Broadstone Mill in 1904
Broadstone Spinning Co.Ltd.
Cotton Industry. Mule Spinning Mill.
Broadstone No. l Mill, Broadstone Road, Reddish, Stockport, Cheshire. Grid reference: SJ891931.
Status: standing.
Company registered: 15 July 1904. No. 81586.
Capital: £100,000 in £5 shares. No initial public issue.
First directors: Jonathon Gledhill, Temple Buildings, Todmorden. Chairman.
A.Sidebottom (Had ceased to be a director by November 1906, having become the manager).
J.K.Smethurst, Springbank, Micklehurst, Mossley.
By November 1906 the following had joined the board:
Thomas Brigham, Asherbottom Farm, Brinnington, Stockport.
Ald.J.R.Clarke, Broomfield, South Reddish.
Owen Gregory, The Limes, Brockley Road, Monton, Eccles.
Herbert Marsden, Lonsdale Cottage, Brinnington.
Samuel Ward, Stamford Street, Ashton-under-Lyne.
Qualification: 200 shares. Remuneration: £60 pa each.
Secretary: Samuel Ralphs.
Secretary's and Registered office: Queens's Buildings, St.Peter's Square, Stockport. (By October 1905 had moved to Castle Chambers, 6 Vernon Street, Stockport).
The Building Regulation Plans were passed on 13 January 1905. The building contractor was 5A J. Smethurst of Oldham. The first loan advertisement for the Company (4'/z%) did not appear in the Stockport Advertiser until October 1905.
On Wednesday 11 October 1905 an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company resolved to increase the capital of the company from 100,000 to 120,000 by the issue of 4000 new ordinary shares. AH.Stott was present, as were 'an influential body' of shareholders. The Chairman proposed the motion, seconded by George Lees of Oldham, saying they had received more applications for shares than they could allot. This had influenced their decision to increase the capital but there were other reasons and he believed it to be in the best interests of the shareholders. Alderman Clarke, however, was concerned that over-capitalization could lead to disaster and pressed him to give these reasons. The chairman replied with the following two points:
i) The increase of capital would be a source of strength to the company in that it would spread the amount of future calls over a larger number of shares and thus be lighter for all.
ii) It would strengthen the credit of the company in consequence of the amount of uncalled capital being 20% greater and enable the directors to buy cotton etc. at much greater advantage.
The resolution was carried unanimously. In response to a shareholder who urged the directors to push on as fast as possible because every week's delay was £500 loss to the shareholders, A.H. 5tott said they would proceed with the work as rapidly as possible and he assured them that when completed the mill would be second to none in the trade.
In late May 1906 it was reported that the mill would shortly be ready for machinery. The mill was formally opened and the engines christened at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday, 28 November 1906 (see Appendix for list of some of those present). In reporting this event, the Stockport Advertiser considered the mill to be one of the handsomest structures of its kind and stated that it had cost over £150,000. The three cylinders of the engine were christened respectively "Christina", "Margaret" and "Mary" by Mrs.Christina A. Clarke, wife of Alderman J.R.Clarke, Mrs.Margaret Gledhill, wife of the chairman, and Mrs.Mary Clarke, wife of Councillor E.Clarke, J.P. The high-speed electrical engine was christened "Emmeline" by Mrs.Emmeline Brigham. Mrs.J.R.Clarke was presented with a large silver salver, Mr.Gledhill and Mrs.Edward Clarke each with a sterling silver bowl and fruit stand and Mrs.Brigham with two sterling silver flower vases, each item inscribed:
Broadstone Spinning Company Limited.
Presented by the Architects and Contractors on the occasion of naming and starting the engines of No. I Mill.
Directors
Thomas Brigham Alderman J.R.Clarke
Jonathon Gledhill Owen Gregory
Herbert Marsden J.K.Smethurst
Samuel Ward.
Architects: Stott and Sons.
Secretary: Samuel Ralphs.
After the ceremony the contractors entertained the directors and shareholders to a sumptuous banquet at the Pendlebury Orphanage, Lancashire Hill.
By this time only 2s6d per share had been called up, and the chairman considered that they were the only company to have put yam on the market with such a small amount called up. The company had never needed money from the bankers and had always had a credit balance, sometimes of £20,000 to £30,000. The second mill was already being thought of and loans of about £80,000 had already been received towards it.
The whole of no. l mill was at work by the end of July 1907. In 1907 the company paid a dividend of 20%.
See also Broadstone Spinning Co.Ltd., No.2 mill of 1906.
DESCRIPTION.
