ROBINWOOD MILL

Burnley Road

Lydgate

Todmorden

Map Ref. SD919256

Robinwood 2009

"Robinwood Mill occupies a flat site beside the River Calder in the narrow valley bottom of the Burnley Valley, two miles from Todmorden, eight from Burnley. It lies within a settlement that grew around it and a few other textile mills during the 19th century, some of the housing built by the mill owners …"

Known occupiers

1804-1839

RAMSBOTHAM Thomas & James

1839-1846

RAMSBOTHAM James

HAMMERTON Thomas Edward

1846-1960

FIELDEN Bros.

1960

THORNBER Bros.

1975

FIELDEN Factors

1979

Woodmac Ltd., woodworking machinery

1980-1981

Silverwood Textiles

1982

Technical Systems

Extracts and notes from the report by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England 1986.

In 1801, Anthony Crossley of Todmorden Hall, leased what was to become the site of Robinwood Mill to John Ramsbotham and his sons James and Thomas, cotton manufacturers of Stand, Prestwich in Lancashire. The site, beside the River Calder, together with its water rights, was leased with liberty to dam the river and divert its water through any necessary goits etc. to any “mills or factories or other works hereafter to be erected on the said premises …” Permission was also given to build a bridge at the lower end of the site to give access to the mill.

In 1804, following the death of their father, James and Thomas Ramsbotham respectively of The Stand and EWOOD MILL, and described as cotton twist spinners and co-partners in that trade, bought the site outright from Anthony Crossley, and also the adjacent Robinwood Farm and cottages. They also bought some extra land at the upper end of the site from Edward Dearden to preserve their water rights.

Thomas Ramsbotham was the head partner in the firm of cotton spinners at Knott Mill, Manchester, before transferring his business to Todmorden, and together with his brother James and his son also James, he owned or occupied several other mills in the district, notably LINEHOLME MILL, EWOOD MILL and NAYLOR MILL amongst others. Despite acquiring this site, and the creation of a reservoir before 1823, no mill was built until the 1830’s when the U-shaped 6-storey stone built spinning mill, which lies at the centre of the site, was erected to drawings by William Fairbairn of Manchester. This mill, intended to be steam powered, was probably never used by the Ramsbothams. James Ramsbotham died in 1835, followed by his brother Thomas in 1839, which slowed things down within the Ramsbotham family. James left his properties and mills to his brother Thomas. In his will, Thomas left his properties including Robinwood Mill to his son James and his friend and solicitor Thomas Edward Hammerton. So James the younger and Mr. Hammerton came into possession of the whole Ramsbotham estate, and neither had any interest in continuing with the mill. Robinwood mill at that time was not finished or furnished, and had not had its roof slated.

In 1844 the two men advertised the mill for sale. It was bought at auction on 7th November 1844 by John Fielden the elder of the firm Fielden Brothers, cotton spinners and manufacturers of Todmorden. John Fielden paid £3,900 for the mill; £300 immediately and the balance by 15th February 1845	John Fielden MP

Whether the mill was ready for occupation is not certain as the conditions of sale in 1844 record the “iron beams there and 3,000 feet of unglazed window frames”, and the sale details make no mention of any steam engine or boilers. James Ramsbotham was recorded as the owner of the freehold farm and mill at Robinwood but lived in the Isle of Wight, clearly content to retire from the rat race that was the cotton industry.

	The sale advertisement described Robinwood Mill as a newly erected cotton mill with engine house, pan house and other buildings, a waterfall of 15 yards on the River Calder and a reservoir or dam. The mill, six storeys high, is described as “built in a most substantial manner” and as “built under the superintendency and from the plans of one of the first engineers in the Kingdom”.

There are references to the mill “possessing a waterpower for a considerable period of the year equal to 30 horses and being not more than a mile and a half from Portsmouth Colliery.

The Fieldens, who were based at WATERSIDE MILL, during the course of the 19th century owned or occupied at least 12 other mills in and around Todmorden. On completion of the purchase the Fieldens were evidently responsible for installing a steam engine in the original spinning mill, and adding sheds incorporating a water wheel house before they could commence spinning, which they did in 1848. The mill was John Fielden's personal property, but he rented it to the firm of Fielden Brothers, of which he was the senior partner.

Over the next 10 years, Fielden Brothers spent £34,000 finishing the building and installing steam engines. They equipped it for the preparation and spinning of cotton, added a carding shed and then running it as an out-mill for their main concern at WATERSIDE in Todmorden.

