Ainsworth Mill, Breightmet

Ainsworth Mill
Cotton

Location within Greater Manchester
Mercerising
Location	Ainsworth, Bury adjacent to Breightmet, Bolton, Greater Manchester
Further ownership	Lancashire Cotton Corporation (1930s) Courtaulds (1964)
Coordinates	53°34′42″N 2°22′16″W / 53.5784°N 2.3710°W / 53.5784; -2.3710
References
^[1]

Ainsworth Mill, Breightmet is a mercerising mill near Breightmet, Bolton, Greater Manchester. It was bought by the Lancashire Cotton Corporation in the 1940s as an attempt to develop a cotton finishing presence.

Location

Breightmet is a small town 3 km to the east on Bolton town centre and 6 km west of Bury. The Ainsworth estate though physically attached to Breightment is for administrative purposes in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury. The early name Bolton le Moors described the position of the town amid the low hills on the edge of the West Pennine Moors south east of Rivington Pike (456 m). Breightmet lies on relatively flat land on west of the clough or steep-banked valley through which the Bradshaw Brook flows in a southerly direction towards the River Tonge and then the River Irwell.^[2] The geological formation around Breightmet consists of sandstones of the Carboniferous series and coal measures, to the north of Bolton Bury road the lower coal measures are mixed with underlying Millstone Grit.^[3]

History

The site was in use in 1850. It was reconfigured in 1893. It was driven by a condensing stationary steam engine which required a reservoir or mill lodge to contain water to condense the steam; this was filled in the 1970s.^[4] The mill took advantage of the copious soft water to engage in finishing yarn or fabric. The processes involved bleaching, mercerising and dyeing. The industry peaked in 1912 when it produced 8 billion yards of cloth. The great war of 1914–1918 halted the supply of raw cotton, and the British government encouraged its colonys to build mills to spin and weave cotton. The war over, Lancashire never regained its markets. The independent mills were struggling. The Bank of England set up the Lancashire Cotton Corporation in 1929 to attempt to rationalise and save the industry.^[5] Ainsworth Mill, Breightmet was one of 104 mills bought last by the LCC. It one of the 53 mills that LCC owned in 1950, and was extensively refurbished to provide a mercerising facility. They established a research and quality control laboratory here to service the group and ensure the stability of the colour. Yarn was received from other mills in the group in warp or in hank, and is mercerised, bleached and dyed, then wrapped into hank, cone, quiller pirn, back beam, weaver's beam, cheese or precision wound multiple end cheese as required.^[6] On LCC demise, Ainsworth Mill continued in business as a bleaching and dyeing work until the dyeing company that went into liquidation in 2006. The works is derelict, but surveys have been done showing an intention of bring the mill back into industrial use.^[4]

Mercerisation

Mercerisation is a treatment for cotton fabric and thread that gives fabric a lustrous appearance. The process is applied to materials like cotton or hemp. The process was devised in 1844 by John Mercer of Great Harwood, Lancashire, who treated cotton fibres with sodium hydroxide. The treatment caused the fibres to swell, which in Mercer's version of the process shrunk the overall fabric size and made it stronger and easier to dye. In 1890 H. A. Lowe held the yarn under tension during treatment. This prevented shrinking and gave the yarn or resulting fabric a lustrous appearance.^[7]^[8] Mercerisation alters the chemical structure of the fibre,inter-convertings from alpha-cellulose to a thermodynamically more favorable beta-cellulose polymorph thus swelling of the cell wall. This increases the surface area and reflectance, and gives the fibre a softer feel.^[9]

Architecture

A ten bay three storey early mill, with triple pitch roof and one internal stair column. The engine house is separate and possesses a square chimney.

