COPPERAS WORKS AND MILL

Copperas House

Walsden

Map ref. SD 930228

Copperas House works in 2005

Known occupiers

1843-1865

CROSSLEY Abraham & Thomas

1851-1865

WHITAKER Edmund cotton & sizers

1860-1865

CROSSLEY Hamer & Abraham

1865

To let

1866-1881

HAIGH Reuben & Co.

1867-1870

LORD William & HORSFALL John

1871-1873

UTTLEY Samuel Fielden sizer

1874

CROSSLEY Thomas

1875-1876

COPPERAS HOUSE SIZING COMPANY

1877

GIBSON & DEWHIRST sizers

1879-1891

STUTTARD M & Bros. Sizers

1880-1881

STARKIE Bros. Reed makers

1888

Size works demolished

1890

ASHWORTH George

1891

BENTLEY E. H. Laundry

Current

site still in use for chemical bagging

Copperas House works from the Rochdale Canal

Notes, mainly from John Travis

COPPERAS (Fr. couperose; Lat. cupri rosa. the flower of copper), green vitriol, or ferrous sulphate, having a bluish-green color and an astringent, inky and somewhat sweetish taste. It is used in dyeing and tanning, and in the manufacture of ink and of Nordhausen sulphuric acid or fuming oil of vitriol.

Abraham and Thomas Crossley (owner-occupiers 1843-1865) were father and son. Abraham was a copperas manufacturer, a son of Abraham of KNOWLWOOD BOTTOM MILL. Thomas was a manufacturing chemist.

Hamer and Abraham Crossley (occupiers 1860-1865) were brothers and nephews of Abraham the copperas manufacturer. They used part of the buildings at Copperas House for carpet weaving and printing. They were both dealers in dye wares.

William Lord and John Horsfall (occupiers 1867-1870) purchased the machinery from Edmund Whittaker when Edmund’s lease expired at Copperas House. William Lord was the only son of Thomas Lord of LORD BROS. machine makers. John Horsfall had long been a practical manager in cotton spinning at the Bottomley’s mill at RAMSDEN WOOD.

"John Horsfall, who was choirmaster for fifty years, and to whom more than anyone else may be attributed the hearty singing of today." (Sketch about KNOWLWOOD CHAPEL written in 1904 by William Dickinson)

About the time work should have commenced at Copperas House, something unexpected occurred and the partnership dissolved. Mr. Horsfall remained in charge until the auction. The mill afterwards stood empty for some time.

Samuel Fielden Uttley (occupier 1871-1873) took over the lease after Lord and Horsfall. He was the eldest son of Thomas Uttley, manager for the Fieldens at Waterside Mill.). He used it as a warp sizing place. He engaged a practical man to manage and worked for 2 or 3 years with varying results. Eventually, M. Stuttard and Bros. took the place.

Stuttard and Bros. (owners and occupiers 1879-1890) later bought the newer part of KNOWLWOOD BOTTOM MILL and moved their sizing machinery and plant to there.

Additional information

researched, recorded and referenced by Mrs Sheila Wade

Hebden Bridge WEA

 Local History Group

Walsden Rates Book 1860

Owner and occupier Abraham Crossley, copperas works, Copperas House, Rateable Value £17.1s.8d.

Walsden Rates Book 1860-65

Occupiers Crossley brothers, owner Abraham Crossley, loom shop, 3hp steam, Copperas House, £20.15s.4d.

Walsden Rates Book 1861-62

Occupier Young Jackson, owner Abraham Crossley, copperas works, Copperas House, RV £17.1s.8d.

Walsden Rates Book 1863-66

Occupier Thomas Crossley, owner Abraham Crossley, copperas works, Copperas House, RV £17.1s.8d.

Halifax Guardian 8th June 1865

To be sold or let, freehold mill called Copperas House Mill, Todmorden. Apply John Crossley of Gauxholme, John Lacy of Underbank, or Thomas Helliwell of Greenhurst Hey near Todmorden.

