907	1959	****
Richmond	1889	1932	1976
Rose	1885	1946	2007(after it burnt down in February)
Rugby	1908	1985	****
Rushbank	c1862	1935	1974
Spring	c1870	c1953	c1955
Springbrook(e)	c1875	c1982	c1985
Springfield	c1860	1937	c1938
Spring Vale	c1865	?	1975
Stockbrook	1791	1869	1869
Stockfield	1862	1954	****
Sun	1861	1959	1986*
Swan	1875	1959	****
Textile	1882	1927	1996
United	1874	1959	1962
Vale	c1860	1959	1964*
Victoria	c1854	?	1973
Waverley	c1865	c1900	c1900
Wren	1901	1937	c1970

Notes

(a) A modern single-storey building, untypical of the traditional cotton industry.

(b) The Falcon Mill was Chadderton's only weaving shed. The Firwood Mill and the

Victoria Mill also had some looms on their premises.

(c) This small factory developed on the site of the ancient manorial corn mill, which had

been powered by the River Irk. It was not a typical cotton mill but was engaged in the

finishing processes of bleaching and dyeing.

 (d) This was another small enterprise and was engaged in the process of doubling.

 (e) Springbrook 'Works' was a major finishing factory built around the stream of that name.

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Chairman: Mark Johnson. Secretary: Michael Lawson B.Ed.,M.A.

Treasurer: Denis Barrott. Membership Sec: Alan Clegg:

Newsletter, Email & Web Site Secretary: Enid Johnson

Patron Lady Maureen Black (Radclyffe of Foxdenton)

President : Rtd. Councillor Jim Greenwood.

Vice-President: Councillor Colin McLaren.

(-Chadderton Community 'Champion'-)