Newton Street Mills, Manchester
of Newton Street, Manchester
Started in 1796, Newton Street Mill was one of 30 late 18thC cotton mills identified in central Manchester.[1].
1815 Thomas Houldsworth and Co employed 622 people in their large Newton Street Mills (compared with Murray's 1215 and McConnel and Kennedy's 1020 hands).[2]
The 1849 O.S. map and Adshead's 1851 Maps of Manchester show Houldsworth & Co's cotton mills on Newton Street, close to Great Ancoats Street. There were two mills, the larger one measuring 365 ft by 120 ft, with two central courtyards, bounded by Newton St., Friday St., Little Lever St. and Ancoats St. A tunnel under Newton Street connected the large mill to a smaller building (cotton picking works) on the opposite side of Newton Street.
Bancks's 1831 map shows that at that time the large mill comprised two buildings of similar size, either side of Warwick Street. At some point they were joined into one by building over Warwick Street, which remained a right of way through tunnel-like passages 18 ft wide, with the top of the arch at the level of the mill's 5th floor, 29.5 ft above the road on the Newton Street side, and 19 ft high on the Little Lever Street side. 1904 photos here and here. Impressive 1906 photo of the mill here [3]
Goad's Insurance Plans show that by 1888 the large building was used by a variety of businesses, although Thomas Houldsworth & Co continued to use several parts. There were two boilers and a 50 HP engine at the north end of the building. The premises on the east side of Newton Street had been altered, and were no longer used by Houldsworth.
1891 Directory: Listed. More details