White’s Directory 1866

Reuben Haigh & Co. cotton spinners & manufacturers

Walsden Rates Book 1866

Occupier Thomas Crossley, owners R. Haigh & Co., copperas works and loom shed, Copperas House, RV £28.12s.0d.

Occupiers and owners Reuben Haigh & Co. cotton mill and power, Copperas House, RV £139.15s.0d

Walsden Rates Book 1867

Occupiers and owners Reuben Haigh & Co. cotton mill with power, Copperas House, RV £139.15s.0d. part empty.

Occupiers Wrigley and Horsfall, owners Reuben Haigh & Co. copperas works and loom shed, Copperas House, RV £28.12s.0d.

Walsden Rates Book 1868

Occupiers Lord, Wrigley and Horsfall, owners Reuben Haigh & Co. cotton mill and power, Copperas House, RV £139.15s.0d.

Part empty.

Walsden Rates Book 1869

Occupiers Lord and Horsfall, owners A. and T. Crossley, cotton mill and power, Copperas House, RV £139.15s.0d.

Part empty.

Walsden Rates Book 1870

Copperas works empty

Occupiers Lord and Horsfall, owners Haigh & Co. mill and power, Copperas House, RV £139.15s.0d.

Halifax Guardian 22nd October 1870

Sale by private contract, ex Copperas House Mill, Walsden. Whole of cotton machinery: 6000 spindles for mule spinning and 1400 for throstle spinning, with necessary preparing; about 50 looms principally made by Lord Brothers of Todmorden.  (above were auctioned on 23rd November 1870)

Kelly’s Directory 1871

Samuel Fielden Uttley, warp sizer.

Halifax Guardian 11th Feb 1871

Chimney blown down in gale, Copperas Bridge – 35 yards high. It has long been shaky.

Walsden Rates Book 1871-73

Occupier Samuel F. Uttley, owners Haigh & Co. size house and power, Copperas House, RV £168.7s.0d.

Halifax Guardian 27th December 1873

Meeting of creditors of Samuel Fielden Uttley, warp sizer of Walsden. Liabilities £4,371.18s.5d. Assets £1,659.11s.5d.

Walsden Rates Book 1874

Occupier Thomas Crossley, owners Haigh & Co. size house and power, Copperas House, RV £168.7s.0d.

Walsden Rates Book 1875-76

Occupiers Copperas House Sizing Co. owners Haigh & Co. size house and power, Copperas House, RV £168.7s.0d.

Kelly’s Directory 1877

Gibson & Dewhirst, warp sizers

Halifax Courier 29th December 1877

Bankrupt; William Gibson, cotton warp sizer, Copperas House. Liabilities £578.

Walsden Rates Book 1879

Occupiers Stuttard Bros., owners Haigh & Co., size house and power, Copperas House, RV £168.7s.0d.

Walsden Rates Book 1880-81

Occupiers Starkie Bros. Owners Haigh & Co. workshop, Copperas House, RV £31.15s.0d.

Occupiers Stuttard Bros. Owners Haigh & Co. size and chemical works, Copperas House, RV £129.10s.0d.

Walsden Rates Book 1883

Owners and occupiers Stuttard Bros. New chemical works, Copperas House, RV £8.10s.0d.

Walsden Rates Book 1888

Owners Stuttard Bros. Demolished, size works and chemicals.

Walsden Rates Book 1890

Owner Stuttard Bros. Occupier George Ashworth, workshop, Copperas House, RV £18.5s.0d.

Owners and occupiers Stuttard Bros. Chemical works, Copperas House, RV £8.10s.0d.

Walsden Rates Book 1891

Occupier E. H. Bentley, owners Stuttard Bros. Laundry, Copperas House, RV £18.5s.0d.

1891 Mills Directory

Matthew Stuttard and Bros. Ltd. Cotton Warp Sizers, Copperas House Mill and at Rochdale and Whitworth, pay day third Wednesday 2-4pm. Manchester Office: 5a Marsden Street, Telegrams "Stuttard, Walsden"