Mons Mill, Todmorden
Encyclopedia
Mons Mill, Todmorden is a cotton spinning mill
in Todmorden
, Calderdale
, West Yorkshire
for the Hare Spinning Company Limited. It was built in 1907, but ran into financial difficulties. It passed over to the Mons Mill (1919) Co Ltd and then was taken over by the Lancashire Cotton Corporation
in the 1930s and passed to Courtaulds
in 1964 and production stopped in 1968. It was used into the 1990s by Ward & Goldestone Ltd. The site was cleared in 2000.
and civil parish
, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale
, in West Yorkshire
, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley
and has a total population of 14,941. It is 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) north north east of Manchester, 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) west of Halifax and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south east of Burnley.
Todmorden town centre occupies the confluence of three steep sided valleys in the Pennines
. The valleys constrict the shape of the town. Todmorden is surrounded by moorlands with occasional outcrops of gritstone
sandblasted by winds.
The historic county boundary
between Yorkshire
and Lancashire
was marked by the River Calder
and its tributary, the Walsden Water, which runs through the centre of the town. The historic border remains but the administrative border was altered by the Local Government Act 1888
, whereby today all of Todmorden lies within West Yorkshire. The town is served by Todmorden railway station
and Walsden railway station
.
, Hargreaves
and Arkwright
), along with the development of turnpike roads
(1751–1781) helped to develop the new cotton industry and increase the local population.
During the years 1800–1845 great changes took place in the communications and transport of the town which were to have a crucial effect on promoting industrial growth. These included the building of: (1) better roads; (2) the Rochdale Canal
(1804); and (3) the main line of the Manchester and Leeds Railway
(1841), which became the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
in 1847. This railway line incorporated the (then) longest tunnel in the world, the 2,885 yard Summit Tunnel
. A second railway, from Todmorden to Burnley, opened as a single line in 1849, being doubled to meet demand in 1860. A short connecting line, from Stansfield Hall to Hall Royd, completed the "Todmorden Triangle" in 1862, thus enabling trains to travel in all three directions (Manchester, Leeds and Burnley) without reversing.
The Industrial Revolution
caused a concentration of industry and settlement along the valley floor and a switch from woollens to cotton. One family in the area was particularly influential on the town; the Fielden family. They created a "dynasty" that changed the town forever by establishing several large mills, putting up assorted impressive buildings and bringing about social and educational change.
Hare Mill was built in 1907; the first sod was cut on 1 June 1907. It had cost £218,285, to build, and there were financial and board-room problems and the mill finally opened in August 1912. A second identical mill was proposed, but never built. There was the logo of a white hare on the mill chimney. The company was wound up in 1914. The mill was bought by William Hopwood for £131,450. He sold it to the newly-formed Mons Mill Company Limited and the mill was renamed Mons Mill (after the Battle of Mons
). There was a later company Mons Mill (1919) Limited which took over the mill in 1919.
The industry peaked in 1912 when it produced 8 billion yards of cloth. The great war of 1914- 1918 halted the supply of raw cotton, and the British government encouraged its colonys to build mills to spin and weave cotton. The war over, Lancashire never regained its markets. The independent mills were struggling. The Bank of England
set up the Lancashire Cotton Corporation
in 1929 to attempt to rationalise and save the industry. Mons Mill, Todmorden was one of 104 mills bought by the LCC, and one of the 53 mills that survived beyond 1950. In 1974, the LCC was taken over by Courtaulds
. In 1968, the mill closed. From 1971, the building was used by Ward & Goldstone Limited until the 1990s when they left.
In the 1970s, the mill chimney was reduced by 30 ft. In 1986, the mill chimney and the engine house were demolished. The site was cleared in March 2000.
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....
in Todmorden
Todmorden
Todmorden is a market town and civil parish, located 17 miles from Manchester, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and has a total population of 14,941....