The Fieldens built a terrace of houses adjacent to the mill for some of the workforce, and a villa behind the terrace for the Manager. The terrace, known as Robinwood Terrace, is perched on the hillside above the river, and boasts magnificent views over the valley. The houses are well built with a footpath running to the front, separating them from pretty gardens that overlook the river.	Robinwood House perched above the houses of Robinwood Terrace

They would have been expensive to rent compared to other workers' cottages, and would have been out of the reach of most of the working folk. The manager's house is set back, higher up the hillside, reached by a long and steep flight of stone steps from the mill yard - or a much longer route via a lane that runs down to the Burnley Road.

	The firm built many other workers' houses in the vicinity, occupying row after row of streets, but none so comfortable or attractive as the ones on Robinwood Terrace. The old photo shows the Burnley Road at Lydgate with the mill prominent in the background.

A list of hands employed at Robinwood Mill on 23rd June 1851 indicates that breaking, mixing, scutching, carding, throstle spinning, drawing, winding, doffing and warping were all carried out at the mill.

During the rest of the 19th century, the Fieldens enlarged, added and rebuilt buildings on the site, though without changing its function as a spinning mill. By the end of the century, the mill was one of three large works in which the Fielden Brothers concentrated their operations. WATERSIDE MILL was devoted to weaving, Robinwood Mill to spinning warps, and LUMBUTTS MILL to spinning wefts.

By 1856, the mill employed 106 children under the age of 13 years, 154 women and 49 men. The mill boasted 24, 000 spindles. A man by the name of John Lord was the manager in 1851. He lived with his wife, Eliza, and six children in the manager's house, known as Robinwood House. Jonathan Greenwood was the stoker at the mill at this time. He was 23 and lived with his widowed mother on Robinwood Terrace. His brother and sister also worked at the mill.

Samuel Law, a son of Samuel Law who co-owned RAMSDEN WOOD MILL in Walsden, was also at Robinwood Terrace in 1851, with his second wife, Esther, and seven children. Samuel was a blacksmith, undoubtedly employed full time by the mill to make the necessary iron accessories for the machinery, keep the horses well shod, and maintain the iron parts on the carts. He and his family worked and lived there over 20 years. In 1851, five of his children worked at the mill, including 9-year-old Sarah who was a doffer. His son, Samuel jnr., was initially a scutcher at the mill, but later followed his father in to the blacksmith trade and moved over the hill to the Whitworth area. Samuel retired after 1871 and returned to his native Walsden where he died aged 71 in 1875.	Samuel Law jnr. Photo provided by Ernest Law

Living next door to Samuel in 1851 was the Hamer family. Joseph Hamer, aged 57, was one of the overlookers. All eight of his children were part of the workforce. Another large family on Robinwood Terrace was the Pickles family. Father John was a 55-year-old coal miner, but his six children and two grandchildren were workers at the mill. In 1861, Joseph Crabtree lived on Robinwood Terrace. He was an engine tenter at the mill. His 15-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son were cotton workers at the mill. George Tidswell also lived on the terrace with his wife Betty. He was a labourer at the mill, and six of his children worked there, including 10-year-old William.

Robinwood House. Photo provided by Anne Field	The manager of Robinwood Mill from about 1862 to 1887 was Thomas Wrigley, son of Edmund Wrigley of WATERSTALLS MILL. Thomas joined the firm of Fielden Brothers aged just 8 years old in 1842 when he worked at Waterstalls Mill, Walsden, at a time when his father was manager there.

Thomas progressed within the firm to become one of the youngest managers at the age of 25. He was given the responsibility of managing Robinwood Mill. By that time, he was married to Mary Fielden, daughter of Robert Fielden and Susan Haigh, and they had two daughters, Christiana and Jessie. The family lived at Robinwood House for maybe as long as twenty years. Thomas continued to impress the Fielden Brothers with his enthusiasm and ideas, and when a vacancy arose for the job of overall manager of all the Fielden mills about 1887, he was promoted to that situation.

He and his family moved away from Robinwood to set up home at Waterside House. Thomas died in 1896 at the age of 63 after a lengthy illness. He had been a Freemason being a member of Prince George Lodge, Bottoms, Eastwood, and had passed the degrees of Master, Arch and Knight Templar. He is buried at St. Peter's in Walsden.	Waterside House

The next manager was John William Greenwood. He was a Todmorden man, born about 1859 and married to Sarah. He worked his way up in the firm, becoming the book keeper and later, the manager at Robinwood. Initially, they lived on Robinwood Terrace at number 1 before taking over at the villa. It was during John William's time as manager that the mill celebrated its 50th birthday on 20th January 1898. The following extract from the Todmorden and Hebden Bridge Almanac of 1899 describes the event and gives an interesting insight into the wages earned by the workers. (Sent to us by John William's granddaughter, Anne Field.)

