- The loss of the mediocre and unexceptional
- Russian submarine
- Demolition in Islington
- SERIAC '97: Themes in Urban Industrial Archaeology
- Crossness update
- Gunpowder manufacture by the River Crane
- Brick Lane Gasworks
- GLIAS walks
- AIA Ironbridge weekend 1997
- Newcomen Society study tour of South Cumbria
- The Crown Jewels of the River Wandle
- 170news.pdf
Buildings are generally listed because of their architectural merit. We see the effect of this for buildings roughly of the period 1860-1914. A fresh 'Queen Anne' approach to commercial and industrial architecture which started from the end of last century produced some fine facades which have often been retained and frequently are listed. This rash of commercial building at a time when Great Britain had considerable wealth was generally concentrated in areas of towns already built up and plainer generally 19th-century structures were demolished to make way for the often somewhat larger fine new developments. Even so a considerable number of unremarkable plain and ordinary houses, warehouses and factories from the pre-Queen-Anne period survived, at least until recently.
We are now in an age of post-modern redevelopment and it is becoming noticeable that in order to make way for prestigious contemporary architecture it is again the relatively plain and functional industrial type of Victorian house or warehouse that is being demolished to make way for the newer and grander. In the days of the early Pevsner surveys about 40 years ago architecturally unadorned buildings of the period 1860-1900 would have been dismissed as unworthy of mention. Then as such buildings were almost ubiquitous, from the point of view of conservation this did not matter much as there were large numbers of them to knock down but in many places we are now approaching a situation where plain and functional Victorian facades are about to disappear altogether. Surely it would be a great pity if a once common type of building style were to vanish completely. It is important that a few representative examples are retained even if the architectural profession cannot claim responsibility for their appearance. Often such buildings would have been put up by a local jobbing builder without the employment of an architect of at all.
In the Greater London area we are losing many of the ordinary late 19th-century railway station buildings while attention is concentrated on listing 1930s-style underground railway stations by well-known architectural names. The character of main streets in the majority of English towns has changed a great deal in the past 15 years with ordinary plain Victorian domestic or commercial facades becoming a rarity instead of the norm. Fortunately London is still so rich in 19th-century buildings that this effect is not so noticeable here and areas such as Southwark and South East London generally still retain much of the character they had 30 years ago.
If we look at museum collections rather than architecture a similar effect may often be observed. Here the exceptional or even outlandish can be preserved while typical every-day objects are overlooked because of their common occurrence — that is until (hopefully) it is noticed that a given item has become exceptionally rare. We have to be careful of not passing on hopelessly unrepresentative collections of artefacts to our descendants. They will learn little from these treasure troves except perhaps that it is great fun to amass hoards of splendid or bizarre objects. Most of us, even in GLIAS, know rather little of the ordinary possessions of a typical mid-Victorian Londoner. With our present immediately disposable attitude to most things (including even cameras) what survives us could give a very misleading picture to children in the future of the way we carry on now. For those interested in railways it should be painfully apparent that the numerous railway preservation schemes currently give younger people a totally misleading impression of what railways were like say 40-60 years ago. This is especially true in the collections of locomotives and freight rolling stock.
Archive collections tend to concentrate on legal and financial matters. Because of their importance here relevant facts and their consideration are written down and preserved. The resulting documents are essential to an understanding of the historical framework but so much is not recorded and what we have generally represents the opinion of a faction in a position of power. Fortunately personal diaries and letters give rare insights but these are often chance survivals and in any case are unlikely to mention the mundane or commonplace.
It is very difficult for the historian to find out about everyday common knowledge. If everyone knows something and takes it for granted no one ever writes it down. When this knowledge passes beyond living memory it can be all but impossible to retrieve. No wonder it is hard for us to understand why the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids.
It seems it is only through photographs (and cinematic film) that we get an idea of how things really were. Such material does survive in reasonable quantity from the late 19th century onwards and say for street scenes and views a study of what is in the background nearly always reveals fascinating new information.
An additional viable role for GLIAS might well be the recording and preservation of material which ordinarily would be lost to posterity. Even if a subject now appears too mundane and well understood to be worthy of mention it is by no means certain that in say 50 years' time this will still be the case. Some of us may remember the judge who was ridiculed for asking in court 'and what exactly is a hula hoop' but information of this kind may be hard to come by in say a hundred years. Bob Carr
Despite rumours to the contrary the Foxtrot class Russian submarine U475 (GLIAS Newsletter December 1996) is still at her same berth just downriver of the Thames Barrier on the south bank in Woolwich.