The mill is of five stories, plus basement, with Card Shed on the east side. Windows are arched with yellow brick bands above them and the parapet is dentilated. The water tower on the north-west corner is in the Byzantine-dome style, the first use of this on an A.H.Stott & Sons mill. The office joined directly on to the mill, below the tower. The engine-house was on the south-west corner, the rope-race occupying the bay at the south end of the mill. The engine house was similar in design and decoration to those at Baytree and Laurel mills. The boiler house and chimney, in usual style, adjoined. It should be noted that No.2 mill had a separate engine house, boiler house and chimney, although the engine houses stood next to each other.
The mill is 12 bays, plus rope race, wide and 9 bays deep, the internal dimensions at the second floor being 266 feet by 137 feet. The basic bay dimensions are 22 feet by 15 feet 6 inches. The rope race is 12 feet wide internally. At ground floor level a single storey card shed extends the width of the mill; this is 5 bays, 68 feet deep.
The floors heights and use as follows:
Basement: 8ft 6in
Waste Place. Conditioning Cellar. Warehouse & Packing. Cotton Room. Mixing Room. Dust Cellar.
1st Storey (Ground Floor):
16ft (Card Shed 12ft)
Card Room & Shed.
Blowing Room (in Card Shed extension).
2nd Storey: 14ft 3in lst Spinning Room.
3rd Storey: 13ft 9in 2nd Spinning Room.
4th Storey: 13ft 9in 3rd Spinning Room.
5th Storey: 14ft 1¾in 4th Spinning Room.
The tower contained staircase, hoist and w.c's.
The Dust Flue was located centrally within the rope race.
The spinning room floors had 12 inch by 6 inch double main girders, with 5'/z inch by 2 inch transverse joists at about 2 feet centres. The floor was 1 1/2 inch boards on 2 1/2 inch of pugging on 51/2 inch of 6 to 1 concrete, except 4th spinning room which had Euboeolith flooring on 7 inches of 6 to I concrete.
The card room floor had 14 inch by 6 inch main beams, 6 inch by 2 inch transverse joists at about 2 feet centres. Euboeolith flooring 1 inch thick on 7½ inches of 6 to 1 concrete.
The roof had 12 inch by 6 inch main eirders, between which were 3 inch by I½ inch rolled steel
joists at 2 feet centres with 9¼ in transverse joists at 7 feet 4 inch centres. The roof was covered with 1in of natural asphalt
The Card Shed roof had 12 inch by 6 inch rolled steel beams, 1 inch of natural asphalt on ½ inch of floating on 6 inch of concrete.
There were patent lights between the Card Shed and the main Mill.
Engines: George Saxon; Inverted Vertical Triple-Expansion; Cylinders 22", 36" & 56" by 4'; Corliss valves; 78½rpm; 160psi; 1500hp.
Boilers: 4; 30ft by 8ft.
The chimney was decorated at the top in the standard Stott & Sons fluted design, although the Building Regulation Plans show a simpler design after the style of that used at Delta Mill, Royton. It was 69 yards high above ground level with a flue diameter of 8 feet. The first 29ft 9in was square, the rest circular tapering from 18ft to10ft 6in diameter. The inner casing wall rose to a height of 96ft.
The mill contained 125,000 mule spindles. All machinery was supplied by John Hetherington & Sons Ltd. It was laid out for carded or combed yarns from 50s to 200s. The electric light plant was supplied by Mather & Platt with a pilot engine by Browett, Lindley & Co.
The single storey office building contained Board Room, Managers Office, W.C. & lavatory, General Office, Book Room, Hall, Hot Water Room, Watch House and Store Room.
Located by Stockport Branch of the Ashton Canal so no reservoir needed.
Closed 1959 but still standing, although the chimney, engine house, boiler house and office have all been
demolished, as has No.2 mill. References.
1. Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, Building Regulation Plans, 5343. [Authority]
2. 'Commercial Notes'; Oldham Chronicle; 30 July 1904; 8, a5.
3. New Companies'; Textile Manufacturer-, 30 (15 August 1904) 284.
4. 'Commercial Notes'; Oldham Chronicle; 17 September 1904; 8, c.6.
5. 'Broadstone Cotton Spinning Company Limited, Reddish, Stockport'; Stockport Advertiser, 26
May 1905, 4, c.4-7.
6. `New Fine Spinning Mill at Reddish'; Stockport Advertiser, 13 October 1905, 4, c.8.
7. 'Money Wanted ; Stockport Advertiser, 13 October 1905, 1, c.3.
8. 'Commercial Notes'; Oldham Chronicle; 26 May 1906; 8, c.5.
9. 'Broadstone Spinning Company Limited ; Stockport Advertiser, 30 November 1906, 5, c.4-6.
10. Broadstone Spinning Company Limited - Half-yearly Meeting ; Stockport Advertiser, 1 March
1907, 8, c. 1. 1
11. 'Commercial Notes'; Oldham Chronicle; 27 July 1907; 12, c.4.
