Pilot Mill, Bury
Encyclopedia
Pilot Mill, Bury is a four-storey cotton spinning mill
in Radcliffe
, Bury
, Greater Manchester
. It was built in 1905. It was taken over by the Lancashire Cotton Corporation
in the 1930s and passed to Courtaulds
in 1964. Production finished, it survived and as of 2010 is in use by Antler Luggage.
, England. It lies on the River Irwell
, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east of Bolton
, 5.9 miles (9.5 km) west-southwest of Rochdale
, and 7.9 miles (12.7 km) north-northwest of the city of Manchester
. Bury is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bury
, of which Bury is the largest settlement and administrative centre. Bury has a total population of 60,718. Historically
a part of Lancashire
, Bury emerged during the Industrial Revolution
as a mill town
centred on textile manufacture
.
Pilot mill is on Alfred Street, close to the centre of the town adjacent to the River Roch
and the railway
and junction 2 of the M66.
Development was swift in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The establishment of Brooksbottom Mill, in Summerseat
north of the town, as a calico printing works in 1773 by the family of Sir Robert Peel marked the beginning of the cotton industry in Bury. By the early 19th century cotton was the predominant textile industry with the River Roch
and River Irwell providing power for spinning mills and processing water for the finishing trades. Development was further promoted when the town was linked to the national canal network by the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal, fully opened in 1808. The canal is provided with water from Elton Reservoir, fed by aqueducts from a weir on the River Irwell, north of what is now the Burrs Country Park
. The Burrs is also the site of another mill developed by the Peel family, first founded in 1790. The remains are displayed for the public. There were seven cotton mill
s in Bury by 1818 and the population grew from 9,152 in 1801 to 58,029 in 1901.
Following this, railways opened, linking the town from Bury Bolton Street railway station
to Manchester, Radcliffe
, Rawtenstall
and Accrington
and from the old Knowsley Street railway station to the neighbouring mill towns of Bolton, Heywood
and Rochdale. As well as the many cotton mills other industries which thrived included paper–making, calico
printing and some light engineering. The town expanded to incorporate the former townships of Elton, Walmersley
and Heap and rows of terraced housing encircled the town centre by the turn of the 19th century. Districts such as Freetown, Fishpool
and Pimhole were transformed from farmers' fields to rows of terraced housing, beside the factories and mills.
Pilot Mill is one of the classic late 19th-century spinning mills
that were such a feature of other Lancashire towns.
The industry peaked in 1912 when it produced 8 billion yards of cloth. The Great War of 1914–18 halted the supply of raw cotton, and the British government encouraged its colonies 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. Pilot Mill, Bury was one of 104 mills bought by the LCC, and one of the 53 mills that survived through to 1950. After cotton, it lost its chimney and the decorative top to the water tower.
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 Radcliffe
Radcliffe, Greater Manchester
Radcliffe is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the course of the River Irwell, south-west of Bury and north-northwest of Manchester. Radcliffe is contiguous with the town of Whitefield to the...
, Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest 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...
. It was built in 1905. It 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. Production finished, it survived and as of 2010 is in use by Antler Luggage.
Location
Bury is a town in Greater ManchesterGreater 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...
, England. It lies on the River Irwell
River Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east of Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, 5.9 miles (9.5 km) west-southwest of Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, and 7.9 miles (12.7 km) north-northwest of the city of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Bury is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bury
Metropolitan Borough of Bury
The Metropolitan Borough of Bury is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Lying to the north of the City of Manchester, the borough is composed of six towns: Bury, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich, and has a population of 181,900...
, of which Bury is the largest settlement and administrative centre. Bury has a total population of 60,718. Historically
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...
a part of 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...
, Bury emerged during 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...
as a mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
centred on textile manufacture
Textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution changed the nature of work and society. Opinion varies as to the exact date, but it is estimated that the First Industrial Revolution took place between 1750 and 1850, and the second phase or Second Industrial Revolution between 1860 and 1900. The three key drivers in...
.
Pilot mill is on Alfred Street, close to the centre of the town adjacent to the River Roch
River Roch
The River Roch is a river in Greater Manchester in North West England, a tributary of the River Irwell that gives Rochdale its name.-Course:...
and the railway
East Lancashire Railway
The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...
and junction 2 of the M66.