The Jubilee of Robinwood Mill, Lydgate, near Todmorden

 

On 20th January 1898 work had been running at the Robinwood Mill just half a century, for on that day in the far away year of 1843, the late Mr. John Fielden MP started the engine on their first ---- efforts, and by way of celebrating the jubilee, the firm of Messrs Fielden brothers Ltd. Treated the work people to a tea and dance on Saturday January 22nd 1898. Tea was served in Lineholme School by Mr. Walton, Cornholme, 347 persons, including a number of work people from Waterside Mill who work in connection with Robinwood Mill, being present. Eight veterans who worked in the mill 30 years ago attended in response to the invitation. Afterwards, the company adjourned to Lineholme Shed, kindly lent for the occasion by Mr. Chadwick, where dancing took place, preceded by a meeting, which Mr. J.W. Greenwood (manager at Robinwood) presided over, and on the platform were Messrs. G. Windsor (secretary to the firm), Mr. John Walton (Waterside), Mr. George Hindle (weaving manager at Waterside), Mr. John Midgley (manager at Lumbutts), Mr. Barker Russell (book keeper) and Mr. J. Greenwood (Overlooker at Robinwood Mill). Telegrams were read from Mr. E.B. Fielden and Mr. Coates (one of the Directors) expressing regret at their inability to be present.

 

The Chairman, in his usual able and descriptive manner, gave a history of the mill from its commencement down to the present time. He said the number of persons engaged at the mill at the commencement was 30 but the business had so much increased that now there were no fewer than 330, which was about as large a number as had ever worked at the mill at one time, which said much for the prosperous condition of the firm. Contrasting the wages of the card room hands 50 years ago with the wages paid at the present day he said they averaged between 7s and 9s a week at the commencement, and now they averaged between 14s and 15s. He spoke of the great interest taken in the concern by members of the Firm, mentioning the fact that of late years considerably improved machinery had been added to the mill, and the work was now done with increased competency. He also had in his possession a piece of cotton, which went through the machinery 30 years ago, and he gave a description of it and defined its qualities in contrast with the grades and growths of cotton now used. In conclusion, he advised the work people to do their work well, and to keep up the prestige of the mill in being able to turn out work as well as, if not better than, other firms. (Applause).

 

Mr. Windsor gave a capital address, in which he bestowed great praise upon the employers for their generosity and liberality in furnishing the work people with such a treat as they were then enjoying. He dwelt at length upon the history of cotton growing, and spoke of the slavery people were under in the United States, where the piece of cotton shown and described to them by Mr. Greenwood (their manager) was grown, and contrasted those times with the freedom of the people at the present. (Applause)

 

And then the amusements had to be seen to, and none of them were allowed to escape. "Clear decks and prepare for action" Where were the dancers? ...

In 1908, a decision was made to dispense with John William's services to make room for a man with a more dynamic management style. The man responsible for the dismissal wrote:

"I have been convinced for a long time he was the wrong man, but being such an old servant it was very difficult to take action. It is one of the unpleasant duties you have to put up with in situations such as ours."

 

John William and his family left Robinwood House and went to live in a large house in Horsfall Street.

	The replacement was John Midgley who had followed his father and his grandfather as manager at the Fielden owned LUMBUTTS MILL. John, born in 1866 in Lumbutts, was married to Betty and had two children, Ronald and Hannah. It was a controversial move as the workforce had liked John William, and he was still a relatively young man when he was dismissed.

John Midgley's lack of tact with the workers was seen as a matter for concern. Nonetheless, he remained manager at Robinwood and became responsible for a major expansion programme during 1889. John took early retirement in 1929 on a pension of £450 a year. The partners of the firm, unhappy with his decision, commented at the time that he was "a bit young for a pension".

The mill continued in full use by the Fielden family until 1960 when operations closed. The Fielden family was forced into this decision when it became clear that in order to make a decent profit to combat the competition from low labour-cost countries such as India and Hong Kong, they would need to upgrade and replace all their outdated machinery at enormous cost, which in turn would mean building a new mill. Mr. Watson, the Manager at the time, reported:

"The buildings, although in good condition, are more than 100 years old. The disposition of the machinery over 6 floors of small area interferes with the material flow resulting in excessive labour costs for material handling and supervision . In spite of all its handicaps, the mill is running at good efficiency, about average for a ring mill with old machinery."

