STONEHOUSE MILLS AND THE CLOTH INDUSTRY

from Victoria History of Gloucester Vol 10

Henry and Frederick Eycott, Saul Lusty, Clutterbuck and others.

Note King’s Stanley and Leonard Stanley parishes of Stroud abut Stonehouse.

From the 16th to the early 20th century the manufacture of woollen cloth was the main source of employment for the inhabitants of Stonehouse. The earliest mention found of a fulling-mill in the parish was in 1469, three were working there by 1517, four in the late 16th century, and seven in the 18th century; the history of the nine separate mills that have been found recorded is traced below. Weavers were recorded in the parish from 1540. (fn. 81) In 1608 29 people employed in the cloth trade were enumerated as against 17 employed in other trades and 10 in agriculture: they included 6 clothiers, 12 weavers, 7 fullers, and 4 dyers. (fn. 82) During the 18th century over 20 clothiers were recorded at Stonehouse, (fn. 83) and 10 weavers of broad cloth there took parish apprentices between 1724 and 1785. (fn. 84) Among those employed at the mills, shearmen were mentioned in 1709 (fn. 85) and 1788, (fn. 86) and a wool-scribbler in 1772. (fn. 87) A dyer lived at Westrip in 1767. (fn. 88)

In the first half of the 19th century the rebuilding and reorganization of some of the cloth-mills of the parish and the adaptation of the remainder to other purposes reflected the change to a factory system in the industry. In 1833 it was said that the bulk of the weaving in the area was carried on in factories, (fn. 89) and in 1839 only one mill, the Oil Mill which apparently ceased cloth production soon afterwards, still depended entirely on outdoor weavers. (fn. 90) The distress among the weavers, that was attendant on the changes, was said to have been considerable, but in 1839 their condition was found to be better than in neighbouring parishes, with constant employment at good wages obtainable at the mills. The remaining outdoor weavers, whose average earnings were higher than in most of the other clothing parishes, were then mainly master-weavers usually with two looms. (fn. 91) Two weaving-shops in Stonehouse village and one adjoining the Spa Inn at Oldend were mentioned in 1840; (fn. 92) there are said to have still been several, some of them attached to farm buildings, in the parish c. 1870. (fn. 93) Cloth production in the parish during the later 19th century was carried on by three firms, at Ebley Mill, Stonehouse Upper and Lower Mills, and Bond's Mill, (fn. 94) and the industry continued to give employment to a large proportion of the inhabitants until the early 20th century. Between 1827 and 1861 41 cloth-workers were admitted to membership of a Stonehouse dissenting chapel. (fn. 95) Those employed in dependent trades of the industry in the 19th and early 20th centuries included shear-manufacturers at Ebley and Cainscross mentioned in 1820, (fn. 96) firms of millwrights at Ebley until 1931 and at Stonehouse between 1879 and 1894, a wool-broker at Stonehouse in 1863, a firm of teasel-merchants at Ebley until 1894, and a mill-furnisher at Ebley between 1914 and 1919. (fn. 97) A firm of wool-merchants and -sorters was established at Stonehouse from c. 1920 to 1930. (fn. 98)

There was a mill at Ebley, near the later Ebley Mill, in 1393. (fn. 99) In 1403 a moiety of it passed to John Deerhurst, (fn. 1) and in 1426 Thomas Deerhurst and Lawrence Maldon each held a moiety. (fn. 2) Perhaps at that time it already comprised a corn-mill and a fulling-mill on the same site for in 1469 John Deerhurst of Hardwicke held a corn-mill called Deerhurst's Mill and a fulling-mill called Maldon's Mill. Maldon's Mill was leased by John Deerhurst to a fuller, Thomas Kynne, (fn. 3) and Robert Kynne owned it in 1491. (fn. 4) After 1511 Maldon's Mill was leased from the Kynnes and later the Cookes to the Bennett family of clothiers, (fn. 5) who from 1505 also leased the corn-mill, Deerhurst's Mill, from the Deerhursts and later the Barrows. (fn. 6) John Bennett held the mills in the early 16th century, (fn. 7) and his son William after 1536. (fn. 8) He or a later William was working the fulling-mill in 1578, (fn. 9) and his son Thomas in 1580. (fn. 10) Thomas, who built Ebley Court in 1587, (fn. 11) died c. 1598, (fn. 12) and his son Leonard in 1621, when the mill comprised three fulling-stocks and a corn-mill. (fn. 13) In 1621 the Bennetts' mill, usually known as Ebley Mill, (fn. 14) passed by marriage to the Selwyn family. (fn. 15) From the late 17th century the Selwyns leased it to the Turner family of clothiers: John Turner held it in 1681, (fn. 16) Thomas Turner between 1710 and 1721, (fn. 17) and another Thomas in 1779 and until 1788 when he became bankrupt. (fn. 18) A new corn-mill was built at the mill in the early 18th century. (fn. 19)