, Calderdale
Calderdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
for the Hare Spinning Company Limited. It was built in 1907, but ran into financial difficulties. It passed over to the Mons Mill (1919) Co Ltd and then was taken over by the Lancashire Cotton Corporation
Lancashire Cotton Corporation
The Lancashire Cotton Corporation was a company set up by the Bank of England in 1929, to rescue the Lancashire spinning industry by means of horizontal rationalisation. In merged 105 companies, ending up in 1950 with 53 operating mills. It was bought up by Courtaulds in August 1964.-Formation:By...
in the 1930s and passed to Courtaulds
Courtaulds
Courtaulds was a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of fabric, clothing, artificial fibres, and chemicals.-Foundation:The Company was founded by George Courtauld and his cousin Peter Taylor in 1794 as a silk, crepe and textile business at Pebmarsh in north Essex trading as George Courtauld & Co...
in 1964 and production stopped in 1968. It was used into the 1990s by Ward & Goldestone Ltd. The site was cleared in 2000.
Location
Todmorden is a market townMarket town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale
Calderdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
, in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley
Upper Calder Valley
The Upper Calder Valley lies in West Yorkshire in northern England, and covers the towns of Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Luddendenfoot, and Sowerby Bridge, as well as a number of smaller settlements such as Portsmouth, Cornholme, Walsden and Eastwood. The valley is named after the River...
and has a total population of 14,941. It is 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) north north east of Manchester, 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) west of Halifax and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south east of Burnley.
Todmorden town centre occupies the confluence of three steep sided valleys in the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
. The valleys constrict the shape of the town. Todmorden is surrounded by moorlands with occasional outcrops of gritstone
Gritstone
Gritstone or Grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone. This term is especially applied to such sandstones that are quarried for building material. British gritstone was used for millstones to mill flour, to grind wood into pulp for paper and for grindstones to sharpen blades. "Grit" is...
sandblasted by winds.
The historic county boundary
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
between Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and 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...
was marked by the River Calder
River Calder, West Yorkshire
The River Calder is a river in West Yorkshire, in Northern England.The Calder rises on the green eastern slopes of the Pennines flows through alternating green countryside, former woollen-mill villages, and large and small towns before joining the River Aire near Castleford.The river's valley is...
and its tributary, the Walsden Water, which runs through the centre of the town. The historic border remains but the administrative border was altered by the Local Government Act 1888
Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
, whereby today all of Todmorden lies within West Yorkshire. The town is served by Todmorden railway station
Todmorden railway station
Todmorden railway station is in West Yorkshire, England, originally in Lancashire. It was built by the Manchester and Leeds Railway and is on the Caldervale Line west of Leeds and north-east of Manchester Victoria....
and Walsden railway station
Walsden railway station
Walsden railway station serves the village of Walsden, Todmorden in West Yorkshire, England, on the edge of the Pennines.It is served by the Caldervale Line operated by Northern Rail. The station is west of Leeds and north east of Manchester Victoria. Walsden is the last station before the...
.
History
For hundreds of years streams from the surrounding hills provided water for corn and fulling mills. Todmorden grew to relative prosperity by combining farming with the production of woollen textiles. Some Yeomen clothiers were able to build fine houses, a few of which still exist today. Increasingly, though, the area turned to cotton. The proximity of Manchester, as a source of material and trade was undoubtedly a strong factor. Another was that the strong Pennine streams and rivers were able to power the machine looms. Improvements in textile machinery (by KayJohn Kay (flying shuttle)
John Kay was the inventor of the flying shuttle, which was a key contribution to the Industrial Revolution. He is often confused with his namesake: fellow Lancastrian textile machinery inventor, the unrelated John Kay who built the first "spinning frame".-Life in England:John Kay was born...
, Hargreaves
James Hargreaves
James Hargreaves was a weaver, carpenter and an inventor in Lancashire, England. He is credited with inventing the spinning Jenny in 1764....
and 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...
), along with the development of turnpike roads
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
(1751–1781) helped to develop the new cotton industry and increase the local population.
During the years 1800–1845 great changes took place in the communications and transport of the town which were to have a crucial effect on promoting industrial growth. These included the building of: (1) better roads; (2) the Rochdale Canal
Rochdale Canal
The Rochdale Canal is a navigable "broad" canal in northern England, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. The "Rochdale" in its name refers to the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, through which the canal passes....
