- Joined
- Feb 1, 2008
- Messages
- 147
- Reaction score
- 62
Royd Mill, Holinwood, Oldham
Royd mill was built 1907 mill and was designed by A.J.Howcroft, and has all the features common in an Edwardian era Mill. It is five storeys high on a cellar where the cotton would be conditioned. An external engine shed, behind the chimney. And a prominent water tower, there are other stair towers but the main one is in the water tower. All this is placed next to the mill lodge, a reservoir used to provide cooling water for the engines and condenser. HOWEVER the lodge has been recently filled in pending demolition and site clearance.
Royd Mill was built in 1907 for Messrs Murgatroyd of Sunnybank House, but taken over shortly after by Royd Mill Ltd, and extended in 1912. The industry peaked that year when it produced 8 billion yards of cloth. The Great War of 1914–18 halted the supply of raw cotton, and the British government encouraged its colonies to build their own mills to spin and weave cotton. The war over, Lancashire never regained its markets. The independent mills were struggling, but Royd mill expanded again in 1924.
The Bank of England set up the Lancashire Cotton Corporation in 1929 to attempt to rationalise and save the industry. Royd Mill, Oldham was one of 104 mills bought by the LCC, and one of the 53 mills that survived through to 1950, and continued spinning under Courtaulds Ltd until 1981.
In 1915, Royd mill had 80,000 mule spindles by local textile firm Asa Lees of Greenacres, Oldham, and Howard & Bullough of Accrington, Lancashire.
Its more recent history is hard to pin down, although it seems a company involved in garment processing called Raygrade Ltd owned the mill from the early 80s till VERY recently. the fate of Raygrade is difficult to pin down. there are traces of other companies using the mill, although I suspect they were Raygrade by different names! The mill is STILL advertised as being "to let or for Sale" but the end is VERY VERY near, I have it on good authority that the high reach moves on the mill next week, and will start munching it down almost immediately..
NO report is complete without a toilet shot![Big grin :D :D](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Every floor had a MASSIVE air filtration system on it, this is part of it.
Canteen!
Cant get enough of the window sunshine shots
The 2 doors contained the massive air filters
this wall was COVERED in beer mats from the 70s and 80s!
The next part of the mill we entered contains (for me) the BEST bit.. the mill engine house..
The steam engine was built by J & E Wood of Bolton and developed 900 hp. The cylinders, of 18.5, 28.5, and 43in bore by 3 ft 6in stroke, were all fitted with Corliss-valves, which in contrast to the maker's usual practice were fitted at the opposite sides of the cylinders. It ran at 94rpm, driving by 20 ropes from a 14 ft flywheel. The three Tetlow "Lancashire" boilers supplied steam at 180psi to drive the engine. In 1961 electric drives were installed, and the engine was sadly scrapped, Although the boilers were retained, at least one of them being used to heat the building till the early 80s.
The engine house tiles are DIVINE!
Flywheel pit, Roperace and tiles..
Where one of the original Lancashire boilers would have been stood!
burner controls on the current gas boiler.
chimney base vent
i found this while searching for info, its the ORIGINAL boilers at Royd![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Thanks for looking...
B..
![DSC_9442_zps90d314fc.jpg DSC_9442_zps90d314fc.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144116-DSC-9442-zps90d314fc.jpg)
Royd mill was built 1907 mill and was designed by A.J.Howcroft, and has all the features common in an Edwardian era Mill. It is five storeys high on a cellar where the cotton would be conditioned. An external engine shed, behind the chimney. And a prominent water tower, there are other stair towers but the main one is in the water tower. All this is placed next to the mill lodge, a reservoir used to provide cooling water for the engines and condenser. HOWEVER the lodge has been recently filled in pending demolition and site clearance.
![DSC_9313_zps994cbcb3.jpg DSC_9313_zps994cbcb3.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144117-DSC-9313-zps994cbcb3.jpg)
Royd Mill was built in 1907 for Messrs Murgatroyd of Sunnybank House, but taken over shortly after by Royd Mill Ltd, and extended in 1912. The industry peaked that year when it produced 8 billion yards of cloth. The Great War of 1914–18 halted the supply of raw cotton, and the British government encouraged its colonies to build their own mills to spin and weave cotton. The war over, Lancashire never regained its markets. The independent mills were struggling, but Royd mill expanded again in 1924.
![DSC_9347_zps23a19992.jpg DSC_9347_zps23a19992.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144118-DSC-9347-zps23a19992.jpg)
The Bank of England set up the Lancashire Cotton Corporation in 1929 to attempt to rationalise and save the industry. Royd Mill, Oldham was one of 104 mills bought by the LCC, and one of the 53 mills that survived through to 1950, and continued spinning under Courtaulds Ltd until 1981.
![DSC_9319_zps251e8fb0.jpg DSC_9319_zps251e8fb0.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144119-DSC-9319-zps251e8fb0.jpg)
In 1915, Royd mill had 80,000 mule spindles by local textile firm Asa Lees of Greenacres, Oldham, and Howard & Bullough of Accrington, Lancashire.