In 1800 Ebley Mill, which then stood on the north side of the Stroudwater Canal, (fn. 20) was acquired by Stephen Clissold (fn. 21) who built a large new mill south of the canal c. 1820. The new mill was not used, however, until c. 1825 when it was bought by Robson & Severs who abandoned the old mill and destroyed its mill-stream, and made a large reservoir by the new mill. (fn. 22) Before 1839 the mill was leased to John Figgins Marling, (fn. 23) and in 1840 it was bought by his brothers Thomas and Samuel Stephens Marling. (fn. 24) In 1839 there were 71 handlooms at the mill, although only 42 were working, employing 72 workers, including 30 children; (fn. 25) power was provided by five water-wheels. (fn. 26) In 1870 the mill was said to employ c. 800 workers. (fn. 27) In 1967 Ebley Mill was owned by Marling & Evans Ltd., and housed the carding and spinning processes for the firm's factory at Stanley Mill. (fn. 28) The main part of the mill comprises a long stone block of four stories and attics with grouped segmentalheaded windows, (fn. 29) apparently the building of c. 1820, and adjoining it on the north-east a tower and a square five-story block with larger windows, designed by G. F. Bodley and built c. 1862. (fn. 30) Another building to the west of similar type and date as the older part of the main block was sold c. 1908, and in the 1940s was used by a hosiery yarn spinner. (fn. 31) A third block of similar type was demolished in 1965. (fn. 32)

The two mills in Stonehouse manor mentioned in 1086 (fn. 33) were probably the mill to the east of Bridgend, later known as Stonehouse Upper Mill, which had been granted away from the manor in 1085, (fn. 34) and the mill to the west of Bridgend, later known as Stonehouse Lower Mill, which remained in the possession of the lords of the manor until the 17th century. The manor mill included a fullingmill with two stocks in 1496 when it was granted to William Bence on condition that he built there two new mill-heads, a river-gate, and a rack. (fn. 35) After 1507 the mill was held by Robert Collier, (fn. 36) and by 1533 it had passed to the clothier Richard Fowler (fn. 37) who took a further lease of the mill, then known as New Mill, and ½ yardland in 1542. (fn. 38) Richard died in 1560, (fn. 39) and his son William, who had bought Stonehouse manor jointly with William Sandford in 1558, (fn. 40) received the mill at the partition of the manor in 1567. It then comprised three fulling stocks and a corn-mill. (fn. 41) Neither William Fowler's son Daniel nor his grandson Stephen (fn. 42) appears to have been a clothier, and the manor mill was being worked by John Jessor in 1647 and 1655. (fn. 43) Members of the Fowler family, however, were clothiers at Stonehouse until the late 18th century: Stephen's brother Nathaniel was mentioned as a clothier in 1622 (fn. 44) and 1655, (fn. 45) and Stephen Fowler, a clothier and probably Nathaniel's son, died at Stonehouse in 1717; (fn. 46) a later Nathaniel Fowler, who was at one time in partnership with one of the Nash family of Bridgend, died at his house in Stonehouse in 1781, (fn. 47) The manor mill had been sold away from the manor by 1697 when it was owned by the Lye family who sold it in 1701 to the clothier John Arundel. (fn. 48) He was recorded as working it between 1710 and 1736, (fn. 49) and the mill was known as Arundel's Mill in 1755. (fn. 50) In 1764 John Arundel's son William sold it to William Hill (fn. 51) who died in 1784 having acquired a considerable fortune in the clothing trade. (fn. 52) The mill passed to Edward Hill who owned and worked it until at least 1805. (fn. 53) Lower Mill was rebuilt c. 1810 as a large building of five stories which included weaving shops. In 1812 it was occupied by Thomas and Richard Cooper, and before 1819 by the firm of Cooper and Wathen. (fn. 54) Its later history is given below.

