RAILWAY MILL
Railway Street, Ramsbottom
Built mid 19th century.
1859 – Railway Mill – GLE Lease 134 to Ashworth.
1861 William Ashworth & Co., Railway Mill – cotton spinners and manufacturers [ 1861 Drake, 1871 Worrall, 1883 Barrett, 1888 Slater].
1861 – Census records show that a Jonathan Ashworth age 60, widower, cotton manufacturer, born Accrington lived at Fair View Cottage, Carr Brow with daughter Alice aged 36, a dressmaker and his two sons William Ashworth aged 31, a cotton manufacturer and Jonathan aged 25 also a cotton manufacturer. [ 1861 Census RG9 – 2837 folio 22 page 39]
1871 Census records that William Ashworth was living at 14 Railway Street – he was head of the household and a widower aged 41, born Accrington. He was a cotton spinner employing 58 people – 24 men, 20 females, 8 boys and 6 girls. Also living there was: his daughter Mary J. Ashworth aged 7, a scholar born in Ramsbottom together with a servant, Sarah Mather unmarried aged 65 born in Bury. They obviously lived in a house adjoining the mill. So, between 1861 and 18712 William was married and his wife died leaving him with a daughter.
In the same year (1871) his brother Jonathan Ashworth now age 34 and now married to Elizabeth Eleanor age 30, also born Accrington, together with their son Arthur Edward Ashworth age 1 (and nurse) still lived with his father Jonathan now age 70 – master cotton spinner at W. Ashworth & Co. They lived at 70 Carr Street. [1971 Census RG10 – 3946 folio 97 page 2].
1881 Census shows that William Ashworth and his daughter had now moved to live at 1 Springwood Street, Ramsbottom. Jonathan Ashworth & his family now lived at 14 Railway Street although father Jonathan must have died.
1883 Jonathan Ashworth lived at ‘Railway Cottage’ and William Ashworth lived at Fair View Cottage. [Barrett]
1887 The Cotton Spinners & Manufacturers Directory 1887 [Worrall] lists William Ashworth & Co., Railway Mill – 8,000 spindles, 76 looms – waste twills.
However, in 1883 and 1888, in addition to William Ashworth, Lawrence Stead & Brothers are also listed as operating at ‘Railway Mills’. [Barrett & Slater].
In 1888 Jonathan Ashworth lived at 170 Bolton Street. [Slater]
1891, 1908 and 1939 maps Railway Mill (cotton) is marked and named. Found nothing in the trade section of the 1908 map for Railway Mill.
1909 [Kelly] T.H. Halstead Ltd cotton waste spinners & manufacturers Railway Mill
RAILWAY MILL
1910 Owner/Occupier T.H. Halstead & Co Ltd, Cotton Mill & weaving shed at Railway Street. No14 Railway Street - house Ar. Edwd Ashworth [Valuation List PUB 8/164 TLE Bury Archives]
1924 David Halstead & Son (Ramsbottom) Ltd operated cotton waste spinning & manufacturing at Railway Mill. [Kelly]
1951 In the Ramsbottom Festival 1951 Souvenir Handbook, there is a half-page advertisement for David Halstead & Sons (Ramsbottom) Ltd at Railway Mill, Ramsbottom.
1953 Advertisement in the Coronation Year Official Programme of Celebrations – ‘David Halstead & Sons (Ramsbottom) Ltd Tel: 3114. Waste Spinners and Manufacturers. – Weavers and Learner Weavers for Lancashire Loom – boys to learn spinning – good pay – holidays with pay. Railway Mill, Ramsbottom’.
The Halsteads Mill closed during the 1950s [Notes from RHS exhibition 1989].
Don’t know what happened to it between this date and its demolition. Think there was a bad fire there?
Building extant 1971 [ information from Janet Smith. Source: Beetson].
2009 - It is a piece of spare land belonging to Tesco and used as a Car Park.
Memorial Inscription at Emmanuel Holcombe: In affectionate remembrance of William Ashworth of Fair View Cottage Ramsbottom who departed this life 24th November 1883 in his 55th year of age. Also Jane Holt Ashworth the wife of William Ashworth of Railway Cottage Ramsbottom who departed this life 19th October `865 in the 26th year of her age. Also Mary Lucy the beloved wife of Charles Edward Renshaw and only daughter of the above, William Ashworth (C29) who departed life 1st December 1903 after a brief illness in the 40th year of her age.
The 1881 Census also shows a Richard Ashworth and family living at Carr Terrace –he was age 45 and a chemist. One of his sons is called Jonathan Ashworth and is age 19 – Warehouse Man (Cotton manufacturer). It looks likely that Richard was a brother of William and Jonathan. [RG11 – 3850 folio 73 page 4]
Kelly’s Trade Directory of 1924 shows a Jonathan Ashworth – estate agent to Lt. Col. Austin T. Porritt, Stubbins.