Lancashire Lantern: Lancashire Pioneers

Part of the Lancashire Lantern network, the Pioneers gives details of people who were famous local people in science, technology and innovation. These pioneers were either born in Lancashire or their endeavours made a significant contribution to the development of the County.

Click the image of David Whitehead at any time to return to this pageDavid Whitehead - The Whitehead mills

 

Fire at Higher Mill

David Whitehead writes about the fire in his diary:

"Early this morning [October 30th 1841, Sunday, the very day that the Tower of London burnt down], there came a most tremendous rapping at our door, Holly Mount, and a shout, "The mill's on fire!"

The fire at Higher MillI jumped out of bed and looked through the window, and saw our Higher Mill was on fire. ..

A water engine was soon got to the place, and another two arrived soon after, And with other assistance they saved the steam engine and the warehouse, and a part of the machinery but the mill was burnt down.

 

The Higher Mill, RawtenstallThe loss [of the mill] to the people was very great...when trade was so bad, so many mills shut up, others working part time...so we made our minds to get some more machinery into the Lower Mill and get our workpeople into work again as soon as we could"

"The autobiography of David Whitehead of Rawtenstall", published by Helmshore Local History Society, 2001. page 126 -127.

 

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