Farming and woollen spinning were the main means subsistence before the construction of a cotton mill in 1776, Stalybridge became one of the first centres of textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution.[2] The 19th-century wealth of the town was built on the factory-based cotton industry, transforming an area of scattered farms and homesteads into a self-confident town.[3]
The 1776 mill was first water-powered; built at Rassbottom for carding and spinning cotton. In 1789 the town's first spinning mill using the principle of Arkwright's Water-Frame was built. By 1793 steam power had been introduced to the Stalybridge cotton industry and by 1803 there were eight cotton mills in the growing town containing 76,000 spindles. There was opposition and serious disturbances in town between November 1811 and April 1812 during the Luddites uprising. The social unrest did not curb the growth of Stalybridge. By 1814 there were twelve factories and by 1818 the number had increased to sixteen. When the Chartist petition was rejected, the ensuing disturbances known as the Plug Riots started in Stalybridge.
The industry peaked in 1912 when it produced 8 billion yards of cloth. The Great War of 1914–18 halted the supply of raw cotton, and the British government encouraged its colonies to build mills to spin and weave cotton. The war over, Lancashire never regained its markets. The independent mills were struggling. The Bank of England set up the Lancashire Cotton Corporation in 1929 to attempt to rationalise and save the industry.[4] Stalybridge Mill, Stalybridge was one of 104 mills bought by the LCC, and one of the 53 mills that survived through to 1950.
Architecture
This was a six-storey mill, with a centrally placed engine and rope race. There was one six-storey extension, and a three-storey extension on the same wall as the water tower.
Power
It was originally driven by 1000 hp twin tandem compound engine by Goodfellow and Matthews built in 1868. It had a 30-foot flywheel with 27 ropes, which operated at 55rpm. It had two 22"HP and two 42"LP cylinders with a 6-foot stroke. The air pumps were driven by lever from crossheads with guides between HP and LP cylinders. This had Corliss valves on all cylinders and was steamed at 80psi. The HP cylinders were to the front.
It was rebuilt in 1925(?) by Scott & Hodgson as a 1600 hp engine. This engine had slide valves on the LP which were now at the front. The HP cylinders had Corliss valves; they were steamed at 120psi, by four Lancashire boilers, An economiser was used. Marine type connecting rods and trunk guides were fitted.[5]
Equipment
It operated 75,000 spindles in 1887, rising in 1891 to 87,000 spindles, 348/388 twist, 408/528 weft.[6] In 1951, it was an all ring mill doing coarse counts
LCC (1951). The mills and organisation of the Lancashire Cotton Corporation Limited. Blackfriars House, Manchester: Lancashire Cotton Corporation Limited.
Roberts, A S (1921), "Arthur Robert's Engine List", Arthur Roberts Black Book., One guy from Barlick-Book Transcription, archived from the original on 23 July 2011, retrieved 11 January 2009
