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THE MILLS

In the Middle Ages there appear to have been two corn water mills on the Langcliffe stretch of the River Ribble. Both High Mill and Old Mill were built by the monks of Furness Abbey. During the seventeenth century, both these corn mills were closed, there was not enough corn to be ground within the parish to keep them going.

High Mill

With the eighteenth century came the revolution in machinery for cotton spinning. The building of the Keighley-Kendal turnpike road in 1753 made transport so much easier. In 1783 High Mill was bought by George and William Clayton, together with their brother-in-law, R. Walshman, with the idea of building a cotton mill to house the new spinning machines, invented by their friend, Richard Arkwright. It was built by piecework to their own requirements and knowledge. Payments were made for stone, wood, iron and steel, with rooms at the Folly rented as a joiners' shop. The Mill was in production within a year, with children brought from Keighley to work as cotton pickers and lodged with Langcliffe families. Langcliffe Place was built as home for the mill owners and a row of terraced houses built near the mill for the workers. In 1785 the Shed was added and became a weaving mill in the 1820's (now Watershed Mill).

William Clayton was succeeded by his son, another William, in 1823. Mr Walshman had been bought out in earlier years. William was a very successful business man and became a partner in the Preston Bank.

1849 was a difficult year with a falling off in the cotton trade which led to problems for the Liverpool banks, which in turn brought down the Preston Bank, along with Mr Clayton. To his credit, he sold all his assets to pay the creditors but sadly was forced into retirement and died at York in 1855. As a point of interest, his son became the rector of Bentham and married Miss Bolland of Townhead in Settle. The mills were sold at the Golden Lion in Settle and bought by Mr Bashall who also failed and the mills again closed in 1855. Many workers were forced to look for work elsewhere.

The local paper reported,

 "...in the village of Langcliffe we learn that almost every house is empty. The stoppage of Langcliffe Mills must in great measure account for this diminuation of population. Great numbers have gone to Accrington and other parts of Lancashire. So many have gone to Accrington as almost to form a Settle colony." 1st May 1855.

It was in 1861 that Mr Lorenzo Christie from Derbyshire, purchased High Mill and sheds. Lorenzo had the weaving looms taken out of the shed to be replaced firstly with spinning machines and then with doubling machines. Hector Christie succeeded his father, Lorenzo, who died in 1892 at Stackhouses, although it is clear that he had been managing the business for some time before this.

He had to supplement the reduced workforce by bringing families from Devon, Cornwall and Norfolk.

The 1881 census records many families from these areas. The population increased dramatically and many of the houses and cottages in the village date from this time. In 1878-9 improvements were made to the accommodation at the school and it was enlarged. The school log book has many entries of large families arriving in the village. This created problems, because as well as the increased numbers, many of these children were "unable to say their letters or do arithmetic."  Children aged between 10 and 14 often worked part time at the mill, the other half of the day being spent at school. At 14 they went full-time to the mill. Some idea of the different types of jobs at the mill can be obtained by looking at the 1881 census. There were cotton gassers, yarn doffers, cop winders, warpers, doublers, reelers and yarn examiners and many more.

Hector Christie, whilst always the business man, and often described as stern, does appear to have been a fair man and was concerned about his employees' welfare (as a look at the included letters will show). In 1899 the Institute was built by him for the men and youths of the village. He took a prominent part in local government and was a manager at both Langcliffe and Giggleswick Schools.

At the end of the nineteenth century, the water wheels that had powered the mill were replaced by turbines and then, steam power, provided by two boilers and an engine were added to assist the water power. The shed mill was linked to High Mill by a narrow canal which provided water for the Shed's turbines. In 1898, Langcliffe Mill became part of a combine, Fine Cotton Spinners and Doublers' Association, with Hector as vice-chairman. He died in 1915.

A newspaper article by Tom Guy recalls starting work at the Shed Mill in 1926. Workers came from Langcliffe, Settle and Giggleswick, with some travelling in by bus from surrounding villages. High Mill employed about 250 people in the 1930s, with over 100 at the Shed. The day began at 7.30 a.m. and went on till 5.30 p.m. There was one hour for lunch and ten minutes for tea and biscuits halfway through morning and afternoon. If a worker was late, one penny was docked from their wages. Langcliffe residents recall the first buzzer in the mornings and the sound of the workers' clogs as they rushed to clock on before the second buzzer went. The days were long with rather primitive conditions, but Tom Guy remembers a cheerful atmosphere. There were other compensations too, such as the excellent sports complex with a pavilion (now a private house on Lodge Lane), tennis courts and greens for bowling and putting. Mill teams competed for trophies.

