|
Lower Mill
In 1833 the Whitehead brothers bought more land at Rawtenstall and started to build Lower Mill, Holly Mount House and Holly Mount School.
David Whitehead writes about the building of Lower Mill:
"The ground for this mill and Holly Mount cost us more to prepare it for building than we gave for the ground itself .
|
We covered the river for about 212 yards with an arch 22 feet wide and another arch of the same size from the head of the water wheel about 50 yards long; also another arch from the tail of the water wheel about 9 feet wide and 109 yards long. |
|
The Lower Mill, Rawtenstall
|
|
On the same ground, and across the river, we built our Rawtenstall Lower Mill, consisting of buildings for spinning, sizing or dressing twist, power loom weaving, warehouses etc. ample for upwards of eight hundred power looms, and gas works to supply these works and our Rawtenstall Higher Mill, and other buildings and shop etc.
|
The Lower Mill with Holly Mount House in the background
|
|
At the end of the weaving shed we built a school, and a tower for a clock for the works, with five faces, viz: one face in the weaving shed, and a face on each side of the tower".(1) |
The brothers also built cottages for their workers, which were described as "not so much cottages as handsome houses consisting of from four to six rooms, provided with every convenience necessary for comfort and cleanliness. They are all well furnished -in many cases with mahogany" (2)
Spinning commenced at Lower Mill in 1840, although as the cotton industry was depressed at this period, the mill was not put into full production until after the fire at Higher Mill
(1) "The autobiography of David Whitehead of Rawtenstall" published by the Helmshore Local History Society, 2001
(2) W. Cooke Taylor "Notes of a tour in the manufacturing districts of Lancashire" Letter IV Rossendale Forest, 1842 |