12. 'Stockport in 1907 - The Cotton Trade'; Stockport Advertiser, 3 January 1908, 4, c.7.
13. John Hetherington & Sons; Illustrated Catalogue of Cotton Spinning Machinery; Manchester;
1931; pp. 375 (photograph of mills).
14. G.Watkins; The Textile Mill Engine; Volume 2; David & Charles, Newton Abbot; 1971; pp. 78, 80 (plate 53).
Apprendix:
Persons present at ceremony of starting the engines, Wednesday, 28 November 1906 as reported by the Stockport Advertiser.
Mr.Lees, Wheatfield Ironworks, Bardsley.
Messrs.George Saxon Ltd., Manchester.
Mr. and Mrs. Sidebottom, Heaton Moor Road, Stockport. Mr., Mrs. and Miss Gledhill, Todmorden. Mr. and Miss[sic] Smethurst, Mossley. Mr.A.H.Stott, Cross Street, Manchester. Mr. & Mrs Heywood, Park View, Huddersfield. Mr. & Miss[sic] Walmsley, Heaton Chapel. Mr. & Mrs. Ward, fkshton-under-Lyne. Mr. & Mrs. Gregory, Monton, Manchester. Mr. Samuel Ralphs, Vernon Street, Stockport. Mr.F.C.Gibbons, Eccles Old Road, Manchester. Ald. & Mrs.Clarke, Broomfield, South Reddish. Mr. & Mrs. E.Clarke, Westfield, Heaton Moor. Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Gorton Road, Reddish. Mr. & Mrs.Everett, Heaton Moor. Mr. & Mrs.Peirce, St.Petersgate, Stockport. Mrs.S.A.Phillipson, Gorton Road, Reddish. Mr.Adam H. & Mrs.Wood, The Mount, South Reddish. Mr. & Mrs.Chetham, Lancashire Hill, Stockport. Mr.Illingw°orth, Manchester Road. Heaton Chapel. Mr John Smith. Ducie Street, Manchester. Mr Peter Walters, Heaton Lane. Stockport. Mr.William Ralphs, Vernon Street, Stockport. Mrs.Harriet Smith, Wellington Road, Stockport. Mr.John Clarke, Wellington Road, Stockport. Mr.& Mrs. Brigham, Asherbottom Farm, Brinnington. Mr.Richard Clarke, Broomfield, Reddish. Mr.Henry Hollingdrake, Edgeley, Stockport. Mr. & Mrs.Pearson, Lowfield Road, Stockport. Mr. & Mrs.Marsden, Brinnington.
Mr. Thomas Brigham, junior, & Miss M.A.Brigham, Brinnington. Mr & Mrs.Fowden, Bredbury Green, Stockport. Mrs.Amanda Sanderson, Princess Street, Stockport. Mr. A. J. Clarkson, Victoria Park, Manchester. Mr.& Mrs.Reed, The Grange, South Reddish. Mr.& Mrs.Milne, Union Street, Oldham. Mr.& Mrs.J.A. Sutcliffe, Crumpsall Mills, Manchester. Mr. T. T. Sykes, The Oaklands, Stockport. Miss Edith Marsden, Lonsdale Cottage, Brinnington. Mr.John Clarke, Broomfield, South Reddish. Mr.W.W.Collinge, Fennell Street, Manchester. Mr.Harold Clarke, Westfield, Heaton Norris. Messrs.E.Green & Sons, Wakefield. Mrs.Waiker, Hotel Russell, London. Mr.James Hill, Rayner Street, Stockport. Mr.J.G.Johnson, Brinnington House, Stockport. Mr.John Emery, Palmer Mills, Stockport. Messrs. S.&J. Smethurst, Rochdale Road, Oldham.
Messrs.J.Hetherington and Sons, Manchester. Messrs.W.P. Sherman and Co., Manchester. Messrs.R.Dawson & Co.Ltd., Stalybridge. Messrs.Carter Bros., Rochdale. Messrs.D.T.Brown & Co., The Albany, Liverpool. Messrs.Conway & Co., Bridge Street, Manchester. Messrs.Hewitt & Kellett, Bradford. Messrs.Dyson, Mallinson & Co., Liverpool. Mr.F.Lowe, Waterloo, Stockport. Mr.S.Bunting, The Carrs, Stockport. Dr.Rayner, Tiviot Dale, Stockport. Mr.Law, H.M.Inspector of Factories. Mr.Challoner, Stockport. Mr.J.J.Gledhill.
Mrs.Ross.
Major Taylor.
Miss McKay.
Mr.Joseph Brooks.
Miss Hancock.
Mr. Smith.
Miss E.Wild.
Mr. & Mrs.J.Collier.