She has not been moved to Bristol and is now open to the public seven days a week from 10.00am until dusk with the last entry being permitted half an hour before dusk.
If you have not been on board it is an experience which can be thoroughly recommended, at least to anyone who is fairly slim and agile and does not suffer from claustrophobia. The overwhelming crowded interior packed with pipes and valves may be too much for some but the fact that 75 Russian sailors survived in here for weeks at a time takes some believing and needs to be seen.
The Foxtrot class built 1958-71 were a successful design with a good safety record. They could be almost silent when submerged and were difficult to detect causing NATO considerable headaches. From 1968 submarines of this class were supplied to foreign navies.
U475 spent her last years in the Russian navy as a training vessel. Following the end of the Cold War she was towed here from Riga in the summer of 1994 with her last captain Vitalij Burda on board. Bob Carr
Website: www.sovietsub.co.uk
The south side of Moreland Street EC1 is being further demolished to reveal the new housing development to the south. Almost nothing now remains of the Finsbury Distillery which once made Stone's ginger wine and where we had a memorable GLIAS visit to see the edge runners which had been used to crush fresh ginger. Housing development near the City now seems to be particularly popular, probably due to worsening conditions for commuters. Moreland Street is in easy walking distance of the Bank.
On the corner of Goswell Road and Moreland Street opposite City University the former massive Gordon's gin distillery (right) still awaits new users. This building dates from just after World War II and was built to replace the earlier premises close by destroyed by bombing. Here was gin distilling on a truly industrial scale. Further south in Goswell Road a fine Victorian office facade has recently been demolished. This is a surprise as it was in good condition and at least until recently appeared to be in full use by a flourishing modern company. The building which dated from about the 1860s was probably the offices of a former gas works. In the yard at the back British Gas vans used to be parked and there were a few minor outbuildings but now little remains of what would have been the works themselves. The site is on the east side of the road not far north of the junction with Old Street.
On the west side of Blackstock Road N4 at number 52 demolition is in progress at the Fairfield Factory. This works was occupied by Willmott, Son and Phillips Ltd and right up to the time of demolition a notice above the entry advertised for staff who were machinists, overlockers and pressers. The removal of the roof of the most substantial building at the back revealed that it had been supported by reinforced-concrete arches. The building date of this small factory is probably around 1900. Other former industrial premises to the west of Blackstock Road are also being demolished, probably to make way for housing developments.
Further north just to the south of Crouch Hill railway station on the west side of the road are the remains of an attractive dairy with picturesque illustrations of milkmaids at work and milk distribution through the ages. The building is roughly turn of the century in date and is something of a local landmark. It does not seem to have been used as a dairy for some time and recently has accommodated activities like motor car repair. The building is now covered with scaffolding and hopefully restoration work may be taking place. Bob Carr
SERIAC '97: Themes in Urban Industrial Archaeology
Entitled 'Themes in Urban Industrial Archaeology', the conference concentrated on the social consequences of industrial expansion in cities and towns. After GLIAS Chairman, Dr. Denis Smith had welcomed a full house to Avery Hill, the conference began. Geoffrey Mead, of Sussex Industrial Archaeology Society, looked at the growth of the city and town in relationship to the different styles of the built environment, using Brighton as his model. The way in which the character and economy of the town alters as changes in industry take place was mentioned and the way it grows outward from earlier developments. This affected where people lived within the town depending on income and ability to move around.
Due to the growth of industry within cities, the population, grew, and under the title 'Housing the Multitudes', David Perrett (GLIAS) discussed the various attempts, good and bad, to house the growing population in London in the 19th century. Companies were formed to tackle the problem of providing artisan housing, getting a return of 5% on their investment. Many examples of the housing provided were shown, some now demolished but some still existing, having been modernised and still in use. Mention of the largest companies was made, most appearing in the 1860s. It was not until 1899 with the establishment of the LCC that any rational approach to the problem was made.
