RAMSBOTTOM MILL
In 1802 the Ashton family moved to Ramsbottom from Middleton and established the first spinning mill [Goldthorpe page 12]
Built in 1802 at the end of Crow Lane and Garden Street it was a water/steam powered cotton spinning and weaving mill. Nos; 40-44 Crow Lane are thought to have been the apprentice houses. Reservoir besides Stubbins Lane. [Information from Kate Slingsby]
This was the town’s first spinning mill. A two storey weaving shed, a small two storey building and the building now occupied by Ramsbottom Glass, remain as well as the weir and goit to the right-hand side of the road to Stubbins. A few walls incorporated into other buildings and some large stone engine mountings. Greaves (mixers) now occupy the majority of the very large site. All buildings extant 1908. Some buildings had been demolished in 1929 but chimney standing 1930s.
Samuel & Thomas Ashton, cotton spinners and manufacturers, Ramsbottom appear in the 1818 Directory for the area [Rogerson]
The Irwell Reservoir Scheme 1833 describes the mill as ‘Ramsbottom Cotton Works’ and makes the following observations: Messrs Ashton’s. Fall 15 feet, Spinning and Weaving. 2 Water Wheels, 15 feet diameter and 10 feet wide each and a third 16 feet diameter and 6 feet wide. Reckon the 2 first wheels equal to 44H.P. and the whole three equal to 50 H.P. –suppose the supply of water from the River at ordinary times for that power to be from 50 to 60 Cubic Feet per second, they have three Steam Engines and 24 H.P. to assist the two ten feet water wheels and one 36 H.P. all weaving turning 430 fustian looms and dressing, one 72 Horse driving about 470 fustians Looms, spinning and all preparations together with scutching for the whole work, about 21,000 lbs per week’.
1833 Tottington Lower End Poor Rate Assessment listed all the buildings – 4 powerloom shops, a lime house, sizing house, scotching room, weft room, several store rooms and a blacksmith’s shop. There were also steam engines with their boilerhouses and gas house plus other cottages and apprentice house. [Slingsby]
Samuel & Thomas Ashton, cotton spinners and manufacturers are listed at Ramsbottom Mill in the 1841 and 1850 Directories [Pigot & Slater and Heap]
After the death of Samuel & Thomas, Richard Ashton JP headed the firm and in 1856 Richard Ashton’s son took over. The mill must have been affected by The Lancashire Cotton Famine (1862 onwards). They also had financial difficulties when family members had to be bought out. [Slingsby]
In 1861 and 1871 the company is now trading as Richard Edward Ashton & Brothers, cotton spinners and manufacturers, Ramsbottom Mill [Drake & Worrall]
The Mill was sold in 1867 although the Ashtons still operated on part of the site until 1877. The site was then owned by a succession of companies.
However in 1871 two other companies are listed at Ramsbottom Mill - Greenhalgh, Harrison and Barlow. Cotton spinners & manufacturers in addition to being at Waterside Mill and also Cunliffe, Parkinson & Barnes, Manufacturing Chemists and soap manufacturers. [Worrall]
In 1883 things change again – William Rumney & Co, Calico Printers operate at Stubbins Printworks and Ramsbottom Mill [Barrett]
In 1888 William Rumney & Co are listed as bleachers at Cross Bank Works, Shuttleworth, cotton spinners at Ramsbottom Mills and calico printers at Stubbins Print Works.
RAMSBOTTOM MILL
William Rumney & Co Ltd operated at Ramsbottom Mill from about 1883 – 8.8.1900.
25.1.1907 – 1926 – Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Co, as part of LMS.
1926 Crow Lane Manufacturing Co Ltd
1940 Union Bank of Manchester
After 1940 the site began to be split up and sold separately.
1948 Ramsbottom Official Guide – advertisement: ‘Insulating Sleevings & Tapes Ltd @ Carr Mill and Ramsbottom Mill
1971 Official Guide to Ramsbottom – ‘Andrew Ashworth & Son Ltd of Ramsbottom Mill, Crow Lane – manufacturers of slipper linings, heat resistant table felts and needlefelt underlays. The Company was incorporated in 1923 at Brierfield and moved (after a fire) to Ramsbottom in 1954’.
Water Supply to the Mill
A large reservoir was built beside Ramsbottom Lane.
Extended from Great Eaves Road for several hundred yards to the south.
Included the areas now occupied by Griffiths Skip Hire, the garage, the turning area for buses and Garics yard (with its distinctive yellow equipment) at the top of Factory Street.
Water for the mill (head race) came from immediately upstream of the weir, the Ashtons constructed just below Stubbins Bridge. After powering the water wheels, the water ran under the mill floor emerging just beyond the apprentice house (now 40-44 Crow Lane).
The tail race returned water to the Irwell at Peel Bridge. Here it formed the head race for the Grant’s Square Mill.
In 1818 they drew water from the tail race of Chatterton Mill and piped it across the Irwell to their original goit.
Parts of the Ashton’s construction still remain today: a) the wooden stumps of the weir. b) the embankment which formed the eastern side of the lodge and which stands above the swimming pool c) the embankment at the southern end of the reservoir.
Kate Slingsby has the full history of Ramsbottom Cotton Mill/Land/Ashtons. She wrote an article for the RHS Magazine No:27 Winter 2004 entitled Ramsbottom Mill – The most powerful mill in the valley.