Marvel's Mill
Encyclopedia
Marvel's Mill or Marvell's Mill on the River Nene
in Northampton
, England
, was the world's second factory for spinning cotton
, the first to be operated as a water mill, and the first to be driven by an inanimate power-source. Opened by Edward Cave
in 1742, it used the roller spinning machinery invented by Lewis Paul
and John Wyatt
, which had first been used in their Upper Priory Cotton Mill
in Birmingham
in the summer of 1741.
, being identified as Merewyns mill as early as 1253. Originally owned by Northampton's Priory of St. Andrew, its ownership was taken up by the town of Northampton after the dissolution of the monasteries
, and it was leased to a succession of tenents. In 1742 the mill was acquired by Edward Cave
, the publisher of the The Gentleman's Magazine
, who had become involved in the development of Lewis Paul
and John Wyatt
's newly-invented roller-spinning machinery through the mutual acquaintance of the writer Samuel Johnson
, and who had acquired a license to operate five of Paul's machines with a total of 250 spindles at £3 per spindle. Cave purchased Marvell's Mill after being offered other mills in Romsey
and Gloucester
and, after demolishing the existing corn mill, he erected a new building to house the spinning machinery, with outbuildings for boiling lye
for bleaching, and a smith's workshop for maintaining the spindles.
Little is known of the operation of the mill, though surviving records indicate the appointment of a millwright Thomas Yeoman as the factory's "operator", in overall charge of the operation, as well as a manager Mr Harrison in charge of its day-to-day functioning, and a foreman Mr Newton, who had been involved in the earlier Birmingham mill. The operation was far from smooth however: records from April 1743 indicate projected annual profits of up to £599 with plans for twelve machines; by October of the same year only 50 of the planned 100 hands were working and the projected annual profit had declined to £113. Wyatt commented at the time that "The Cards and Carding, extremely ill maniged", "The Dirt and Cotton spread ab' the Rooms and the Pathways near the Mill is surprising" and "The Superintendant seems a very indifferent Maniger".
Despite these shortcomings the business survived and an engraving of 1746 shows it functioning and employing a full complement of 100 staff. On the death of Cave in 1754 the mill passed to his brother and nephew, and at this stage had the involvement of Samuel Touchet, one of the major merchants of the pre-industrial Lancashire
cotton industry, who had also held licenses to operate Paul's machinery since 1742 and had set up a second Birmingham mill, possibly in Fazeley Street, in 1744. Touchet made no profit, however, and in 1756 the mill and its machinery was advertised for sale. Eventually re-let to Lewis Paul, who resumed direct control, it was seized by the Caves for non-payment of rent in 1761 after Paul's death in 1759, and there is no evidence of cotton-spinning on the site beyond this date. By 1768 the mill was in the possession of "William Faulkner and Thomas Harris, millers" and by 1774 the yard was occupied by a shoemaker. The fate of the mill's spinning machinery is not known, but there are indications that it was acquired or at least seen by Richard Arkwright
, whose 1769 patent was based on very similar principles.
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
in Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, was the world's second factory for spinning cotton
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
, the first to be operated as a water mill, and the first to be driven by an inanimate power-source. Opened by Edward Cave
Edward Cave
Edward Cave was an English printer, editor and publisher. In The Gentleman's Magazine he created the first general-interest "magazine" in the modern sense....
in 1742, it used the roller spinning machinery invented by Lewis Paul
Lewis Paul
Lewis Paul was the original inventor of roller spinning, the basis of the water frame for spinning cotton in a cotton mill.-Life and work:Lewis Paul was of Huguenot descent. His father was physician to Lord Shaftesbury...
and John Wyatt
John Wyatt (inventor)
John Wyatt , an English inventor, was born near Lichfield and was related to Sarah Ford, Doctor Johnson's mother. A carpenter by trade he began work in Birmingham on the development of a spinning machine...
