crumplezone – Chorley Mills

We invited interviewees to the official launch of the project web site and exhibition at Botany Bay (Formerly Canal Mill) on the 13th of April 2017.

Many attended and were treated to tea and cake and shared memories of their times in the mills whilst we showed photographs collected by the project and played interviews.

Local MP Lyndsay Hoyle was in attendance and the exhibition was opened by the Mayor of Chorley Councillor Doreen Dickinson. Granada TV came down and interviewed some former mill workers and ran a great piece on the local news.

The exhibition can be seen on the top floor at Botany Bay, Canal Mill, Botany Brow, Chorley PR6 9AF until Christmas 2017.

The Mayor of Chorley Councillor Doreen Dickinson opening the Exhibition

Adreina Padovan from Italy. One of those injured in the explosion at Smethurst’s Mill in 1951. Courtesy of her daughter Lee Majsa.

Wedding of Andreina Padovan and Leslie Hardwick

Photos and documents courtesy of Jennifer Balcombe whose father Thomas Riley worked as a tackler at Stuttards, Ratcliffes and Lawrences and Talbot mills.

Photos by Vivien Booth of the derelict Coppull Ring Mill after closure. vivien_booth@hotmail.com

Some great photos from Pamela Brown (nee Wrigley) of workers at Canal Mill (Botany Bay) in the 1950s.

Donald Higson? — Possibly Donald Higson, lived in Trafalgar Street and worked in the boiler house.

Wedding — The wedding of Pamela Wrigley and Arnold Bradshaw in 1957. Arnold worked at Canal Mill until he was conscripted into the Army at 18 years old

Party — 5th from the right of the picture Pamela Wrigley, Norman Laithwaite on her right, Audrey Jackson on his right (they married each other); tall lad on the back row 5th from the left Eric Heald, small girl Louise Dyson (they married each other); middle row with pearl ear-rings and horizontal striped dress Agnes Millington; strappy dress on the fron row Margaret Millington; woman in the centre with glasses Mrs Millington the mother of the two girls; Joyce Dyson in the white dress on the right.

Mill Girls — Joyce Dyson, front left Margaret Jackson, back row second left Pamela Wrigley (now Brown), Audrey Jackson on Pamela’s left.

Dorothy Aspinall (Card Room), Margaret Jackson, John Weaver (Engine House), Audrey Jackson (Combers) married Norman Laithwaite, Agnes Millington (Slubber) worked downstairs

Photos of Fletcher’s Mill, also known as Brook Street Mill. Kindly provided by Lynda Fletcher, the great granddaughter of the mill founder James Fletcher. The mill went into voluntary liquidation and closed in 1963. It was demolished in 2012.

More photos and documents courtesy of the Lynda Fletcher.

From left to right James Fletcher Junior, James (Jim) Fletcher, James Fletcher Senior, managing director 1936-1943, managing director 1945-1963, and founder respectively of the firm James Fletcher Cotton Manufacturer, Brook Street Mill

Fletchers Mill Ball Newspaper Report - February 1935 — Fletchers Mill Ball Newspaper Report – February 1935

Map of Fletcher's Mill Location from The Mill Deeds — Map of Fletcher’s Mill Location from The Mill Deeds

Label from Fletcher's Mill — Label from Fletcher’s Mill

Fletcher's Mill Letterhead — Fletcher’s Mill Letterhead

Documents Relating to the Auction of the Mill

MTalbot Mill Workers Celebrating Gordon Wilson’s 21st Birthday

Ben Ainscough – Eddie Eccles – Harold Alty Bill Morrow – Gordon Wilson – Ralph Mercer – David Wilson – David Harrison – Leonard Halton

Several generations of the Clare family worked at Talbot Mill. Here, Bill Clare is shown in various parts of the mill.

More members of the Clare family are shown in this photo.

Ernie Clare – Mr Porter – Donald Clare – Jimmy Brown – Austin Archer Ernest Clare – Jack Clare – Jimmy Clare – Alfie Bamford

Mills were decorated and workers dressed up for national occasions. Shown here is Croft Mill on the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Photos courtesy of Mavis Cowling.

Mill Workers Dressed up for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

We’ve received the photo below from a Facebook group member. It shows workers at Talbot Mill. We’re not sure of the date. Can anyone help? Do you recognise anyone on the photo?

This is a picture of the wedding of Mary Wrightson and Cyril Gilman at St Paul’s Withnell circa 1958. They met whilst working at Talbot Mill. The bridesmaids are Mary’s two sisters at each side of her, Irene Roscoe (now Patten) on Mary’s right and Rita Taylor (now Waring) on Mary’s left, both of whom worked at Talbot Mill at the time and were invited to be bridesmaids to Mary.