Woolstenhulmes & Rye
Encyclopedia
Woolstenhulmes & Rye was a company that manufactured stationary steam engine
s. It was based in Oldham
, Greater Manchester
in England. The company produced large steam-driven engines for textile mills
in Oldham and elsewhere.
s. In 1854 they exhibited a 12 hp steam engine.
William Rye, an engineer from Manchester, entered the business in 1840 and married the senior partner's daughter in 1842. When Seville retired in 1855, Rye took the partnership. The firm became Woolstenhulme & Rye. About this time they closed the machine-making side of the business and concentrated on producing steam engines for the mills. Rye was mayor
of Oldham in 1868. He was responsible for construction of Albert's Mount housing in Derker
. The company was incorporated in 1873.
Woolstenhulme & Rye engines are said to be conservative in design, and although Gurr & Hunt claim that there was no evidence that the company had ever used Corliss valves, in his Black Book engine list, Arthur Roberts documents their use in Parkfield Mill. This engine was a 1,200-hp cross-compound engine. It had a 20 inches (508 mm) HP (high pressure) cylinder, 40 inches (1,016 mm) LP (low pressure) cylinder, with a 6 feet (1.8 m) stroke. It was steamed at 140 psi. The 18 feet (5.5 m) flywheel ran at 52 rpm. Transmission was by a geared drive. There were Corliss valves on the HP cylinder and slide valves on the LP, in fact a classic Lancashire configuration. The air pump was driven by a bell crank
from the LP tail rod.
, and in the 1880s, when they made 22 engines giving 11,000 ihp, before they fell into financial difficulties and were liquidated in 1888.
Stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engines are fixed steam engines used for pumping or driving mills and factories, and for power generation. They are distinct from locomotive engines used on railways, traction engines for heavy steam haulage on roads, steam cars , agricultural engines used for ploughing or...
s. It was based in Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
in England. The company produced large steam-driven engines for textile mills
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 Oldham and elsewhere.
History
Abraham Seville & Co started business in 1821 in Mumps, Oldham as roller makers for textile machinery. By 1828, William Woolstenhulme had enterered the business, they had moved to the Lower Moor Ironworks and were spindle makers, iron and brass founders. The name was changed to Seville and Woolstenhulme. The business expanded and by 1846 they were employing 250 workers and were manufacturing self-acting mules and power loomPower loom
A power loom is a mechanized loom powered by a line shaft. The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright and first built in 1785. It was refined over the next 47 years until a design by Kenworthy and Bullough, made the operation completely automatic. This was known as the...
s. In 1854 they exhibited a 12 hp steam engine.
William Rye, an engineer from Manchester, entered the business in 1840 and married the senior partner's daughter in 1842. When Seville retired in 1855, Rye took the partnership. The firm became Woolstenhulme & Rye. About this time they closed the machine-making side of the business and concentrated on producing steam engines for the mills. Rye was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Oldham in 1868. He was responsible for construction of Albert's Mount housing in Derker
Derker
Derker is an area of Oldham, a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies in north-central Oldham, close to the boundary with Royton.Historically a part of Lancashire, Derker was recorded as a place of residence in 1604 with the name Dirtcar....
. The company was incorporated in 1873.
Woolstenhulme & Rye engines are said to be conservative in design, and although Gurr & Hunt claim that there was no evidence that the company had ever used Corliss valves, in his Black Book engine list, Arthur Roberts documents their use in Parkfield Mill. This engine was a 1,200-hp cross-compound engine. It had a 20 inches (508 mm) HP (high pressure) cylinder, 40 inches (1,016 mm) LP (low pressure) cylinder, with a 6 feet (1.8 m) stroke. It was steamed at 140 psi. The 18 feet (5.5 m) flywheel ran at 52 rpm. Transmission was by a geared drive. There were Corliss valves on the HP cylinder and slide valves on the LP, in fact a classic Lancashire configuration. The air pump was driven by a bell crank
Bell crank
A bell crank is a type of crank that changes motion through an angle. The angle can be any angle from 0 to 360 degrees, although 90 degrees and 180 degrees are common....
from the LP tail rod.
Mills driven by their engines
Woolstenhulme & Rye produced mill engines in the 1860s, but their principal period of production was in the 1870s, when they produced 17 engines giving a total of 10,970 ihpIHP
IHP is a three letter acronym that can stand for:*International Hydrological Programme*Indicated horsepower*Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics, a German institute and part of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Scientific Community...
, and in the 1880s, when they made 22 engines giving 11,000 ihp, before they fell into financial difficulties and were liquidated in 1888.
- Parkfield Mill, Oldham – 1874
- Prince of Wales Mill, Oldham – 1875
- West End,Mill, Oldham – 1878
- Duke Mill, Shaw – 1883
- Thornham No.2 Mill, Royton – 1885