The conference took place at Avery Hill College, now a Teacher Training establishment under the University of Greenwich, in the new lecture theatre. Avery Hill was not always a seat of learning and Francis Ward, from the Greenwich Local History Centre, enlightened the audience of its earlier uses. Built by a Colonel North out of his interests in the guano industry it was at the time, and still is, a magnificent building, parts of which could be explored during the lunch break which followed.
Many societies were present in the main hall and displayed their wares during the lunch interval, after which Dr Edwin Course of Southampton University IA Group and Mark Dennison from the London Transport Museum concentrated on how the workers were to be transported within the city and as time went on, MTE increasingly from the suburbs into the city. In his lecture 'Suburban Railways - a case Study', Dr Course took the Bexley Heath railway as his subject. An interesting series of slides showed many of the locations of importance on the line. From railways on to road transport. Mark Dennison covered public transport from early horse-drawn to present day with excellent slides showing most changes in the developing system.
After tea what could be more appropriate than a look at how the working classes spent their leisure time. 'Workers' Playtime - the Archaeology of Home and Entertainment' was the title of Sue Hayton's excursion into spare time activities. She started with the history of long-running variety show on the Light Programme and then moved on to other interests such as the cinema, music hall and the public house, mentioned how in the Old Kent Road 'pubs' had gyms above the bars where boxing training was on offer. The Saturday afternoon football match was not forgotten.
The final part of the day was allocated, again appropriately, to Dr Bob Flanagan who spoke about the 'Archacology' of the cemetery. Disposing of the dead in the 19th century with the growth of the population in industrial centres was a problem. The churchyard was no longer able to cope and the first interdenominational cemeteries were established. Dr Flanagan mentioned the opening of the Norwood Cemetery in 1837 (he is Chairman of the Friends of the Cemetery) and also several of the larger London sites. He mentioned the London Necropolis Company, incorporated in 1852, who bought land at Brookwood and transported the dead from Waterloo where they had their own station to Brookwood by rail over the LSWR.
The conference was a 'sell-out' with some applications having to be refused. For those who did attend it was a material does survive in reasonable quantity from the late 19th century onwards, and say for street scenes and views, a study of what is in the background nearly always reveals fascinating new information.
An additional and viable role for GLIAS might well be the recording and preservation of material which ordinarily would be lost to posterity. Even if a subject now appears too mundane and well understood to be worthy of mention, it is by no means certain that in say fifty years' time this will still be the case. Some of us may rmember the judge who was ridiculed for asking in court 'and what exactly is a hula hoop?" but information of this kind may be hard to come by in say a hundred years.
Work at Crossness Engines is moving at a fast rate, with almost a new 'milestone' per month. Since the last newsletter, Prince Consort's flywheel connection-rod has been uncoupled from the flywheel-crank. The crank bearing was found to be in good condition and the bearing shells, strap, cotter and adjuster were all removed to the fitting shop where they have been fully restored to 'almost new' condition. The temptation to move the flywheel proved too great, and so with many precautions and very little effort (just one man on the hand-barring engine), the fifty-two ton wheel was inched from the position it has assumed for so many years.
With the release of the 'con-rod', the 'engine team' went on to tackle the next large task. Preparations were made with lifting tackle and safety checks, for the movement of 'Prince Consort's' main beam. With men stationed at various locations around the engine and pumps the word was given to start lifting one end of the beam. Inch by inch the great forty-seven ton beam changed its attitude, for the first time in forty-four years, the beam almost completed half a cycle. The two predominant reasons for moving the beam at this time are (1) to be able to remove the low-pressure piston and piston-rod, and (2) to raise the 'inboard' main sewage pump to enable the continued removal of sand from beneath it.
At the time of writing, the first of these two objectives has been achieved, and the cleaning of the piston is well in hand. For more detailed accounts of progress at Crossness Engines you can always purchase copies of "The Record' or better still become a member and have a copy posted to you as part of your subscription. Details from Mike Dunmow, Secretary, Crossness Engines, 8 Yorkland Way, Welling, Kent, DA16 2LF. 'Tosher'
Gunpowder manufacture by the River Crane
The boundary of the London Borough of Richmond, north of the A316 Chertsey Road as far as Hanworth Road, with the London Borough of Hounslow, is the River Crane. Along this river, in medieval times, there were a few water-powered mills.
