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The 1830s-1880s map on the National
Library of Scotland shows details of how Upper Stoneswood Mill
used to look before the lower section was added. It can be viewed along
with other more recent maps at
maps.nls.uk Stoneswood Mill
It's
interesting to note the inclusion
of the now demolished houses opposite the upper mill, and the omission
of the newer row of cottages opposite the lower mill aptly named 'Brass
Knobs Row' owing to the fact they all have gardens and are elevated from
the main road.
We’ve yet to find out when our mill
was built, but we do know that it had been originally built to spin weft
and warp by local farmer-weavers, namely Charles Barker, James Stansfield and Luke Hamer. They used the mill until 1815 at which time
it stood empty until 1818 when the Fieldens bought it.
Steam power was added and it was
re-configured for cotton preparation, throstle spinning and warping. A
valuation in 1832 states 42 throstles/5,148 spindles at 4/- each, also
that the power was from two Steam Engines combined with the water wheel.
Buildings were valued at £3000 and Machinery £1777. In 1856 the mill was
recorded as having 14 HP steam and 5 HP waterpower. It employed 19
children under 13, 25 women and 10 men. Sadly 1893 saw the end of that
era when they removed all the machinery and sold the mill.
Data extracted from Brian Law’s
Fieldens of Todmorden. ISBN 0-946571-26-0
For more information about the Fieldens
take a look at web pages for
Joshua Fielden,
Samuel Fielden,
John Fielden, or
Thomas Fielden on the Spartacus School net . They have also
published a lot of information relating to the
Textile Industry . Another good source of local information can be
found at
Todmorden and Walsden, one page of local interest is
“Dulesgate” or “Devil's Gate” when sometime around 1854 Edwin
Waugh took a walk up our valley.
The National Archives also now has a Fieldens family record section
with a great deal of detailed information extracted from title deeds and
related papers.
All well worth a look.
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