![DSC_9310_zps96c20612.jpg DSC_9310_zps96c20612.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144120-DSC-9310-zps96c20612.jpg)
Its more recent history is hard to pin down, although it seems a company involved in garment processing called Raygrade Ltd owned the mill from the early 80s till VERY recently. the fate of Raygrade is difficult to pin down. there are traces of other companies using the mill, although I suspect they were Raygrade by different names! The mill is STILL advertised as being "to let or for Sale" but the end is VERY VERY near, I have it on good authority that the high reach moves on the mill next week, and will start munching it down almost immediately..
![DSC_9322_zps8a69624c.jpg DSC_9322_zps8a69624c.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144121-DSC-9322-zps8a69624c.jpg)
![DSC_9323_zps3331f298.jpg DSC_9323_zps3331f298.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144122-DSC-9323-zps3331f298.jpg)
![DSC_9332_zpsf863b13e.jpg DSC_9332_zpsf863b13e.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144123-DSC-9332-zpsf863b13e.jpg)
NO report is complete without a toilet shot
![DSC_9350_zpsa6982aaa.jpg DSC_9350_zpsa6982aaa.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144124-DSC-9350-zpsa6982aaa.jpg)
Every floor had a MASSIVE air filtration system on it, this is part of it.
![DSC_9356_zps0748a563.jpg DSC_9356_zps0748a563.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144125-DSC-9356-zps0748a563.jpg)
Canteen!
![DSC_9362_zps1bce4089.jpg DSC_9362_zps1bce4089.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144126-DSC-9362-zps1bce4089.jpg)
Cant get enough of the window sunshine shots
![DSC_9365_zps13abdbd5.jpg DSC_9365_zps13abdbd5.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144127-DSC-9365-zps13abdbd5.jpg)
![DSC_9366_zpsf6e46618.jpg DSC_9366_zpsf6e46618.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144128-DSC-9366-zpsf6e46618.jpg)
The 2 doors contained the massive air filters
![DSC_9372_zpsacda4619.jpg DSC_9372_zpsacda4619.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144129-DSC-9372-zpsacda4619.jpg)
![DSC_9375_zpsa2383cc8.jpg DSC_9375_zpsa2383cc8.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144130-DSC-9375-zpsa2383cc8.jpg)
![DSC_9376_zps4ffcc6f5.jpg DSC_9376_zps4ffcc6f5.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144131-DSC-9376-zps4ffcc6f5.jpg)
this wall was COVERED in beer mats from the 70s and 80s!
![DSC_9397_zps3ce01ba6.jpg DSC_9397_zps3ce01ba6.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144132-DSC-9397-zps3ce01ba6.jpg)
![DSC_9400_zps36af199b.jpg DSC_9400_zps36af199b.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144133-DSC-9400-zps36af199b.jpg)
![DSC_9402_zps859b5958.jpg DSC_9402_zps859b5958.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144134-DSC-9402-zps859b5958.jpg)
The next part of the mill we entered contains (for me) the BEST bit.. the mill engine house..
The steam engine was built by J & E Wood of Bolton and developed 900 hp. The cylinders, of 18.5, 28.5, and 43in bore by 3 ft 6in stroke, were all fitted with Corliss-valves, which in contrast to the maker's usual practice were fitted at the opposite sides of the cylinders. It ran at 94rpm, driving by 20 ropes from a 14 ft flywheel. The three Tetlow "Lancashire" boilers supplied steam at 180psi to drive the engine. In 1961 electric drives were installed, and the engine was sadly scrapped, Although the boilers were retained, at least one of them being used to heat the building till the early 80s.
The engine house tiles are DIVINE!
![DSC_9411_zps240b381c.jpg DSC_9411_zps240b381c.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144135-DSC-9411-zps240b381c.jpg)
Flywheel pit, Roperace and tiles..
![DSC_9424_zpsc4832e4d.jpg DSC_9424_zpsc4832e4d.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144136-DSC-9424-zpsc4832e4d.jpg)
Where one of the original Lancashire boilers would have been stood!
![DSC_9431_zpsdd0ee70c.jpg DSC_9431_zpsdd0ee70c.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144137-DSC-9431-zpsdd0ee70c.jpg)
burner controls on the current gas boiler.
![DSC_9435_zps3d410f2a.jpg DSC_9435_zps3d410f2a.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144138-DSC-9435-zps3d410f2a.jpg)
chimney base vent
![DSC_9438_zps2df24a60.jpg DSC_9438_zps2df24a60.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144139-DSC-9438-zps2df24a60.jpg)
i found this while searching for info, its the ORIGINAL boilers at Royd
![404155_51571e29.jpg 404155_51571e29.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/derelictplaces/data/attach/144/144140-404155-51571e29.jpg)
Thanks for looking...
B..