In the 14th century, during the reign of Edward III, gunpowder production started in England, and one of the first manufacturing sites was on Hounslow Heath. Some of the mills changed from grinding corn to making gunpowder (blackpowder). The constituents of gunpowder are 15 per cent carbon, 10 per cent sulphur and 75 per cent potassium nitrate. High quality charcoal (carbon) was obtained by controlled burning of wood from the willow trees growing along the River Crane; sulphur was imported from Sicily where it occurs as the element mixed with rock. It may be melted out of the rock by heating and purified by distillation. In later years, sulphur may also have been imported from Louisiana and Texas. Potassium nitrate (saltpetre or nitre) would have been made originally in England by nitrification, and was carried out in 'nitre plantations'. Brushwood was interlaid with manure and strewn with wood ashes and lime and left exposed to the air for long periods, being watered from time to time with stable drainage. The fermentation gives, eventually, calcium nitrate which is extracted with water. The addition of wood ashes (potassium carbonate) precipitates calcium carbonate, leaving a solution of crude potassium nitrate. This is allowed to crystallize and then purified by recrystallization. At the water mills, the carbon, sulphur and potassium nitrate would be ground separately to fine powders, if required, and then ground together, in the right proportions, under heavy rollers. The water power availability was enhanced by the cutting of the first part of the Duke of Northumberland's River in 1543 which brought water from the River Colne to the River Crane. The fall of 2.5m. into the River Crane was used to power a mill on the western boundary of Hounslow Heath.
In 1757 a water powered corn mill was opened in the area mentioned in the opening paragraph, but by 1766 it was manufacturing gunpowder under the ownership of Edmund Hill. From 1820 and for 100 years the mill was owned by Curtis and Harvey. The mill consisted of a number of flimsy buildings separated by earth banks, piles of wood, or trees. Explosions and deaths were common and even at the turn of the century, after more than 100 years' experience, an explosion occurred every 7 years on average. During the life of the mill there were 55 recorded explosions. The heyday of the mill came at about the time of the Crimean War when there were about 320 employees but it continued to be important during the Great War. Nobel Industries took over the firm in 1920 and were themselves absorbed in the merger which formed ICI. Urban development caused the closure of gunpowder manufacturing along the River Crane in 1926/7.
Very little trace now remains of the gunpowder mills. There are earth banks, remains of some walls, mill ponds, sluices, and in places brick banks to the river. A local road is named Powder Mill Lane, and residents in the Lane in 1970 were forbidden by their leases from making gunpowder. A tall brick conical tower on the Richmond bank is the most obvious remnant of the old industry. It is known locally as the Shot Tower, but it does not appear to have enough height to make good shot. It was built in 1828 by a Mr. Jacobs of Hanworth and drawings of the time suggest it was a watchtower. The watchman would look out for any sign of danger, such as a spark, and if suspicious, would ring a bell. Everyone would then run for their lives.
The area on the Richmond bank is now a park, Crane Park, and part is a nature reserve. The only loud noises now are aircraft taking off from Heathrow when the prevailing wind is from the east. John E Daborn
I was just driving up Goswell Road last Friday when I got a nasty shock. In a long line of recent demolitions this one took my breath away. What had gone had been a very decent office block and, although I wouldn't put my hand on my heart, it might have dated from 1859. It had fronted up the Samuel Clegg's Brick Lane Gas Works - The Great Gas Manufactory where they found out how to make coal gas for lighting and to sell it on a commercial scale.
When the 'Chartered' Gas Light and Coke Company set themselves up with the revolutionary idea of making coal gas to sell to light the public street they built the first three gas factories in the world. The one of which they were most proud was always the one in Clerkenwell. I have already written about the other two, Westminster and Curtain Road, and I had meant to save Brick Lane for a big splash in the future. I had always hoped to get on site and describe it from the inside. However, needs must! The developers will make a tidy profit on the site - it cost the Chartered Company £3,000 to buy it in 1814.
Brick Lane closed as a gas works in 1871 when Beckton was opened but stayed in use with showrooms and workshops. Some holders remained there until 1898. British Gas vans could still be seen around very recently. Perhaps they are still there and perhaps I don't recognise the name of whatever organisation has taken over now. This site in Clerkenwell has been in use by the gas industry for longer than any other. It is very strange if it has passed from them without any commemoration.