Many textile mills nationwide were in the same situation, and the Government was offering compensation for those firms who chose to close down. The shareholders agreed the proposals and the workforce was offered compensation payments. This was the end of a family textile dynasty that Joshua Fielden started 180 years previously in a row of three cottages.

Robinwood Mill has continued in use until the present time. Part of it was destroyed by fire in 1992. Mr Stephen Walker, a director of the furniture making company, Index Isle Limited, one of the tenants, and another man, were convicted of plotting to claim £5,000,000 insurance. Mr Walker fled the country before he was sentenced.

Additional information

researched, recorded and referenced by Mrs Sheila Wade

Hebden Bridge WEA Local History Group

Extracts from the Fielden family papers

21st April 1801

The Governor of Halifax Free School to Anthony Crossley, lease of watercourse at Hartley Royd.

17th November 1801

Mr. Anthony Crossley to Mr. E. Dearden, copy of release of Barewise Estate and waterfall

31st December 1801

Mr. Anthony Crossley to Messrs Ramsbotham, lease of waterfall and premises at Robinwood

1804

Abstract of purchase deed, James and Thomas Ramsbotham

13th February 1804

Grant of waterfall and liberty of erecting damstones and extending goit, Edmund Dearden to James and Thomas Ramsbotham

8th November 1844

Robinwood Mill – conditions of sale

1844

Abstract of title to Robinwood Mill and dams, land and waterfalls to same

22nd April 1846

Messrs Ramsbotham and Hammerton to John Fielden Esq. conveyance of Robinwood Mill

15th November 1960

Duplicate conveyance and assignment, Robinwood Mill, house and cottages, Redmires, Catholes and Fiddlers Dams etc. Fielden Bros. to Thornber Bros.

Additional information

Todmorden Township map 1823

Shows Thomas Ramsbotham Esq. as owner of Robinwood land of 20 acres, 3 roods, 6 perches, which includes Lineholme Mills and the 2 dams. Included on the land is the field on which Robinwood Mill was later built, but there was no building there at all in 1823.

List of Todmorden voters 30th July 1842

James Ramsbotham; living on Isle of Wight; freehold farm and mill; Robinwood.

Todmorden Township map 1843

Building shown on the site.

Halifax Guardian 2nd November 1844

Advertisement of sale by auction.

Cotton Mill called Robinwood Mill on the south side of the Todmorden to Burnley Turnpike. Waterfall of 15 yards on River Calder, and reservoir or dam called Robinwood Dam, damstones and goits. Mill is 6 storeys built from drawings prepared by William Fairbairn of Manchester, 137 feet by 51½ feet; south wing 60 feet by 29½ feet; north wing – separate from main building by circular staircase – 38 feet by 29 feet. Waterpower for considerable portion of year equal to 30 horses. Premises may be viewed on application to William Helliwell of KITSON WOOD MILL. 

Todmorden Rates Book 1860-1890

Owned and occupied by Fielden Bros; mill and power; rateable value £790.19s.6d.

1866 – includes gasometer £595.13s.0d.

1880 - £708.5s.0d.

1881 - £689.15s.0d.

1885 – mill, water and steam power, £606.5s.0d.

1888 – additions to mill £41.5s.0d.

1890 - £539.

Halifax Guardian 26th September 1868

Mr. T. Wrigley, manager of Fielden Brothers’ Robinwood Mill has had granted provisional protection for certain improvements in furnaces applicable to boilers.

Halifax Guardian 16th July 1870

Dam of Robinwood Mill, the property of Fielden Brothers, has burst its banks.

Halifax Guardian 9th March 1878

There is no town fire brigade at Todmorden, but the brigades of Fieldens of Waterside, Fieldens of Robinwood and Lord Bros. of CANAL STREET WORKS meet monthly for practice.

Todmorden and Hebden Bridge Advertiser 1st August 1879

Trade depressed. Robinwood Mill running 4 days.

Halifax Courier 25th November 1882

Fielden Bros. Robinwood, issued notice that female operatives’ wages will be reduced.

Halifax Courier 24th November 1883

Robinwood Mill – engine breakdown. Not expected to work again this year.

Halifax Courier 2nd February 1884

Robinwood Mill – work resumed after stoppage of several weeks due to breakdown

Halifax Courier 25th April 1885

Robinwood Mill – another engine breakdown

Stansfield Rates Book 1889-1897

Owned and occupied by Fielden Bros; part new warehouse; Robinwood; rateable value £21.15s.0d.

Todmorden Advertiser 10th January 1890

Letter from Fielden Bros. concerning the closure of Robinwood Factory School

Todmorden Advertiser 7th February 1890

Robinwood Factory School. Accommodation 155. Average attendance 68.

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