Clothier
1781 Built Brownhill Bridge Mill.
The Mill was one of the first to be built and was first used for teazing (opening up the wool) and then scribbling (a part of carding to open and mix the fibres). A 1780s scribbling mill would be driven by a water wheel. Each scribbler would require 15–45 horsepower (11–34 kW) to operate. The Mill continued to be used in the processing of wool until the mid C20 and was powered by the water-wheel until the 1920's.
'Below the village, at the bottom of Nicker
Brow, is Brownhill Bridge Mill, built in the 1770s
alongside the Diggle Brook, near its confluence
with the River Tame. It is the oldest surviving
example of these early mills in a form that has seen
no drastic changes. Externally, the oldest part of
the building resembles a typical weaver’s house,
with the usual rows of mullioned windows. It
housed a water wheel, with the mill pond behind.
It was never steam powered and never employed
more than a handful of workers. The old single
arch packhorse bridge is close to the mill'.
Saddleworth:
https://www.mangeogsoc.org.uk/pdfs/manchestergeographies/Manchester_Geographies_10_Theakstone.pdf 1793. Proprietor of the Manor of Saddleworth.
1798. Inherited Bridge House.
Yeoman of Bridge House
Will proved 13 Jul 1820:
https://archivecat.lancashire.gov.uk/calmview/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=W%2fCW%2fSupra%2fC756%2f52&pos=3 Ref:
Information from Karen McGrath, Sep 2023
Historic England entry for Bownhill Bridge Mill:
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1309426 Carding:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carding Dobcross trail:
https://gmwalking.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Dobcross-Trail1.pdf Inside the mill:
https://twitter.com/he_northwest/status/933024718243975171 Source - birth of daughter:
"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5JJ-9SD : 30 December 2014), Alice Winterbottom, 17 Jan 1768; citing SADDLEWORTH,YORK,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 558,358, 558,359.
Source - christening:
"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N5L4-CY9 : 30 December 2014), Robert Winterbottom, 03 Nov 1734; citing SAINT MARY,OLDHAM,LANCASHIRE,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 0093574-0093576.