Owners

Blackshaw Dyeing and Finishing Co
Ainsworth Mercerising Co
Lancashire Cotton Corporation (1930's-1964)

References

↑ LCC 1951
↑ Farrer, William; Brownbill, J, eds. (1911), "Great Bolton", A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5, British History Online, pp. 243–251, retrieved 2009-12-06
↑ Farrer, William; Brownbill, J, eds. (1911), "Bolton le Moors", A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5, British History Online, pp. 235–243, retrieved 2009-12-06
1 2 http://pad-planning.bury.gov.uk/DocExplorer/231/00/03/38/00033804.pdf Ainsworth Mill, Bury New Road. Breightmet, Bolton BL2 6QL. 1.0 Brief. To identify potential hazards relating to the proposed development
↑ Dunkerley 2009
↑ LCC 1951, p. 36
↑ J. Gordon Cook (1984). Handbook of Textile Fibres: Volume I: Natural Fibres. Woodhead. p. 68. ISBN 1-85573-484-2.
↑ Beaudet, Tom (1999). "What is Mercerized cotton?". FiberArts.org. Archived from the original on 5 December 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-03.
↑ Textile Technology: Cotton/Kenaf Fabrics: a Viable Natural Fabric, P. Bel-Berger, et al. Journal of Cotton Science, 3:60-70 (1999). The effects of different fabric treatments such as enzymes, bleaching, and mercerization were compared and measured for softness of hand. Mercerisation dramatically improved the softness of hand for both fabrics."

Bibliography

Dunkerley, Philip (2009). "Dunkerley-Tuson Family Website, The Regent Cotton Mill, Failsworth". Archived from the original on 12 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
LCC (1951). The mills and organisation of the Lancashire Cotton Corporation Limited. Blackfriars House, Manchester: Lancashire Cotton Corporation Limited.
Roberts, A S (1921), "Arthur Robert's Engine List", Arthur Roberts Black Book., One guy from Barlick-Book Transcription, retrieved 2009-01-11

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Textile mills in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.

Lancashire cotton

Architects	David Bellhouse Bradshaw Gass & Hope F.W. Dixon & Son Edward Potts Potts, Pickup & Dixon Stott Sidney Stott (later Sir Philip)

Engine makers	Daniel Adamson Ashton Frost Ashworth & Parker Bateman & Sherratt Boulton & Watt Browett, Lindley & Co Buckley & Taylor Carels Frères Earnshaw & Holt Fairbairn W & J Galloway & Sons Benjamin Goodfellow Hick, Hargreaves & Co Benjamin Hick and Sons John Musgrave & Sons J & W McNaught Petrie of Rochdale William Roberts & Co of Nelson George Saxon Scott & Hodgson Urmson & Thompson Yates of Blackburn Yates & Thom Willans & Robinson J & E Wood Woolstenhulmes & Rye

Machinery makers	Brooks & Doxey Butterworth & Dickinson Curtis, Parr & Walton Dobson & Barlow John Hetherington & Sons Joseph Hibbert John Pilling and Sons Harling & Todd Howard & Bullough Geo. Hattersley Asa Lees Mather & Platt Parr, Curtis & Madely British Northrop Loom Co Pemberton & Co Platt Brothers Taylor, Lang & Co Textile Machinery Makers Tweedales & Smalley T. Wildman & Sons

Mill owners	Elkanah Armitage Henry Ashworth Hugh Birley Hugh Hornby Birley Joseph Brotherton James Burton Peter Drinkwater Nathaniel Eckersley John Fielden William Gray Richard Howarth William Houldsworth John Kennedy Charles Macintosh Hugh Mason Samuel Oldknow Robert Peel John Rylands

Limited companies	Oldham Limiteds Fine Spinners and Doublers Lancashire Cotton Corporation Combined Egyptian Mills Ltd Courtaulds Bagley & Wright

Industrial processes	Textile manufacturing Cotton-spinning machinery Dref Friction Spinning Dandy loom Magnetic ring spinning Open end spinning Ring spinning Spinning frame Spinning jenny Spinning mule Steaming Water frame Roberts Loom Lancashire Loom Lancashire boiler

Associations	Amalgamated Association of Beamers, Twisters and Drawers (Hand and Machine) Amalgamated Association of Operative Cotton Spinners Amalgamated Textile Warehousemen's Association Amalgamated Textile Workers' Union Amalgamated Weavers' Association Burnley, Nelson, Rossendale and District Textile Workers' Union General Union of Loom Overlookers North East Lancashire Amalgamated Weavers' Association Northern Textile and Allied Workers' Union National Union of Textile and Allied Workers The Textile Institute United Textile Factory Workers' Association

