DOBROYD MILLS

Dobroyd Lane

Todmorden

Map Ref. SD 932238 (lower)

Map Ref. SD 931238 (upper)

Part of the Lower Mill

Known occupiers

1794-1822

GREENWOOD Samuel

1804-1809

DAWSON John

1804-1837

COCKCROFT George

c1812

MARLAND John

1821-1825

GAUKROGER & HORSFALL

GAUKROGER Titus

1832-1879

FIELDEN Bros.

c1841

Upper Mill demolished

1880

Not listed in rate books

Demolished

Notes

Before 1800 there were two mills at Dobroyd, upper and lower. John Travis tells us “Dobroyd-lane led to two old mills and to a roller maker’s works, once occupied by John Marland, and afterwards by Joseph Hirst.”

It is now almost impossible to determine who occupied which mill until the railway was built about 1840. The railway line cut through the land, leaving the lower mill intact. The upper mill had to be demolished, although the dams are still in evidence. John Travis says: “THE MARLANDS had a workshop at Higher Dobroyd where there were dams and a water wheel in a building that had probably been used in the woollen trade, which stood where the railway line now passes through the site, and on which the lower warehouse stands, which then was a farm house and barn contiguous to the workshop. Here the iron-workers plied their trade about 1812 and afterwards moved to WATERSTALLS.”

By 1832, the Fielden Brothers of WATERSIDE MILL had acquired the lower mill. George Cockcroft, a butcher and piece-maker of Dobroyd Lane Bottom, must have been working the higher mill as he continues to appear in various Trade Directories until 1837. By 1841 he seems to have given up the manufacturing business. Samuel Greenwood, who was manufacturing cotton at Dobroyd before 1794, was still there in 1822 and then disappears from the Directories. If George Cockcroft did run the upper mill, then Samuel Greenwood may have run the lower mill, followed by Gaukroger & Horsfall, and later acquired by the Fielden Brothers.

Dobroyd Lane bottom with the house of John Fielden MP to the right and George Cockcroft's property to the left. This lane led to the 2 mills.

1794

Samuel Greenwood, occupier of Dobroyd Mill owned by Robert Atkinson, supported the bill for the Rochdale Canal.

Land Tax Assessments 1796, 1797 and 1803

Owned by Robert Atkinson, occupied by Samuel Greenwood, Dobroyd, tax £1.0s.2d.

Dean’s Manchester Directory 1804

George Cockcroft, fustian, Todmorden, attending Manchester markets

1809

Will of John Dawson, cotton spinner of Dobroyd

Extract of will of John Dawson

1769-1809

This is the last will and testament of me, John Dawson of Dobroyd in Todmorden in the Parish of Rochdale and County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, as follows:   Whereas I have a third part, and George Cockcroft hath two thirds parts, of the machinery in the factory at Dobroyd aforesaid, and George Cockcroft hath a lease of the said factory for a term of years not yet expired; and we made a verbal agreement that we should work the said machinery together as one concern and join at all expenses, profits and losses in proportion to our respective shares therein, so long as we should carry on the concern. And it was also agreed that I should have liberty to continue the said concern during the whole of the term of his lease, or draw out at any sooner time, the machinery being valued at a fair price and George Cockcroft to pay me the price so set upon my third part thereof. Now I do will that my Executors hereinafter named do continue the said business until the first day of May in the year 1811 if they find it convenient so to do.

The site of the Upper Mill before the railway arrived

Crompton’s 1811 spindle enquiry

Dobroyd Upper Factory, 2328 mule spindles; 6 x 19doz. 4 x 20doz.

1812-13

George Cockcroft, Dobroyd, appears in Jeremiah Jackson’s accounts book

Leigh’s Directory 1818

George Cockcroft, cotton manufacturer and butcher, Dobroyd.

Samuel Greenwood & Sons, cotton manufacturers, Dobroyd.

1821

Gaukroger & Horsfall, Dobroyd, appear in Jeremiah Jackson’s account book.

Baines 1822

George Cockcroft, Dobroyd, cotton manufacturer and butcher.

Samuel Greenwood & Sons, cotton manufacturers, Dobroyd.

Baines 1824

George Cockcroft, calico & fustian manufacturers

Pigot & Deane 1824-25

Titus Gaukroger, Dobroyd

Baines 1825

George Cockcroft, calico and fustian manufacturers

Baines 1828

George Cockcroft, fustian manufacturer, Dobroyd

Pigot 1828-29

George Cockcroft, fustian etc. manufacturer

Parson & White 1830

George Cockcroft senior, cotton manufacturer.

Lower Mill with a railway track running

into the warehouse

Fielden papers 1832

Dobroyd Mill valuation: cotton preparation, 1,512 mule spindles, 1.5hp. water and 1hp steam engine, buildings and power valued at £950, machinery at £489

Pigot 1834

George Cockcroft, manufacturers of cotton goods

Baines 1837

George Cockcroft, cotton manufacturers, Dobroyd

1841 census

George Cockcroft, Dobroyd, aged 70, butcher

Fielden papers 1856

Dobroyd Mill used for cop waste breaking-up, employed 3 hands, powered by steam and water.

Todmorden Rates Book 1860-65

Owned and occupied by Fielden Bros. Dobroyd; cotton mill; part empty; rateable value £61.18s.6d. New warehouse £176.18s.8d.

Todmorden Rates Book 1866-79

Owned and occupied by Fielden Bros. Dobroyd; cotton mill; part empty; rateable value £38.9s.0d.

Todmorden Rates Book 1880

Not listed