Description and History of Site:-
The site originally comprised a purpose-built corn mill powered by a Boulton and Watt beam engine of 30 horse power. It is probable that large parts of the premises remained beyond 1895 in other uses, but may have later become incorporated into Clay and Horsfall's Wharf Mill premises. The Regulator Mill was set up as a subscription corn mill, initially promoted by Thomas Lodge, whose family were owners of Lower Willow Hall Mill. Building work commenced in 1801 and the mill was ready to receive grain for grinding and dressing by November 1802. In 1804 the mill was to let; a Mr Crowther taking on the tenancy. During 1805 the mill, engine and equipment were offered for sale, but it was not until 1811 that the premises were assigned to William Greenwood, corn dealer. John Walker and James Tongue, corn dealers, were admitted to the copyhold of the Regulator Mill in 1829, who during 1831 substantially rebuilt the premises and equipped it with French stones; the former owner Mr Greenwood, apparently continuing as tenant. Within a couple of years, however, the supplementary report into children in factories (pub. 1834) lists Regulator Mill as a worsted factory. In 1851 the mill had become the inheritance of Lucy Emmet Aked and was in use for cotton manufacture, then John and Henry Haigh became owners in 1855; thereafter John Firth in 1865 and Messrs. John Atkinson and Sons - manufacturers of woollen blankets and army uniforms - in 1895, by which date the mill was also partly in the occupation of Clay and Horsfall, worsted spinners.

Further Reading and References:-
H.P. Kendall, 'The two Willow Halls', Transactions of the Halifax Antiquarian Society, 1908, pp. 127-129.
H. Holroyde, 'Power Technology in the Halifax textile industry 1770-1851, Transactions of the Halifax Antiquarian Society, 1980, p.67.
West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale, SM:29-47.
Various rating valuations and reports of the Halifax Courier and Halifax Guardian newspapers.

Help us improve this entry

The compilers welcome corrections or additional information on all sites.
Any information provided will be verified before appearing on the web site.

Email comments

Key Words :- corn mill textiles cotton worsted spinning woollens

Viewing the Site :- The mill has been demolished and the site is occupied by a car park.

Address :- Old Causeway, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 2AJ
Grid Ref :- SE 06415 23680
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.709505 , Long -1.904291
Local Authority :- Calderdale Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Site Condition :- Site redeveloped to industrial / commercial use
Site Dates :- Completed 1802 - circa 1981
Record Date :- 5 December 2016

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Peter Robinson