Description and History of Site:-
A large site occupied until 2003 by Joshua Ellis & Sons. The preserved mills have been converted to apartments and other housing has replaced the demolished buildings. The Ellis family business began as clothiers in 1767. They subsequently moved into cloth production and at Batley Carr in the late 1820s / early 1830s built a steam-powered woollen mill. The buildings included a 3½ storey mill, possibly for scribbling, carding and fulling, a 2 storey cloth dryhouse, a dyehouse and by 1832 a 4 storey loomshop. In 1838-40 the site was expanded with the addition of new mills - 3½ storeys, 10 bays, and in 1845 six storeys, 12 bays, by James Radcliffe, probably for powered spinning, a new dyehouse. By 1855 a weaving shed for powerlooms had been added. Later development mainly involved building large weaving sheds.

At the time of a YAHS Industrial History Section visit in May 1992 they were producing cloth for Burberry and other high-end clients and employed about 250 staff.

In 2003 the company moved from the site which was subsequently redeveloped for housing, which included demolition of the weaving sheds and other buildings. The grade II listed mill together with other buildings were retained.

Joshua Ellis & Co Ltd are now (2018) producing cashmere and woollen fabrics at Grange Valley Road, Batley.

Further Reading and References:-
YAHS - Hatcher Card Index. Research funded by the Yorkshire Arts Association 1972.
Hatcher, J The industrial architecture of Yorkshire. Phillimore, 1985.
Giles, C and Goodall I H. Yorkshire textile mills: the buildings of the Yorkshire textile industry 1770 - 1930. HMSO, 1992.
https://www.joshuaellis.com

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 :- woollen mill textiles spinning weaving

Viewing the Site :- Visible from the public highway

Address :- Mill Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, WF13 2EY
Grid Ref :- SE 24359 22612
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.699381 , Long -1.632529
Local Authority :- Kirklees Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No - 1183732,
Site Condition :- Site refurbished to residential housing
Site Dates :- c1828 -
Record Date :- 19 May 2015

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © YAHS Archive