Wigan Album

Is it def not Eckersleys or Trencherfield mills

AnneRose, as I said originally it's either one that was in A-I-M. that one was behind where Cromptons Works used to stand in Gerrard St, or a Bolton cotton mill because Nellie who is on the photo only worked at those two mills.

I don't know where this mill was, but those are Jacquard Looms- ( The loom is controlled by punched cards with punched holes, each row of which corresponds to one row of the design. Multiple rows of holes are punched on each card and the many cards that compose the design of the textile are strung together in order. - from wikipedia) [ above the loom ]
The only mill using these that I know of in Wigan was Rylands Mill behind Wigan Park.

The "weaving Shed" in Ashton in Makerfield was Makerfield Mill on Windsor Rd. and they did use Jacquard looms. The mill behind Cromptons and later taken over by them was the "Record Mill" which was a spinning mill. I am not sure when Makerfield Mill opened but it was certainly working in the 1920s. It is now a small housing development.

Thanks for the info Freda & Stan, my mother in law who is in the photo did tell me she worked at a mill behind Cromptons so maybe when it was taken over they used the Jaquard weaving, she worked there sometime in the 1930's and perhaps early 1940's, it's sad really because she only died 2 years ago aged 94 and we should have got the info from her before she died, but you just don't think at the time.

Chris, the Record Mill went into liquidation in Nov.1935. As a spinning mill it did not use weaving looms. The building was taken over by Cromptons ironfoundry, makers of hinges and locks. The only weaving mill in Ashton 1920-1970, to the best of my knowledge, was Makerfield Mill which was, in a sense behind Cromptons but some 300 yards South of the "Record Mill in Windsor Rd. and known locally as "the weaving shed."

Thanks Stan, then this photo is more than likely the "Makerfield Mill" if it was still weaving in the 1930's, early 40's. I suppose even though you say it was not directly behind Cromptons, Nellie could have described it as being behind.

Do you know when Cromptons was opened because Nellie also told me her grandfather was a carpenter there, this is just for my family history records, he died in 1915 and on the 1911 census he was a colliery carpenter at the age of 69, so I am wondering if she has got it wrong about him working at Cromptons, seems to be a bit old to be changing employment after the age of 69, but then again in those days there was no State Pension so maybe he did.

Chris, The mill began life in 1907 as the Garswood Manufacturing Co. Ltd. On the 1911 census for Heath Rd. it is recorded as "The Makerfield Mill Co's Weaving Shed" In the sixties it was run by two brothers, Joe and Austin Maher. In its latter years up to it closing in the seventies I think it was owned by Courtalds.
To briefly answer your other question, Old Thomas Crompton(1830-1910) took over the business of his previous employer James Billinge & Co. (hinge & stock lock manuf.) when the latter went bankrupt in 1869.All the work was initially "out work" carried out in the forges at peoples own homes.The first factory was established at Downall Green (I think by the 1880s.) The Gerard Street factory was previously Whitley/ Whitley & Valient.but was owned by Crompton certainly by the early 1920s. They opened the new Haydock factory in 1957 and sold the business in 1963.

Thanks Stan, for all the really interesting information, really appreciate it.

I know it not Wigan or even Lancashire but if you visit Richard Arkwright's Masson Mills, nr Cromford in Derbyshire you will be able to see jacquard looms...as the lady says, the looms that had pattern cards, among many other types of weaving looms. Well worth a visit.

I worked at the weaving shed from 1958 to about 1965 ALL lomms were Jacquard looms which made expensive ready coloured patterned fabrics. Not many mills used them as they made mostly plain cloth to be dyed.
cant say for sure this was taken in the weaving shed though

Thank you for this picture.
This was my grandma (Hannah Marsh)left of the picture taken in Makerfield Mill around 1930.

Julie

Chris did Nellie live at 52 Christopher st Lower Ince if so she lived next door to my grandparents Lizzy and Dick Glover, my mam was Annie and we lived at no.24

THEY USES JACQUARDS AT ECKERSLEYS IN WIGAN WHEN I WORKED THERE IN THE WEAVING SHED

I've been doing some research trying to learn more about my great, great grandfather, Wilfrid Maher, who was the owner of Makerfield Mill, and come across this photograph. Joe and Austin, who Stan mentions, are my great uncles, who took over the mill after Wilfrid. Their brother, Charles, was my grandfather, who went into farming. After the closure of the mill, he and his brother Austin brought Haverthwaite Railway to life in the 70's, and it's still running today. It's wonderful to see the mill brought to life in this photograph! As I write this, my Grandmother, Barbara (Charles' wife) is telling me about the mill's marvellous board room "with a wonderful green topped table", which Wilfrid showed her shortly before her marriage to his son. Such a shame we can't see the mill anymore!

I worked there as a reacher I was 16 years old. Would have been in 1970’s.
Great photo

I worked with my sisters Maureen, Madeleine and Margaret Jenkinson at the “weaving shed“ Windsor Road A-in-M in the early 70s does anyone remember them?

I'm trying to find out more about a small four storey mill employing about 60 hands owned by Mr. John Gray (trading as Messrs. Gray), located in Town Green, Ashton in Makerfield, that burnt to the ground in September 1866. Does anyone know more?

I worked at Makerfield Mill just after I left school at 15 in 1950. I had a Dobby and two Jacquard looms and was taught by another weaver a Mrs Tickle. I used to get told off for climbing up the looms to re-set the cards when I could not get hold of an Overlooker.
I remember another weaver got told off for calling a colleague a 'whore' and Mr Maher said , ' We know her is but tha doesn't have to say so'!
Hard work but I enjoyed the commerarderie and it also taught me to lip read, the only way you could converse with each other. Can anyone still do the 'whoop shout' to attract attention!