This is an industrial & social history of two mills in Cheshire, dating back to 1760, where Chris served his apprenticeship between 1959 & 1966. He captures the culture of the place with stories about fellow workers at the time on his employment. It will interest followers of our industrial heritage and those seeking anecdotal and true life tales.
This book provides an industrial and social history of the people and business activities at two mills in rural Cheshire, known as ‘Dane Mills Bosley’.
This is where author Chris R. Pownall served his engineering apprenticeship between 1959 and 1966. The very fond memories of that period have prompted him to write about the culture, as well as the industrial processes in operation at that time.
There is a brief over-view of the history of the mills, which date back to the mid-eighteenth century. They were originally constructed by the famous industrialist Charles Roe, who engaged the services of engineer, James Brindley, to harness waterpower from the nearby River Dane and Bosley Brook.
The mills have been used for different purposes, beginning with the refining of copper and brass into sheet and wire. Textile manufacturing, both silk and cotton followed on from the metallurgical processes, and more recently, the mills have been engaged in the grinding of various products and materials, ranging from corn in the beginning, to a wide range of organic fibres in the present day.
Chris has focused upon the people employed at the mills during his time, listing most of their names, and recording stories about fellow workers, that have remained in his memory after all this time.
The book will appeal to those interested in local history as well as followers of our industrial heritage, over a period of two and half centuries.
Inevitably, in works by this author, there is humour as well as a more serious record of Chris’ apprenticeship as a fitter, plus a short period in the drawing office.
I’m very proud of my humble background, born into a loving family in the small Cheshire village of Bosley, in the United Kingdom. Sadly my Father died when I was nine years of age, leaving my mother Lucy to look after my sister Cynthia and I, until we were able to fend for ourselves. I left school at the age of fifteen with no qualifications, but managed to secure an engineering apprenticeship at a nearby mill. It was hard work with long hours, and I had to study at a college of further education until I was 22 years of age. Having completed my apprenticeship, I was promoted to the drawing office, but then developed itchy feet and thought of ways to broaden my horizons and travel the world. I joined the Merchant Navy and this was the break I needed to get me away from my roots, in the discovery of pastures new. As it transpired, the life at sea proved to be unsuitable for me and after my initial training and one trip to the Far East; I decided to move on once again. I secured a position as a design draughtsman with an engineering manufacturing company, which was to expand my engineering skills, but again, it wasn’t what I really wanted to do. I am a very sociable individual and love meeting people and discovering new things and visiting interesting places. My fortunes substantially changed when I was appointed by James Walker & Co Ltd as a trainee technical sales representative. This was to be the beginning of a long career lasting almost [...]
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