The works opened in the world of Georgian Clerkenwell - very different from today. Brick Lane has since become Central Street. The site before the gas moved in is shown on the Horwood Plan (1813) as a 'cooperage'. The street plan of Peartree Street with its little kink, was much the same then. Between the site boundary and Seward Street was a burial ground and north of Seward Street was a rope walk. All around were dye works and chemical manufactories of all kinds. Clerkenwell is one of those areas which turned Britain in the 'workshop of the world'. An enormous list could be drawn up of industries which started there - Hancock and rubber, another Hancock and cables, Bessemer, Morland, endless breweries and distilleries, printworks, all sorts of workshop trades, and much much more.
Many moved out to larger premises and their London origins have been forgotten. These trades were lit with gas from Brick Lane, and its waste products supplied many of their raw materials. Without the gas works would industry in the area have flourished so much? What role did the works on that tiny site play in nurturing these trades and sending them out into the world? The builders of Brick Lane Gas Works were so naive about the nature of the trade on which they had embarked that they made no provision for coal deliveries. After this gas works were usually built on navigable water or the railway. Here everything came in by road - imagine the coal carts in and the coke carts out. Suplhuric acid and lime in and noxious blue Billy out to be dumped, as well as tar and ammoniacal liquor for the chemical trade - all carted through the streets of Clerkenwell.
The site today seems small and narrow - the gas works was originally on about a third. Yet people came from all over the world to marvel at it - the cutting edge of technology. Those big dark holders overlooking narrow Peartree Street were stared at by young enthusiasts who hoped for a job in the works. So many famous gas engineers started like that and were trained as one of Clegg's 'young men'. The earliest gas industry was run by boys in their teens fired up with the excitement of it all.
It is very difficult to know where to start with Brick Lane Gas Works. A list of the technologies developed se there, and a list of the famous names who worked there would fill far more than the page I have allowed myself here. Perhaps it is better not to try but just to say that this was a very, very, very importand old gas works.
If the site is to be demolished and disposed of then an archaeologist or a historian should have a look at it. Who knows what lies buried underground? This was one of the earliest gas works ever, and it has been in the same ownershop ever since. There is no other site like it. It could tell us so much. It may be that development can take place on the site without any return to the planning process - and if so then any chance of investigation is lost. With better luck the gas industry will stay on site and preserve what remains for the future. But that ob doesn't seem to be how things happen these days. Mary Mills
There was a turnout of over 70 for the first of this season's GLIAS walks - 'Fleet Street, The Street of Shame' led by Sue Hayton. Starting on the north side of Blackfriars Bridge Sue explained how the printing and publishing industry had developed in the area based on proximity to the City and good communications, initially by river and later by rail. We were taken first on a thorough exploration of the area between the river and Fleet Street and, after the old newspaper offices in Fleet Street, the area north of the street, ending near Kingsway at the premises of W H Smith, now the library of the LSE.
As one who had not taken much notice of the industry before, I learnt a lot about how it was all done in this area from news gathering through printing to distribution generally, for each company, in one building which was at once warehouse, printing works, and offices.
Many thanks to Sue for a fascinating afternoon.
The recent AIA weekend meeting held at Ironbridge Gorge Museum was attended by over forty participants who enjoyed an interesting programme based on the theme: 'Problems presented by the Preservation of Major Structures'.
We met in the Long Warehouse at Coalbrookdale and were welcomed at the 9am start on the Saturday by Gordon Knowles, the organiser. The keynote address was given by Dr Anthony Streeton of English Heritage, who spoke of the problems in endeavouring to preserve large industrial sites such as engineering works, large factories, slag and other waste heaps (an integral part of the industrial story) and great holes in the ground.
Having detailed the types of large site, he listed many of the ensuing problems but said he had few solutions to offer. He did, however, show some slides of imaginative conversions of factories and mills for residential or commercial use, especially some superb examples in Finland, Poland and Germany, so he did actually suggest some possible ways of achieving structural preservation. He was followed by Dr Peter Wakelin of CADW (the Welsh equivalent of English Heritage) who explained the various problems arising in the preservation work at Blaenarvon Iron Works and how he had dealt with some of these. However, some must remain as problems because of cost, or Health & Safety considerations, or technical difficulties. He did stress that it was better to leave structures untouched and buried until the money, techniques and resources were fully available to complete the task. In many cases, interesting sites are better preserved by remaining buried!