, which had first been used in their Upper Priory Cotton Mill
Upper Priory Cotton Mill
The Upper Priory Cotton Mill, opened in Birmingham, England in the summer of 1741, was the world's first cotton mill. Established by Lewis Paul and John Wyatt in a former warehouse in the Upper Priory, near Paul's house in Old Square, it used the roller spinning machinery that they had developed...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in the summer of 1741.
History
Marvel's Mill had a long history as a water-powered gristmillGristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
, being identified as Merewyns mill as early as 1253. Originally owned by Northampton's Priory of St. Andrew, its ownership was taken up by the town of Northampton after the dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
, and it was leased to a succession of tenents. In 1742 the mill was acquired by Edward Cave
Edward Cave
Edward Cave was an English printer, editor and publisher. In The Gentleman's Magazine he created the first general-interest "magazine" in the modern sense....
, the publisher of the The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine was founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term "magazine" for a periodical...
, who had become involved in the development of Lewis Paul
Lewis Paul
Lewis Paul was the original inventor of roller spinning, the basis of the water frame for spinning cotton in a cotton mill.-Life and work:Lewis Paul was of Huguenot descent. His father was physician to Lord Shaftesbury...
and John Wyatt
John Wyatt (inventor)
John Wyatt , an English inventor, was born near Lichfield and was related to Sarah Ford, Doctor Johnson's mother. A carpenter by trade he began work in Birmingham on the development of a spinning machine...
's newly-invented roller-spinning machinery through the mutual acquaintance of the writer Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
, and who had acquired a license to operate five of Paul's machines with a total of 250 spindles at £3 per spindle. Cave purchased Marvell's Mill after being offered other mills in Romsey
Romsey
Romsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England.It is 8 miles northwest of Southampton and 11 miles southwest of Winchester, neighbouring the village of North Baddesley...
and Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
and, after demolishing the existing corn mill, he erected a new building to house the spinning machinery, with outbuildings for boiling lye
Lye
Lye is a corrosive alkaline substance, commonly sodium hydroxide or historically potassium hydroxide . Previously, lye was among the many different alkalis leached from hardwood ashes...
for bleaching, and a smith's workshop for maintaining the spindles.
Little is known of the operation of the mill, though surviving records indicate the appointment of a millwright Thomas Yeoman as the factory's "operator", in overall charge of the operation, as well as a manager Mr Harrison in charge of its day-to-day functioning, and a foreman Mr Newton, who had been involved in the earlier Birmingham mill. The operation was far from smooth however: records from April 1743 indicate projected annual profits of up to £599 with plans for twelve machines; by October of the same year only 50 of the planned 100 hands were working and the projected annual profit had declined to £113. Wyatt commented at the time that "The Cards and Carding, extremely ill maniged", "The Dirt and Cotton spread ab' the Rooms and the Pathways near the Mill is surprising" and "The Superintendant seems a very indifferent Maniger".
Despite these shortcomings the business survived and an engraving of 1746 shows it functioning and employing a full complement of 100 staff. On the death of Cave in 1754 the mill passed to his brother and nephew, and at this stage had the involvement of Samuel Touchet, one of the major merchants of the pre-industrial Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
cotton industry, who had also held licenses to operate Paul's machinery since 1742 and had set up a second Birmingham mill, possibly in Fazeley Street, in 1744. Touchet made no profit, however, and in 1756 the mill and its machinery was advertised for sale. Eventually re-let to Lewis Paul, who resumed direct control, it was seized by the Caves for non-payment of rent in 1761 after Paul's death in 1759, and there is no evidence of cotton-spinning on the site beyond this date. By 1768 the mill was in the possession of "William Faulkner and Thomas Harris, millers" and by 1774 the yard was occupied by a shoemaker. The fate of the mill's spinning machinery is not known, but there are indications that it was acquired or at least seen by Richard Arkwright
Richard Arkwright
Sir Richard Arkwright , was an Englishman who, although the patents were eventually overturned, is often credited for inventing the spinning frame — later renamed the water frame following the transition to water power. He also patented a carding engine that could convert raw cotton into yarn...
, whose 1769 patent was based on very similar principles.