Both the Shed and High Mills closed in the early 1950s. Initially the Shed was taken over by corn merchants who used it as a warehouse, but it is now known as Watershed Mill and is an outlet for the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Dales Crafts and offices. High Mill was taken over by John Roberts and converted to paper making.

Old Mill

John Roberts Holdings is the company which now runs the other mill, Old Mill. In 1793 it was bought by Robert Salmon who adapted it for use as a paper mill. Paper was made from linen and hemp rags, with the water wheel driving the machinery. In 1836, John Hartley and Robert Rugg joined John Salmon. Fine handmade paper still exists bearing the "Rugg and Hartley" watermark. The mill was sold in 1851 to John Ovington of Skipton who made press papers for cloth finishing, but in 1860, disaster struck when the paper mill dam burst. The mill was bought by Hector Christie who rebuilt the weir and twenty years later, leased it to John Roberts whose family had been paper makers in Cumberland. He extended the mill and introduced a machine for making paper boards. His successors bought the mill in 1919. In 1994 a new company took over, Robert Jubb, but they trade under the name of John Roberts Holdings.

It is remarkable that, in the year 2000, both mills - High and Old still trade, now both as paper mills giving many families a living, and of course, Old Mill serves as a source of collection of waste paper with the consequent revenue to Settle's Swimming Pool and thus benefits the community as a whole.

Jean Jelley

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Jim Nelson "Langcliffe Mills" from the North Craven Heritage Trust Journal 1996.

"The Ancient Parish of Giggleswick" by Thomas Brayshaw and Ralph M. Robinson.

Langcliffe School Log Book, Craven Herald, August 1996 1881 Census.

Langcliffe and how the mills affected the population, housing and its facilities.

It is recorded that the Langcliffe corn mill closed in 1652 as did the other small mills in the parishes. It seems likely that the present paper mill was sited near the main road to serve Langcliffe and Stainforth. At that time it was a ‘Water corn mill’ and became a paper mill in 1794 after Robert Salmon had purchased it the previous year. It is remarkable that in the year 2000 this still trades as a paper mill giving many families a living and serves as a source of collection of waste paper and consequent revenue to Settle’s swimming pool and benefits the community as a whole.

The Clayton brothers and their brother in law P Walshman brought not only their expertise in cotton spinning from Keighley when they came to Langcliffe but built the first cotton spinning mill. It was built by piecework to their own requirements and knowledge. Payments were made for stone and wood and rooms at the Folly. Rented for a joiner’s shop. Labourers were found work at the mill race. From those early years of 1794 wages began to be paid to cotton spinners. This continued as did work for labourers and Carters who built Langcliffe Place in 1795. Children were brought to lodge with Langcliffe families. By 1822 the population was 420 and the village school was built in 1825.

William Clayton was succeeded by his son in 1823, Mr Walsham had been paid out in earlier years. William was a very successful business man and became a partner in the Preston Bank. 1848 to1849 saw difficulties with Liverpool banks which in turn brought down the Preston Bank along with Mr Clayton.. To his credit he sold all his assets to pay the creditors but sadly forced into retirement (1848 – 9) at York where he died in 1855. As a point of interest his son became Rector of Bentmam, married Miss Bolland of Townhead,Settle. The property was sold at the Golden Lion, Settle and the mill bought by Mr Bashall who failed and closed in 1855.

Local paper report. ‘In the village of Langcliffe we learn that almost every other house is empty. The stoppage of Langcliffe Mills must in great measure account for this diminution of population. Great numbers have gone to Accrington and other parts of Lancashire. So many have gone to Accrington as almost to form a Settle colony.’

1^st May 1855

It was in 1861 that Mr Lorenzo Christie purchased the High Mill and sheds bringing workers from Devon and Eastern areas. The 1881 census records families from these areas and a workforce of 400. Lorenzo decided his son Hector should take over management which he did until his death in 1915. A newspaper article by tom Guy recalls commencing work at Hector Christie's Shed Mill in 1926,now known as Watershed Mill and refers to the larger High Mill a mile up the valley where the bobbins went for further processes. Langcliffe residents recall the first buzzer in the mornings and the sound of workers’ clogs as the rushed to the mill to clock on before the second buzzer. The High Mill employed about 250 in the 1930s and leisure facilities ie. Bowls and tennis were available at the pavilion on the left of the lane as you approach the mill (now residence) and mill teams competed for various trophies. Trading ceased at both mills by 1953/54. John Roberts taking over the High Mill. It has to be said that Langcliffe owes its existence to the Christies.

