The firm, Crabtree Bros. Ltd., specialised in dyeing and finishing heavy fustians, mainly moleskins, and related fabrics such as Bedford Cords, Whipcords and Cavalry twills. The firm didn't process corduroys or other pile fabrics. Much of the…
Joshua Smith's winding room - A view of the winding room at Joshua Smith's Frostholme Mill, in Cornholme, 1913. The firm of Joshua Smith's ran the mill from 1882 until well into the 1950s, at one time employing over 700 people in the production of…
A view across the 'New' shed at Waterside in 1912. Interior of the large weaving shed at Waterside in 1912. It is now the site of the Morrisons Supermarket.
This view shows a scutcher, the final process in the Blowing Room. The large roll of cotton, called a 'lap' has been 'doffed' and has a lap rod inserted through the centre, ready to go to the carding machine in the Cardroom. A pile of lap rods is…
This view in the Spinning Room shows ring spinning frames, an alternative process for the production of cotton yarn to the self-acting mule. Rovings from the roving frame are placed in the creel and the ends threaded through the roller drafting…
These machines are ring doubling frames, made by Howard & Bullough Ltd, Globe Works, Accrington, the world's largest maker of ring frames. They are making a folded (two or more folds) yarn. Bobbins from the bobbin winding frames are placed in the…