Following morning coffee, Mark Watson of Historic Scotland (the north of the border equivalent of English Heritage) spoke about using listed building consent as a negotiating tool. He gave a well-illustrated lecture on what he had managed to achieve by this method of ensuring the preservation of buildings and also showed some examples of not-so-successful results. The Snailbeach Mining Complex was the next topic and Harley Thomas talked about what had been achieved in this Shropshire historic mining area.
After lunch we boarded a coach and travelled to Longdon on Tern to see the famous iron aqueduct (1795). This is situated on a farm, isolated from its former canal and quite dry, and surrounded by arable fields with no designated public access. The farmer and landowver, Mr Boffey, appreciates the historic importance of the listed structure on his site and said he is proud to be its 'custodian', but explained the difficulties which can arise by thoughtless visitors disturbing his crops and livestock. That evening we gathered in the Victorian pub at Blists Hill Museum for pre-dinner drinks and then went upstairs for a first-class meal. The staff were dressed in Victorian costume to enhance the experience. After dinner, a Patents Quiz was presented by Mark Sissons in which some of the IA experts did not perform very well!
Assembling again at the Long Warehouse on Sunday morning, Shane Gould of Essex County Council gave an illustrated lecture on how he uses Planning Permission Guidance Rules 15 and 16 to ensure buildings and similar structures are converted for current re-use in a suitable manner to preserve as far as reasonably practical the integrity of the original structure. After coffee, we heard how Surrey County Council endeavours to keep the balance in conservation schemes between Industrial Archaeologists and Naturalists. One example of the M conflict of interests is the re-opening of a canal tunnel now inhabited by a rare species of bat! Alan Oakley was clearly a man who managed to walk the tightrope between the two chasms and had succeeded by negotiating compromises. We then had four short member contributions. Michael Clarke spoke about the bats versus canal tunnel saga in the restoration of the Basingstoke Canal project. Roger Holden gave a talk about about Asunt non-Conformist chapels, their maintenance difficulties and re-use conversions. Amber Patrick explained some aspects of her work as an expert witness on maltings and her attempts to preserve the essential structure and visual integrity of maltings when planning permission for conversion is being sought. His passionate interest in 'big holes in the ground' came over very strongly when Paul Sowan told us about the chalkpits and mines, quarries, and other underground passages which he has mapped in South-east England. As he forcefully pointed out, these too are really 'major structures'.
Following a summing-up by the AIA President, Hilary Malaws, the conference closed at lunchtime and we dispersed on our homeward journeys. An interesting weekend and very good value-for-money for the fee of £20. Alan Birt
Newcomen Society study tour of South Cumbria
The recent study tour of south Cumbria organised by the Newcomen Society over a long weekend was attended by nearly 40 delegates. The group assembled at the first venue, Cropper's Mill at Burneside, on the Thursday afternoon. Here we saw the current processes for the manufacture of high-quality technical paper but the building was originally a cotton mill and later converted to a papermill in 1833, which it has remained since. From the mill we travelled to the hotel at Grange-over-Sands where we were based for the rest of the weekend. That evening we had a comprehensive lecture on the history of the industries of south Cumbria which was delivered by Michael Davies-Shiel and well-illustrated by his own slides from his lifetime study of the topics.
On Friday morning we went just two miles down the road to look at the John Wilkinson Monument at Lindale-in-Cartmel. This is a 20 ton cast-iron obelisk designed and cast by 'iron-mad Wilkinson' (as he was known in his day) as his own memorial. He also provided for himself a cast-iron coffin! We then proceeded to the Winderemere Steamboat Museum where we had coffee, a lecture about the museum and its exhibits, followed by a tour of the boats, and saw some items not normally seen by the general public. Our coach took us to the 200 Jolly Anglers Inn at Burneside where we enjoyed a superb lunch. Continuing on to Kendal, our first visit there was the factory of Gilkes Turbines, an old-established firm from the early days of turbine manufacture. It is based in the terminal warehouse of the Lancaster Canal. Here we saw the modern manufacturing methods of water turbines and pumping equipment as well as visiting the firm's private museum of early pumps and turbines.
The group was entertained at afternoon tea in the Town Hall at Kendal, and Andrew Lowe, the Building Conservation Officer of the Lake District National Park, gave an illustrated lecture on his work in the area, in particular the Backbarrow Furnace and the Charcoal Blast Furnace at Duddon Bridge. From there we walked to Goodacres Carpet Factory where we saw traditional-style carpet production, using mechanical methods which utilised old weaving and knotting techniques. The main building was formerly the water-powered Castle Mills. Our coach then took us back to the hotel for dinner.