Copy of a letter from Hector Christie 26th Sept 1876

Langcliffe Mill, Nr. Settle.   26th Sept 1876

To Bridget Heard

I have your letter of 23rd inst and now write to say that I shall be willing to engage all your children old enough to work in the mills for the term of years and at the weekly wages set opposite their respective names on the other side hereto. Your two children Louisa and Margaret would be old enough to work full time, but John and George would only work half days and attend school the other half until they were 14 years of age and then they would have to work full time.

The hours of work in the Mills, for persons of 14 years and upwards is 56½  hrs per week. On the first five days of the week they commence work at 6.0 o'clock in the morning and leave off at half past five in the evening with an interval of half an hour for breakfast and an hour for dinner. On Saturdays they work from 6.0 o'clock to one o'clock with an interval of half an hour for breakfast only.

The expenses of removal of you and your children, Louisa, Margaret, John and George would be apprenticed to me and I would pay myself but the expenses of yourself and Francis you would have to pay for yourself but I should be willing to advance you the money to be repaid by instalments of net less than 2/6 per week. House rents are from 2/- to 4/6 weekly according to the accommodation in them.

If my terms are accepted please drop me a line by return and I will send the Indentures to Mr John Richards who will have to witness yours and the children's signatures thereto. Please read them very carefully, you must decide whether you are improving your position in life if you accept my terms - this is most important as I do not want families to come here and then feel dissatisfied after they arrive.

The work carried on in these Mills is Doubling Cotton yarns, a very healthy branch of the cotton trade.

If you decide to come you should pack all that you can as luggage such as pots, pans, beds and bedding and bring it with you (it will then cost you nothing) but anything in the shape of chairs and tables you had better sell as the carriage will cost more than they are worth and you would have to pay the carriage yourself. You will please understand that you will have your own furniture to buy when you get here.

If there is anything you could do in the Mills yourself we would be glad to employ you but if not, and you are a clean hard working woman there is no doubt that you would get plenty of charing. If you could bring a few respectable girls with you as lodgers, they might help you.

Yours Respty,   Hector Christie.

For any time they lose on their own account they will not be paid, but any time they lose on my account will be paid for.

Wages of young people employed at the mill

Name        Age  No. of years          Weekly wages

                                                    year 1    yr 2    yr 3    yr 4    yr 5    yr 6    yr 7         

Louise        17            4                        6s     7s       7s     7s

Margaret    15            6                        6s      6s      7s      7s     7s

John          12            7                         2s     2s       3s      6s    7s        7s

George       11           7                         2s     2s        2s     5s     6s       7s       8s

For any time they lose on their own account they will not be paid, but any time they lose on my account will be paid for.         

Mr Ingham, Sept 1876

NOTES from Yorkshire Textile Mills 1790-1930

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England.

West Yorkshire Archaeological Service.

Colum Giles Ian H Goodall London HMSO 1992.

Claytons and Walshman b 1783 – 4 Claytone and Walshman built Langcliffe Mill. There were problems of obtaining housing for the workforce.

1784 –5 immediately after the mill was opened workers had to be brought from Keighley to undertake the sorting process of cotton picking and some night spinning. The cotton pickers were children and rather than build an apprentice house, Clayton and Walshman lodged them with families in the nearby village of Langcliffe as well as building workers ‘ house close to the mill.

1787 They advertised that they were ‘ now erecting a number of convenient cottages at Langcliffe Place which will be ready to enter at Monday next. Any people with large families that are desirous to have them employed, and can come well recommended,may be assured of meeting with every reasonable encouragement’.

(Parliamentary Papers Returns of Mills and Factories 1861,1889)

Langcliffe Shed

1783 –4. built as water powered cotton mill by Clayton and Walshman. Five storeyed, fourteen bay mill substantially enlarged in the 19^th century when supplementary steam engine was acquired in 1868.

Firm expanded into weaving in 1820’s; power looms were housed in the shed in due course. A water powered single storeyed weaving shed was built in 1840 .6 kilometers south of the mill to re-use the water supply. Shed successfully enlarged in late 19^th century and early 20^th and converted to st4steam power.

Associated buildings. Langcliffe place manufacturers hiouse built in 1783 and terrace of workers’ houses next to mill and shed.