Details of Morley Mills: Quarry Mills to Wesley Street Mills
The map at the link shows the position of the mills in the town (where this is known)
Quarry (42) |
Springfield (47) |
Victoria (52) |
Queen’s (43) |
Texas (48) |
Wellington (53) |
Rods (44) |
Tingley (49) |
Wesley Street (54) |
Southfield (45) |
Topcliffe (50) |
|
Spout Well (46) |
Valley (51) |
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Quarry (42) |
| Location | High Street |
| Best known Owners | DAVID SCHOLES Ltd Nathan H Pickersgill David Scholes |
| Known History | In existence in 1876 In existence in 1866 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | Developed in piecemeal fashion on both sides of High St. Operated for about 100 years from the 1860s. |
| Use of site | All the old stone parts are now demolished. The newer brick part with concrete (not wooden) floors still stands and is under development. |
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Queen’s (43) |
| Location | Albion Street |
| Best known Owners | J & S RHODES Ltd – see Prospect Mill J Stanhope and Son J Ross |
| Known History | In existence in 1876 In existence in 1866 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | By the time the Town Hall was built it was a substantial building and it dominated the rear of the civic building. Rhodes’ purchased it in 1890 and concentrated on scribbling and spinning. Closed about 1960. |
| Use of site | Demolished about 1962 with no trace now remaining. The site is now a part of Morrison’s Supermarket main store and some of the adjoining car park. |
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Rods (44) |
| Location | Rods Mill Lane |
| Best known Owners | WATSON & HOLTON Isaac C Watson & Son J & S Webster Watson Rhodes & Co Crowther & Hudson Isaac Crowther |
| Known History | In existence in 1876 In existence in 1866 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | It was a textile factory from 1800 to the 1930s the second steam-driven mill in the town. Tattered history:- 4/1/1802: destroyed by fire; 14/4/1824 : mill burnt down; 11/12/1889: Serious fire. Taken over by Harry Hardy in the 1930s for use as a chemical and fertiliser manufacturer and fumigation service supplier. |
| Use of site | Croft House built by Isaac Crowther next to the mill still stands. Rentokil were the last company to use the site after Harry Hardy. The site is derelict. |
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Southfield (45) |
| Location | Topcliffe Lane |
| Best known Owners | BARRON & Co N H Pickersgill’s Successors |
| Known History | Still working for textile purposes in 1968 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | Relatively modern rag warehouse and shoddy mill that is still producing blend today. About 90 years old. |
| Use of site in 1995 | Barron & Co still collect and distribute rags and produce all grades of shoddy and mungo. |
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Spout Well (46) |
| Location | Owler’s Lane, Morley |
| Best known Owners | Samuel Burnley, Batley; Henry Crowther, Morley; Isaac Tetley, Morley |
| Known History | The mill suffered from a severe fire in May 1877 with damage to the one-storey building, a rag machine and materials. Damage:£400-500. It went into liquidation in October 1877. (Ref: Dewsbury Chronicle and West Riding Advertiser, May 1877) |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | In 1876 it was operational with 3 rag machines. |
| Use of site in 1995 | Location not really clear. In the neighbourhood of the old Rods Mill complex |
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Springfield (47) |
| Location | Springfield Lane |
| Best known Owners | HIELD Bros Ltd Hudson Sykes & Bousfield Ltd Hudson Sykes & Co Dixon Nicholls & Co |
| Known History | In existence in 1876 In existence in 1866 Still working for textile purposes in 1968 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | Built in 1860s and used by Hudson et al from 1874 to 1930s when it was taken over by Hield Bros. Still involved in textile production. |
| Use of site | The mill buildings were demolished and replaced by modern housing. |
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Texas (48) |
| Location | Texas Street |
| Best known Owners | THOMAS AMBLER Ltd Associated Weavers Ltd Morley Cotton Spinning Co Ltd |
| Known History | |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | Like other mills in the area was built in 1906. The structure collapsed in the late 1940s. Built to produce cotton warps for Morley trade. |
| Use of site | The site was cleared after the structural collapse when machinery fell through the floors. |
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Tingley (49) |
| Location | Bridge Street/Tingley Common |
| Best known Owners | HUMPHREY BRADLEY Ltd |
| Known History | Still working for textile purposes in 1968 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | Wm Smith regarded this as an Ardsley mill. Built as 7-bay mill in 1868. Extended to the road-side with 13 window rows in 1880s. |
| Use of site | After a period (after closure as a textile mill) as Tingley Bar Industrial Estate with around 16 small diverse companies on the site, the mill building and surrounds have been converted in 2017-18 into apartments and parking areas. |
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Topcliffe (50) |
| Location | Topcliffe Lane |
| Best known Owners |
DAVID BANKS Wilsons (Topcliffe) Ltd |
| Known History | Still working for textile purposes in 1968 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | Dated 1906. 3-storey 10 bay block. Banks’ were mungo and shoddy manufacturers and rag merchants. Used about 70 years for original purpose. |
| Use of site in 1995 | Building in good condition. |
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Valley (51) |
| Location | Valley Road |
| Best known Owners | J & S RHODES Ltd Chas Scarth & Sons Ltd Valley Mills Co A Scott & Son |
| Known History | In existence in 1876 In existence in 1866 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | The last steam-driven mill built down the Valley Beck before Morley had piped water. 12/1/1887: Burnt down. Bought by Rhodes’ in 1919. |
| Use of site | Building was beyond the gas works near Morley Low Station. Finally it burnt down and was demolished. |
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Victoria (52) |
| Location | Brunswick Street |
| Best known Owners | BENN & WEBSTER Ltd S Binks James Sharp |
| Known History | In existence in 1876 In existence in 1866 Still working for textile purposes in 1968 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | On site of a former dye-works this was a typical Morley Mil in size and output. Failed to re-open in early 1970s after the Morley Feast Holidays. Textile operations for 110 years. |
| Use of site | After standing empty for 15 years it was finally converted into Victoria Court luxury flats in an excellent scheme which has further housing in area of outbuildings and dams of old mill. |
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Wellington (53) |
| Location | Bridge Street |
| Best known Owners | WILLIAM SCARTH – also worked in part of Field part of Albert Mills. J Webster & Son Thomas Briggs |
| Known History | In existence in 1876 In existence in 1866 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | Part of Wm. Scarth’s much larger concern. Converted to making of textile machinery by Lumb Walshaw & White. |
| Use of site in 1995 | A section demolished for the Bridge St/High St round-about. |
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Wesley Street (54)(aka Perseverance in 1863 Local Board Survey) |
| Location | Wesley Street |
| Best known Owners | CHAS. SCARTH & SONS LTD W Ramsden E Ellis |
| Known History | In existence in 1876 In existence in 1866 |
| Notes on Textile Manufacture | Textile mill from about 1860 to inter-war depression years. Folded when Chas. Scarth & Sons went bankrupt. Oldest parts near Queen Street have been demolished but the base of what was Morley’s tallest mill chimney is still visible behind the Yorkshire Bank. |
| Use of site | The only mill (partially) on Queen St. The town centre buildings were demolished in the 1930s for Woolworth’s and Boots (both now replaced). Fire Station and morgue during WW2. Main building refurbished in 1970s. Now the Environment Agency and Social Security Benefits Agency. |