Next morning we left the hotel promptly to arrive at the Stott Park Bobbin Mill before it was open to the general public, and so had access to areas not normally visited by others. In addition, the boiler had been especially lit for us so we were able to see the steam engine in operation. (A horizontal single cylinder engine of about 20hp, built by William Bradley of Brighouse, near Halifax, about 1880). The bobbin mill closed in 1971, leaving all the mid-Victorian woodworking machinery in place. The machines are now operated by a team of volunteers who demonstrate the various processes from cutting the raw wood to the final polishing of the bobbins. It was a fascinating visit and showed old techniques which have now commercially disappeare within the last generation. The mill formerly made many millions of bobbins each year from local coppice wood for cotton yarn, wire, etc; these are now moulded elsewhere from plastic!
After coffee at the Boaters Restaurant, we travelled to the Whitewater Hotel at Newby Bridge. This is a former cotton mill, later converted to the ultramarine dye works which manufactured 'Dolly Blue', the textile whitener our mothers used before the advent of modern clothes-washing powders. The building has now been reconverted into a quality hotel with some of the machinery displayed outside in the gardens as 'features' and we examined these. We then looked at the ruins of Backbarrow Furnace at Newby Bridge which we were able to interpret from the explanatory lecture given by Andrew Lowe the previous afternoon.
Lunch was taken at the Anglers Inn, Haverthwaite, and we travelled on to Duddon Bridge where Andrew Lowe was awaiting us. He gave a splended interpretative tour of the extensive buildings which have been cleared of vegetation and rubbish with the masonry-work being stabilised. In its day it was a large charcoal-fired blast furnace which used water power to drive the bellows, the local haematite iron ore, and fuel from the many charcoal burners in the surrounding forest. To ensure a sufficient supply of fuel was always available, very large charcoal warehouses had been built as a major part of the site. Pieces of charcoal were still present in the spaces between the stones of the walls. On then to Gleaston Watermill where we had afternoon tea and a tour of the three-storey cornmill with 18 feet diameter breast-shot wheel and wooden gearing which has been restored to working order. On our arrival at Newland Furnace, Michael Davies-Shiel was waiting to give us his interpretive tour of the remains of this 1770 iron-producing furnace. Most of the buildings are now being used for other purposes but his clear explanation and clarification enabled us to see how this industrial complex had operated in earlier times. That evening we assembled at the hotel for our formal group dinner.
After a leisurely breakfast on Sunday, some of us climbed the hill overlooking the hotel to examine a limekiln. This is in private ownership, and has not been restored, but was in surprisingly good condition, especially the inner lining. The owner showed us around the kiln but the puzzling feature is that many early maps of the district showed it labelled as an 'icehouse'- this surely could not be so as it is on the south slope of the hill. There is no doubt that the present structure is a limekiln. We dispersed in our various directions homeward, having spent an interesting weekend in which we saw a range of industrial buildings, heard about a wide variety of industrial processes, and enjoyed the company of amenable colleagues with mutual interests. Alan Birt
The Crown Jewels of the River Wandle
A survey and report of Ravensbury Mill has been carried out by J Kenneth Major, B Arch, RIBA, FSA, dated 25th November 1995. It can be found in the report that the sites like Ravensbury Mill which survive show the variation of usage and their protection are important. The former mill building has been reserved for the museum expansion. He reports:
-
'The centre of the mill space contains the two water wheels. The west waterwheel is 14'6" (4.42m) in diameter and 4'6" (1.40m) wide. The waterwheel is mounted on a cruciform cast-iron shaft which goes into the room on the west side of the separation wall. The water is delivered on to the waterwheel in the low-breast shot position. The wheels are a dramatic feature, the key element.'
They agree with the report by J Kenneth Major that when the waterwheels are restored they will be very imposing when turning under water. They also agree the wheels are a dramatic feature, the key element. To any Wandle historian they are indeed 'The Crown Jewels of the River Wandle'.
The above is an extract from Wandle Industrial Museum Newsletter No. 18. Wandle Industrial Museum hope to occupy these premises in the near future. Editor