The old Imperial Mill-Blackburn

[Accyexplorer]

Imperial Mill, Blackburn is a (Grade 2 listed) cotton spinning mill in Greenbank, Blackburn, Lancashire.

In 1797 the first purpose-built spinning mill was constructed in Blackburn, and by 1824 there were 24 such mills. By 1870 there were 2.5 million spindles in Blackburn, with 24 spinning mills having been constructed since 1850. Spinning declined in the town between 1870–1900, as this sector of the cotton industry moved to South Lancashire.
Blackburn was principally a weaving town, and in the 1890s had suffered hard times. In 1890, Blackburn's Chamber of Commerce recognised that the town was over-dependent on the cotton industry, warning of the dangers of "only having one string to their bow in Blackburn". The Imperial Mill, was opened in 1901. It was designed as a large spinning mill using the cheaper to operate ring frame. As it was far closer that the traditional mule mills in Oldham, the local weaving sheds could save on the rail freight charges on their raw material. Again, unusual for Blackburn it was financed by a share issue in the manner of the Oldham Limiteds; previously in Blackburn, new mills had been built only when profit from existing mills had accumulated so the mill could be paid for out right.
The industry produced 8 billion yards of cloth at its peak in 1912. The great war of 1914- 1918 halted the supply of raw cotton, and the British government encouraged its colonies to build mills to spin and weave cotton. Certain towns were harder hit, as they had specialised in forms of cottton that were only required in markets where the link had been severed. The war over, Lancashire never regained its markets. The independent mills were struggling. The Bank of England set up the Lancashire Cotton Corporation in 1929 to attempt to rationalise and save the industry. Imperial Mill, Blackburn was one of 104 mills bought by the LCC, and one of the 53 mills that survived through to 1950. It was taken over be Courtaulds and spinning stopped in 1980. The chimney was demolished but the mill survived, though by 2008 it had been unoccupied for 15 years, the council is trying to see it refurbished.(wiki)
Nowadays Its home to Lancashire saw Company and not much else.

ENJOY


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[flashy]

there are some beautiful old mills along that stretch of the canal, if you go further on toward Blackburn town you also have Daisyfield Mill, those buildings where certainly built to last

[Accyexplorer]

Originally Posted by flashy

there are some beautiful old mills along that stretch of the canal, if you go further on toward Blackburn town you also have Daisyfield Mill, those buildings where certainly built to last

That's correct. What a Beautiful building Daisyfield Mil is.

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On the other side of the canal across from it there's a old mill too,Its home to a scrapyard now

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A pic of Blackburn from inside

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