History
Probate evidence from the 17th century and the remains of 18th century weavers' cottages in Elton, on the west side of Bury, indicate that domestic textile production was an important factor of the local economy at a time when Bury's textile industry was dominated by woollens and based upon the domestic production of yarn and cloth as well as water-powered fulling mills.Development was swift in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The establishment of Brooksbottom Mill, in Summerseat
Summerseat
Summerseat is a village in the Ramsbottom district of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England. It lies in the Irwell Valley, on the course of the River Irwell to the north of Bury, along the course of the M66 motorway....
north of the town, as a calico printing works in 1773 by the family of Sir Robert Peel marked the beginning of the cotton industry in Bury. By the early 19th century cotton was the predominant textile industry with the River Roch
River Roch
The River Roch is a river in Greater Manchester in North West England, a tributary of the River Irwell that gives Rochdale its name.-Course:...
and River Irwell providing power for spinning mills and processing water for the finishing trades. Development was further promoted when the town was linked to the national canal network by the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal, fully opened in 1808. The canal is provided with water from Elton Reservoir, fed by aqueducts from a weir on the River Irwell, north of what is now the Burrs Country Park
Burrs Country Park
Burrs Country Park covers a 36 hectare site located on the banks of the River Irwell, 1.5km north west of Bury, Greater Manchester. It was acquired by Bury Metroplolitan Borough Council in 1986 and transformed from a derelict industrial site into a modern country park...
. The Burrs is also the site of another mill developed by the Peel family, first founded in 1790. The remains are displayed for the public. There were seven cotton mill
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....
s in Bury by 1818 and the population grew from 9,152 in 1801 to 58,029 in 1901.
Following this, railways opened, linking the town from Bury Bolton Street railway station
Bury Bolton Street railway station
Bury Bolton Street railway station is a railway station in Bury, Greater Manchester.- History :It was formerly the main station serving the town, with links north to Ramsbottom, thence via Stubbins Junction either to Rawtenstall and Bacup or to Haslingden and Accrington; and south to Radcliffe...
to Manchester, Radcliffe
Radcliffe, Greater Manchester
Radcliffe is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the course of the River Irwell, south-west of Bury and north-northwest of Manchester. Radcliffe is contiguous with the town of Whitefield to the...
, Rawtenstall
Rawtenstall
Rawtenstall is a town at the centre of the Rossendale Valley, in Lancashire, England. It is the seat for the Borough of Rossendale, in which it is located. The town lies 18 miles north of Manchester, 22 miles east of the county town of Preston and 45 miles south east of Lancaster...
and Accrington
Accrington
Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
and from the old Knowsley Street railway station to the neighbouring mill towns of Bolton, Heywood
Heywood, Greater Manchester
Heywood is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the south bank of the River Roch and is east of Bury, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north of the city of Manchester. The town of Middleton lies to the south, whilst to the north is the...
and Rochdale. As well as the many cotton mills other industries which thrived included paper–making, calico
Calico (fabric)
Calico is a plain-woven textile made from unbleached, and often not fully processed, cotton. It may contain unseparated husk parts, for example. The fabric is less coarse and thick than canvas or denim, but owing to its unfinished and undyed appearance, it is still very cheap. Originally from the...
printing and some light engineering. The town expanded to incorporate the former townships of Elton, Walmersley
Walmersley
Walmersley is small settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England.-History:The name Walmersley is said to be derived from Old English, and translates as Waldmer's wood, or clearing....
and Heap and rows of terraced housing encircled the town centre by the turn of the 19th century. Districts such as Freetown, Fishpool
Fishpool
Fishpool is a locality to the south of Bury town centre in Greater Manchester, England. The area is roughly-speaking, a square bounded by Wellington Road to the north, Manchester Road to the west, Gigg Lane to the south and Market Street to the east.-History:...
and Pimhole were transformed from farmers' fields to rows of terraced housing, beside the factories and mills.
Pilot Mill is one of the classic late 19th-century spinning mills
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
that were such a feature of other Lancashire towns.
The industry peaked in 1912 when it produced 8 billion yards of cloth. The Great War of 1914–18 halted the supply of raw cotton, and the British government encouraged its colonies 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. Pilot Mill, Bury was one of 104 mills bought by the LCC, and one of the 53 mills that survived through to 1950. After cotton, it lost its chimney and the decorative top to the water tower.
Architecture
Pilot Mill was a late mill. It had an ornate pyramidal water tower, and its name was displayed on the western side.Power
Driven by 2000 hp triple expansion four-cylinder engine by J & E Wood, 1906. 23 ½"HP, 36 ½"IP, two 40"LP X 5 ft stroke. 200psi, 66 ½ rpm. 24 ft flywheel, 46 ropes.Owners
- Lancashire Cotton Corporation (1930s–1964)
- Courtaulds (1964–
- Occupied by a Antler, a luggage manufacturer 2008
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....