Employment practices	More looms Kissing the shuttle Mule spinners' cancer Piece-rate list

Lists of mills	LCC mills Bolton Bury Cheshire Derbyshire Lancashire Manchester Oldham (borough) Preston Rochdale Salford Stockport Tameside Wigan Yorkshire

Museums	Bancroft Shed Helmshore Mills Queen Street Mill Weavers' Triangle Quarry Bank Mill, Styal

Pioneers	Richard Arkwright Samuel Crompton James Hargreaves Thomas Highs John Kay (flying shuttle) John Kay (spinning frame) Robert Owen

Lancashire Cotton Corporation

Bury	Pilot Mill, Bury Wilton Mill, Radcliffe

Bolton	Ainsworth Mill, Breightmet Bolton Union Mill, Bolton Century Mill, Farnworth

Lancashire	Coppull Mill Imperial Mill, Blackburn Mavis Mill

Manchester and Salford	Brunswick Mill, Ancoats May Mill, Pemberton Monton Mill, Eccles

Oldham	Ace Mill, Hollinwood Blackridings Mill, Oldham Dawn Mill, Shaw Fox Mill, Hollinwood Hawk Mill, Shaw Heron Mill, Hollinwood Junction Mill, Middleton Junction Kent Mill, Chadderton Laurel Mill, Middleton Junction Magnet Mill, Chadderton Majestic Mill, Waterhead Manor Mill, Chadderton Newby Mill, Shaw Orme Mill, Waterhead Regent Mill, Failsworth Royd Mill, Oldham Royton Ring Mill, Royton Rutland Mill, Shaw Textile Mill, Chadderton Trent Mill, Shaw

Rochdale	Arkwright Mill, Rochdale Harp Mill, Castleton Malta Mill, Middleton Mars Mill, Castleton

Stockport	Elder Mill, Romiley Kingston Mill, Stockport Palmer Mills, Stockport Vernon Mill, Stockport Welkin Mill, Lower Bredbury

Tameside	Atlas Mill, Ashton-under-Lyne Cedar Mill, Ashton-under-Lyne Rock Mill, Ashton-under-Lyne Saxon Mill, Droylsden Stalybridge Mill, Stalybridge Texas Mill, Ashton-under-Lyne Tudor Mill, Ashton-under-Lyne Waterside Mill, Ashton-under-Lyne

Wigan	Empress Mill, Ince May Mill, Pemberton Trencherfield Mill

West Yorkshire	Foxsons Mill, Staincliffe Mons Mill, Todmorden

Buildings and structures in Bolton Borough, England

Buildings	Astley Bridge Mill Bolton Town Hall Bolton Museum Bolton Steam Museum Bolton Union Mill Century Mill, Farnworth Eagley Mills 10 Firwood Fold 15 Firwood Fold Hall i' th' Wood Kearsley Mill Smithills Hall Swan Lane Mills Ye Olde Man & Scythe

Places of worship	All Souls Church, Bolton Holy Trinity Church, Horwich St George's Church, Bolton St James' Church, Daisy Hill St John the Evangelist's Church, Farnworth St Mary the Virgin's Church, Deane St Margaret's Church, Halliwell St Matthew's Church, Little Lever St Maxentius' Church, Bradshaw St Patrick's Church, Bolton St Peter's Church, Bolton St Saviour's Church, Ringley St Stephen and All Martyrs' Church, Lever Bridge St Thomas' Church, Halliwell Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

Education	Bolton School Bolton TIC Rivington and Blackrod High School University of Bolton

Transportation	Bolton bus station Bolton Interchange Bolton railway station Blackrod railway station Farnworth railway station Horwich Parkway railway station Kearsley railway station Lostock railway station Moses Gate railway station Ringley Old Bridge Westhoughton railway station

Shopping complexes	Middlebrook

Sport and Entertainment	Bolton Arena Bolton Little Theatre Macron Stadium Octagon Theatre

Demolished	Burnden Park Lostock Junction Mills Chequerbent railway station Chequerbent railway station (1831) Grundy Hill Horwich railway station Westhoughton Mill

Lists	List of schools in Bolton List of mills in Bolton

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