Gillians Mill

[elise]

A friend of mine looking for an OLD photograph of Gillians mill, as anybody got one?

[Stanley]

Gillians in 1990. Some would consider that old! I have nothing earlier. Of course the question is which building was the original mill? I have never made my mind up. Remember that the water supply for it didn't come from Gillians Beck because the water rights were already owned by Mitchell's Mill. The water for Gillians Mill came from the dam just behind Bancrofts Farm and I've always wondered if the white building on the right was the original mill.

[Wendyf]

There is a distant view on the Lancashire Lantern website Here
No date given.

[elise]

Thanks to you both

[Stanley]

Wendy's is of course Bancrofts Farm. After 1921 because Bancroft stack is on it. Before c.1950 because the new buildings aren't at Gillians.



Pick the bones out of this one.... I think it's about 1890/1900. Click to enlarge.

[Sue]

The Widdup family lived at Gillian's (or was it the Edmondsons , )at the time of one of the censuses.

[Stanley]

Extract from my research papers.

GILLIANS TWIST MILL
1808. Extract by Helen Spencer from Colne Parish Church Registers. John Smith, cotton spinner of Barnoldswick married Maria Emmott 19/02/1808. George Smith and Henry Heaton, witnesses. Doreen Crowther notes that at 1851 census John Bracewell (70) and Mary (67) were both living at Bancrofts, Barnoldswick. White's dir. 1837 notes that a John Bracewell was cotton spinner at the water twist mill at Gillians which is only 200 yards from Bancrofts. My source for the 1851 census doesn't give Bancrofts as residence but Lane Bottom. The reason for this confusion is that Lane Bottom could be regarded as in the district of Gillians and a farm name was often used to designate the immediate area if there were no other obvious markers. Baines for 1822 and 1823 gives a John Bracewell as Millwright of Barnoldswick. The only reason I attach this reference to John (1782) is that there is good evidence he was associated with mills as a spinner. This is very early for a millwright in Barlick. Pigot for 1834 records a John Bracewell as being a grocer and draper in Barnoldswick. Pigot 1834 also notes a John Bracewell as being a cotton spinner in Barnoldswick. This combination of trades was not unusual as in the growing economy grocers were amassing capital

Gillians, Barlick probably started in mid 1780s when the Arkwright patents were overthrown. The water supply for the mill was from the beck behind Bancrofts [dam still visible] I think this was because Mitchell had secured the water rights on Gillians Beck before that time. Gillians was owned by Henry Lambert in 1808. William and Henry Lambert were running the mill in 1790 when they insured it, Mill £50. Going gear and machinery £20. Utensils and goods £50. House and warehouse £20. Utensils and goods £60. By 1795 there had been some expansion and a ‘spinning factory’ was added. Henry Lambert was bankrupt in 1813 and Gillians was for sale. Water powered mill was three storeys and measured 12yds by 6yards. Gillians House was also for sale and next door to it was a ‘spinning factory which was four storeys, 11yds by 8 ½ yds. By 1831 the mill was being run by John Smith who insured the machinery for £100 and stock for £50. Gillians has to be considered in conjunction with Parrock Mill.
PARROCK MILL
This was a tiny mill on Calf Hall Beck and is now ‘Parrock’ or Paddock Laithe adjacent to the bridge over Calf Hall Beck opposite Calf Hall Shed and next to Butts Mill. In 1808 the mill was owned by Henry Lambert, cotton spinner and manufacturer. He rented the mill to William Hall for cotton spinning and insured the mill for £250 and the machinery for £50. [A surprising sum considering the size] William Hall insured his machinery for £230 and stock for £120. By 1810 Lambert was running the mill himself and in 1813, as noted above, he went bankrupt. In 1813 the mill was offered for sale and by 1831 was owned by William Mitchell [of Mitchell’s Mill] The tenant was John Smith. [See Gillians]

[One thing to be added. Chris Aspin is probably our best source for early water mills in this area and he reckons that Barlick never had a true Arkwright mill using water frames. He says that he thinks that the earl;y mills were producing sliver for the spinners on simple roving frames and were possibly working earlier than I thought. Any that converted to twist went on directly to throstles.]

[plaques]

Some old-ish images of Barlick. You can change location by altering the county name then selecting the town from the menu.

http://www.historic-images.co.uk/yorkshire/barnoldswick#/

[plaques]

Unfortunately this link doesn't work

Just tried it myself and I agree it doesn't work for Barlick. The links have moved on to Bolton & Bournemouth. Since its a bit of a drag on to get you to look at the adverts I think we can call it a dead duck. Sorry about that.

[Stanley]

Agreed P. It's almost a scam, putting up links to other sites and getting traffic to make income from adverts. Good try but no cigar!