(1804); and (3) the main line of the Manchester and Leeds Railway
Manchester and Leeds Railway
The Manchester and Leeds Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1839, connecting Manchester with Leeds via the North Midland Railway which it joined at Normanton....
(1841), which became the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
in 1847. This railway line incorporated the (then) longest tunnel in the world, the 2,885 yard Summit Tunnel
Summit Tunnel
The Summit Tunnel in England is one of the oldest railway tunnels in the world: it was built between 1838 and 1841 by the Manchester and Leeds Railway beneath the Pennines...
. A second railway, from Todmorden to Burnley, opened as a single line in 1849, being doubled to meet demand in 1860. A short connecting line, from Stansfield Hall to Hall Royd, completed the "Todmorden Triangle" in 1862, thus enabling trains to travel in all three directions (Manchester, Leeds and Burnley) without reversing.
The Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
caused a concentration of industry and settlement along the valley floor and a switch from woollens to cotton. One family in the area was particularly influential on the town; the Fielden family. They created a "dynasty" that changed the town forever by establishing several large mills, putting up assorted impressive buildings and bringing about social and educational change.
Hare Mill was built in 1907; the first sod was cut on 1 June 1907. It had cost £218,285, to build, and there were financial and board-room problems and the mill finally opened in August 1912. A second identical mill was proposed, but never built. There was the logo of a white hare on the mill chimney. The company was wound up in 1914. The mill was bought by William Hopwood for £131,450. He sold it to the newly-formed Mons Mill Company Limited and the mill was renamed Mons Mill (after the Battle of Mons
Battle of Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
). There was a later company Mons Mill (1919) Limited which took over the mill in 1919.
The industry peaked in 1912 when it produced 8 billion yards of cloth. The great war of 1914- 1918 halted the supply of raw cotton, and the British government encouraged its colonys to build mills to spin and weave cotton. The war over, Lancashire never regained its markets. The independent mills were struggling. The Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
set up the Lancashire Cotton Corporation
Lancashire Cotton Corporation
The Lancashire Cotton Corporation was a company set up by the Bank of England in 1929, to rescue the Lancashire spinning industry by means of horizontal rationalisation. In merged 105 companies, ending up in 1950 with 53 operating mills. It was bought up by Courtaulds in August 1964.-Formation:By...
in 1929 to attempt to rationalise and save the industry. Mons Mill, Todmorden was one of 104 mills bought by the LCC, and one of the 53 mills that survived beyond 1950. In 1974, the LCC was taken over by Courtaulds
Courtaulds
Courtaulds was a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of fabric, clothing, artificial fibres, and chemicals.-Foundation:The Company was founded by George Courtauld and his cousin Peter Taylor in 1794 as a silk, crepe and textile business at Pebmarsh in north Essex trading as George Courtauld & Co...
. In 1968, the mill closed. From 1971, the building was used by Ward & Goldstone Limited until the 1990s when they left.
In the 1970s, the mill chimney was reduced by 30 ft. In 1986, the mill chimney and the engine house were demolished. The site was cleared in March 2000.
Architecture
Seven-storeyed steam-powered cotton-spinning mill built for the Hare Spinning Company Limited. It was constructed of red Accrington brick, designed by Abraham Stott. Stott's design utilised rolled steel columns and reinforced concrete, and was unpopular when it was first proposed. There was the logo of a white hare on the mill chimney.Power
The mill was originally powered by an engine built by Carels of Belgium which drove about 73 belts.Owners
- Hare Mill Co (1907–1914)
- William Hopwood (1914-
- Mons Mill Co Ltd (-1919)
- Mons Mill (1919) Co Ltd (1919-1930s)
- Lancashire Cotton Corporation (1930s-1964)
- Courtaulds (1964–1968)
- Ward & Goldestone Ltd (1971-1990s)
See also
- Textile manufacturingTextile manufacturingTextile manufacturing is a major industry. It is based in the conversion of three types of fibre into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. These are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. Cotton remains the most important natural fibre, so is treated in depth...
- Cotton MillCotton millA 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....