Bob's Mellor Mill Diary

Four of us went to visit Queen Street Mill in Burnley yesterday.This is a weaving mill, built in 1894, powered by a William Roberts of Nelson tandem compound steam engine.  Two eight foot diameter by  thirty foot long lancashire boilers, similar to the two that were at at Mellor Mill, provide the steam.  Volunteers, working on the Boiler House and Engine House at Mellor Mill were thrilled to able to see a 'Mill in steam'.  These visits play an important role in giving volunteers a greater understanding of how Mellor Mill may have operated. It was a great visit much enhanced by the enthusiasm of the staff.

http://youtu.be/2WgQIz1TWsg

 You never quite know what is going to pose the next question when excavating down at Mellor Mill.  Whilst moving some spoil last weekend I happened on what appears to be a piece of slate flooring tile. It really didn't seem to be any different from much of the other umpteen tons of overburden we have been shifting to get down to the hard archaeology.  However, when I turned this piece over there was a mark carved in the underside.  It looks like a cross inside a pair of brackets (X). The immediate                                                   thought was that it is a mason's mark, such as can be found on a number of the ashlar blocks forming the headrace of the Wellington wheel pit.  Later in the evening, at home, I  picked up my copy of "The Rise and Fall of King Cotton" (the latest in a long line of tomes, connected with the textile industry, to adorn my bookshelves) and there, leaping out at me from the front of the dust cover, was an almost identical symbol representing the Union Movement. (right) Can they be the same?  Why is it carved on the underside of the slate tile?  Did the carver want this to be an anonymous message?

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Whilst at The Manchester Histories Fair at Manchester Town Hall Samuel was invited by Didsbury Councillor Andrew Taylor to visit the Inner Courtyard.  Later on he was to meet Queen Victoria to discuss the meteoric rise of the entrepreneur.  The Queen didn't think there was a credible challenge to the landed gentry and commented, "It is all a question of breeding my dear".

Oh dear!  No digging for me tomorrow.
We have spent today setting out our stall for tomorrow's Manchester Histories Festival Celebration Day 2014.  Samuel Oldknow will be there at Manchester Town Hall from 11 am to 4 pm.  The event is free to the public and there are some 68 stalls to visit - I think it is going to be very exciting.  In the picture we have Ann and John Hearle, Nick Smith and Fiona Turpin busy putting up our great selection of photographs taken by Arthur Procter the Revealing Oldknow's Legacy project official photographer.  More news for the diary tomorrow.