Description and History of Site:-
This mill, originally known as 'Low Mill' (there is an Upper Mill further up-stream, in Cockersdale) was built in the 1790s by Richard Farrer of Hillthorpe in Pudsey Fartown. Much of the finance probably came from Richard's father, William, variously described as gentleman, cloth maker and wool-stapler, who also dealt extensive in property. In 1786 he began raising money on his property, enabling his son to build a new steam-powered mill and equip it with the newly available scribbling machinery. Despite chequered progress under numerous occupants the mill continued as a textile mill for over 170 years, longer than any other local textile mill. It is first mentioned in 1792 when Richard Farrer paid 4s land tax for his 'engine mill'. Extensions resulted in the land tax having risen to 13s.8d by 1804. Soon Farrer's brother-in-law, Richard Ellwand entered the business and the mill then became known as Ellwand & Farrer, as Ellwand took over the whole business, as Ellwand & Son. The mill failed to install fulling machinery so was unable to compete with the rash of new local scribbling and fulling mills, built in the early 20tth century. The business stagnated, the land tax remaining static, and in 1845 the mill was let, first to Troughton & Wharton & Co, then to Wm Naylor & Co. and by 1845 to Messrs Greenwood. On his death in 1845 Richard Farrer left his half share in Pudsey Low Mill along with his 'books, horses, carriages and farming implements' to his son Richard Frederick. When Richard Frederick died the mill passed to his widow who sold it to Richard Ellwand, probably son of Richard senior, who in turn re-sold it to John Crowther of Prospect House in Roker Lane where Crowther had a large wool warehouse. By 1860 Crowther was employing 267 hands, most of whom would probably be handloom weavers working in their own homes. Amongst those working in the mill was the 8 year old James Birks who had a 30 minute walk to and from work each day. That his working hours in the mill were from 6am to 6pm reflects the widespread disregard of the current Factory Act. On John Crowther's death his mother, Ann, took on the management of the mill whist his son Samuel opened The Star Brewery next to the mill selling 'wholesome family beer' at 8d a gallon. Within a year Samuel was convicted of forgery and became bankrupt. Nevertheless the firm of John Crowther & Co limped on, and by 1871 the workforce had been reduced to 77. In 1883 the mill was sold to Eliza Edleston, a Brighton widow. The machinery, valued at £5,000, was sold separately to John Galloway & Co of Eccleshill which firm moved in as tenant at £136 annually. The new firm increased the number of looms to 50, installed fulling facilities, opened a new warehouse and sub-let part of the mill to the flock dealers W & T Stables. By 1896 the Galloway firm had failed, with suggestions of fraud. Mrs Edlestone advertised for a new tenant but the following year she sold the mill to Samuel Hargreaves and Joseph Kitchen of Armley, woollen manufacturers and wholesale clothiers. The new tenant, who used predominantly recycled wool, was soon employing 66 workers with 395 spindles and 50 looms although much of the mill continued to be let as small units. Within two years the firm had amassed debts of £13,000, largely due to the dishonesty of its London agent. Following a flood in 1891 the course of the beck was altered to prevent a recurrence and again the mill was for sale. The 1900 sale catalogue gives a good portrait of the buildings and equipment at that time. There were 2 main buildings, one 35yds long and three-storeyed which seems to have been rather under equipped with just 10 looms on the ground floor, 3 scribbling and carding machines on the first floor and 14 looms on the top floor. The other main mill, the original mill, was 30yds long and 4-storeyed. It had 16 looms on the ground floor, 3 spinning mules, a sizing machine, 2 drying machines and a warping machine on the first, second and third floors with 2 twisting machines on the top floor. There was also a 2 storeyed building for milling, and separate buildings for mixing and willeying the rags and for warp dressing and burling. The 2 ovens and 2 deal tables in the 'cook-house' suggests a modest canteen. Included in the sale was the mill bell and buzzer, the latter presumably superseding the bell. It is not clear who owned the mill during the next 13 tears although 3 firms, R & P Frank & Co, woollen manufacturers of Gildersome with 40 looms, A Richard. a cloth dyer, and Sharp & Sons are all mentioned as occupiers. There was little regard for safety; In 1900 a young fuller got his foot entangled in the cloth drawing his leg into the machine, and four years later a worker was fatally scolded when a pipe burst and he was struck by a full force of steam and hot water. By 1910 Frank & Co had run into difficulties. Following a creditors' meeting Frank Allan committed suicide. With the firm's subsequent bankruptcy Banks & Dean, commission carders and spinners, moved in briefly but in 1913 the mill was bought by Gerald Hartley & Foster, a Morley firm, using mixed yarns including recycled wool. In 1915 the firm became a limited company and the same year a fire resulted in the third storey collapsing onto the machinery although the £2,000 damage was fully covered by insurance Despite the beck having been diverted following flooding 40 years before, in1931 a second flood in four years left the dyehouse under 5ft of water with the workers having to leave by a fire escape. The mill continued to suffer from lack of investment, a comparison of the 1908 and 1956 Ordnance Survey maps shows virtually no development. In 1965 Gerald Hartley & Foster succumbed to increasing foreign competition and went into voluntary liquidation following which the mill's decline continued apace, being let to various firms including Exeeco, the Thornbury (Bradford) branch of the English Electric Company of electro mechanics, which had recently closed, hence the name “ExEE Co”. When eventually Exeeco bought the mill it was described as “virtually derelict with rotten floors and broken windows”. In 1985 Exeeco sold the property to a tenant, Roker Motors, after which the buildings continued to decay until, in 2006, the whole site was sold to a building firm. Although many of the buildings were demolished the original four-storeyed mill was retained. This, along with 3 roughly similar new blocks, now form a compact complex of offices and apartments, an imaginative and sympathetic development, a physical reminder of Pudsey's proud textile past.

Further Reading and References:-
Strong, Ruth: "Pudsey's Mills A Lost Textile Heritage (2014)". Pudsey & District Civic Society.

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Key Words :- Mill

Viewing the Site :- from Roker Lane or Tong Road

Address :- Roker Lane, Pudsey, Pudsey, West Yorkshire, LS28 9LE
Grid Ref :- SE 23722 31596
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.780158 , Long -1.641490
Local Authority :- Leeds Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Site refurbished to industrial / commercial use
Site Dates :- 1790s -
Record Date :- 20 February 2018

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Ruth Strong