JOHN TRAVIS (1822-1912)

ANTIQUARIAN AND ECCENTRIC

In 1786 John Fielden of CLOUGH FARM built the first cotton-spinning mill in Walsden, and went on to form a partnership with John Travis of Royton whereby the mill would be handed over to their eldest sons, Samuel Fielden and Joseph Travis. The mill was known as CLOUGH MILL and traded as Fielden and Travis. It was a small affair, about the size of 4 cottages with 3 storeys.

Joseph Travis was married when he arrived in Walsden and took up residence at Clough Mill. His wife was Esther Cocker of Crompton. They had 4 children, the youngest 2 being born at the mill. Esther died in 1792 and Joseph married Betty Bottomley, daughter of Jeremiah Bottomley of Inchfield Fold. Joseph had 10 more children with Betty. He died in 1818 and was buried at St. Marys, Todmorden, where he had been the organist.

17 S.T. 28

Here lieth the body of Susan wife of George Travis who died March 2nd

Here resteth the body of Joseph Travis of Clough Mill

who departed this life August 22nd 1818 aged 50 years  

He was the 1st organist at this church  

ALSO James his son who departed this life January 20th 1814 aged 7 years

ALSO John his son who departed this life April 29th 1827 aged 36 years

ALSO William his son organist who departed this life July 5th 1829 aged 31 years

Joseph's second son was Joseph junior, born 6 months before the death of his mother in 1792. Joseph junior married Elizabeth Lord, and in 1822 their son, John Travis, was born.

Joseph Travis

49

Labourer

Elizabeth Travis

45

Esther Travis

27

Cotton power loom weaver

John Travis

18

Cotton power loom weaver

William Travis

15

Charles Travis

??

Sarah Travis

4

John returned to Ashton in 1843 to work for Flash Hall Mills owned by Peter Platt as a Book Keeper and later at his uncle's mill in Ashton where he stayed about 4 years, learning the trade of spinning and manufacturing until he eventually became the manager. He returned to Walsden in 1847 and had employment with Astin and Barker Millwrights and Engineers.

He later wrote about the high price of bread, noting that when he went to Ashton a 4lb. Loaf was 8d. but when he came back, the same sized loaf was 5d.

On April 17th. 1851 he married Jane Crowther of Strines Barn.

In 1855 the Government brought in the Companies Act, which limited the amount of money an investor could lose to the amount he had invested. Previously, a failed venture could cost an investor the whole of his estate and assets. The first local company to take advantage of this new law was registered in 1854 in anticipation of the Act, and was known as the Todmorden Commercial and Manufacturing Company Ltd. Locally, it was known as the Co-Operative Company.

The Company rented SHADE MILL and filled it with looms. It then negotiated with John Crossley of Scaitcliffe over a strip of land at Hollins in Walsden, eventually purchasing it and building ALMA MILL. The nominal capital was £10,000 in £25 shares. The shares could be bought by instalments, paying a deposit and making further payments, as capital was required. The Company's mill at Hollins was finished in late 1855. The Rearing Dinner was held at the Parochial School, Walsden, on 1st. January 1856.

John Travis was made the Secretary and Manager of the Company. By then, John and his wife and family were living on Inchfield Terrace in a new house he had built.

Times were good and Todmorden & Walsden was a thriving cotton town. The folk had never had it so good, but nothing lasts forever. In 1862 the American Civil War caused a cotton panic. Because of the war there was no cotton arriving from America. The mills had to close or go on short time and the building of new mills and associated housing stopped. Thousands were out of work. Scarcely any businesses kept going in Todmorden & Walsden.

One of the casualties was the Co-Operative Company and its mill at Hollins. By 1867 the company was forced to appoint liquidators and Alma Mill was sold in March 1867 for £7,200 to Messrs. Ormerod Brothers. Naturally, John Travis lost his job, and he wrote: "During that spell of darkness and tribulation the writer obtained a situation in Huddersfield, returning about 1868."

Not much is known about John's life over the next 20 or 30 years. In 1881 he was living with Jane at 23, Woodbottom, Walsden, and was a Master in an Iron Foundry. By 1891 he was widowed and living alone at 23, Hollins Road, Walsden, retired. Jane had died the previous year. John re-married in the summer of 1891. His new wife was Sarah Spencer. By then he had started to write articles for the local press, mostly about his beloved town and also its churches. He also ventured into books, having several published. He had developed a passion for family history, and not just his own, but the whole of Walsden and Todmorden. Over his life he collected stories and anecdotes about the people he knew and their fathers and grandfathers, and he made these into stories, which are now a pleasure to read. He took a great interest in the history of the town, its churches, and its people.

John's writings show he was nothing if not just a little eccentric, and to add fuel to this thought, there is an entry in the almanac for 1911:

5th.October

Married at Cloughfoot Congregational Chapel Mr. John Travis (89) to

Mrs. Rachel Ann Scholes (59) both of 39 Woodbank, Walsden.

John died soon after his third, rather late, marriage, on 22nd. May 1912 aged nearly 90 years. He is buried at St. Peters, Walsden, with his first wife, Jane. He left a WILL complete with copious notes about the beneficiaries.

His most important work, as far as Todmorden and Walsden is concerned, is Notes (Historical and Biographical) Mainly of Todmorden and District, published in 1896 and containing nearly 400 pages. He wrote the dedication at the front of the book on May 4th. 1892, whilst living at Woodbank, Walsden. The book is available on CD from Colin Hinson at http://www.blunham.demon.co.uk/CDroms/

John Travis has also written:

*Round about Todmorden its Hills and Dales, published in 1890

  Some Old Walsden Families, published in 1891

*Walsden Families in Olden Times, published in 1903

*Historical Notes and Personal Reminiscences, published in 1905

    (* these books are also on the CD)

And several more besides.

Some of his articles written for the local press have been reproduced HERE.

The following is a list of his work, together with the reference number, filmed by the Latter-day Saints and archived at their Family History Library.

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