Mellin and Craven

of Thornes, Wakefield

Mellin = Richard Mellin?

1850 'ENGINEERING FEAT AT THE NEW SOAP WORKS, THORNES. — The large chimney built by Messrs. Mellin and Craven, for the use of their dye works, has long been overhanging the centre of its base from four to five feet, and ere long this huge mass of 200 tons of brickwork would in all probability have fallen with a tremendous crash. To prevent this, Mr. Simpson, the proprietor, applied to our townsman. Mr. Green, engineer, who engaged to bring it back to a perpendicular position. On Thursday morning week the workmen commenced, under Mr. Green's directions, to cut out about four-fifths of one course of bricks near the bottom of the chimney, taking care to fill the cavity thus made with a mixture of new lime and earth. On Wednesday, during a heavy gale of wind, the last brick was cut out; and, as was expected, during this last operation, the chimney began to move slowly, but still perceptibly; the new lime and earth gradually yielded to the immense pressure, and were removed so that in three hours the open space of nearly four inches, which had been made as above described, closed. The chimney had lowered on one side nearly four inches, and gone over at the top more than four feet to a perpendicular position!— Wakefield Journal.'

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