Stonehouse Upper Mill, known as Corneham Mill in the 16th century (fn. 55) and Sandford's in the 18th, (fn. 56) was granted by William of Eu in 1085 to Gloucester Abbey; (fn. 57) the abbey's mill-stream running westwards from Ryeford was mentioned c. 1340. (fn. 58) Richard Mill was the miller between 1507 (fn. 59) and 1517 when Corneham Mill, comprising a fullingmill and a corn-mill, was leased by the abbey to Henry Betts. (fn. 60) From 1525 the mill was leased to John Sandford; (fn. 61) he purchased the freehold in 1544 from Gloucester Corporation, which had acquired the mill with other possessions of Gloucester Abbey in 1542. (fn. 62) John Sandford became one of the most prosperous Gloucestershire clothiers of his time; he exported cloth to Germany and had an agency at Frankfurt-on-Main. In 1549 he bought Leonard Stanley Priory. Later he moved to Gloucester, (fn. 63) and in 1554 granted Corneham Mill to his son William, (fn. 64) who bought Stonehouse manor jointly with William Fowler in 1558. The mill then descended with the Sandford's estate at Stonehouse, (fn. 65) and the family probably continued to work the mill as clothiers (fn. 66) until its sale by William Sandford in 1731. The mill then comprised three stocks and a corn-mill. (fn. 67) By 1765 the mill was being worked by Ambrose Reddall (fn. 68) who still occupied it in 1776. (fn. 69) Afterwards it was worked by Messrs. Eycott, perhaps of the family that later owned Bond's Mill, and then by Nathaniel Watts who went bankrupt in 1798 when the mill was assigned to his creditors William Tanner and John Brown. (fn. 70) It was probably the mill being worked in 1804 by John Brown and Sons. (fn. 71)

By 1839 both Stonehouse Upper Mill and Stonehouse Lower Mill had been acquired by the firm of R. S. Davies which had 18 handlooms at work in them. (fn. 72) The mills apparently ceased cloth production when sold by the firm in 1904. (fn. 73) At the sale waterwheels were advertised with both mills as an additional source of power to steam. (fn. 74) The main block of Upper Mill, built of brick with three stories and attics and a central tower apparently dates from a rebuilding of 1875. (fn. 75) Adjoining the mill on the east, presumably on the site of the old house of the Sandfords, (fn. 76) is a stone house of c. 1800, which had a classical portico. Formerly known as the Rookery, the house was occupied by R. S. Davies in the mid 19th century (fn. 77) but in the later 19th century was apparently used as offices, (fn. 78) which purpose it served in 1967. The buildings of Lower Mill were once far more extensive than the two brick-built blocks of the earlier 19th century which survive; (fn. 79) in 1812 they included a mansion with 15 rooms. (fn. 80)

Another fulling-mill at Bridgend, called Nashes Mill in the 18th century (fn. 81) and later Bridgend Mill, was owned by Humphrey Osborne in 1567; (fn. 82) it stood south-east of the road near the bridge. (fn. 83) Osborne leased it to William Nicholson a clothier in 1579, (fn. 84) and in 1588 sold it to Jasper Selwyn. (fn. 85) During the 17th and 18th centuries the mill was worked by the Nash clothing family: it was probably the mill of Giles Nash mentioned in 1637, (fn. 86) and a Giles Nash was leasing it from the Selwyns c. 1680. (fn. 87) The second Giles died in 1699, Giles son of John Nash in 1719, and another Giles Nash in 1729. (fn. 88) A later Giles Nash (d. 1767), who was said to have made a fortune in the clothing trade, gained a wide reputation as a dyer in scarlet; (fn. 89) scarlet-dyeing at Bridgend was mentioned in 1773, (fn. 90) and 'Nash's scarlets' became famous. (fn. 91) The Nashes lived in a house near the mill; it was described as an old house in 1773, (fn. 92) and was presumably the Nash Court mentioned in 1838. (fn. 93) In 1773 the house and mill were apparently owned by a Mr. Elliot, (fn. 94) and in 1804 the clothier John Dimock (d. 1808) was leasing the mill from the Elliot family. (fn. 95) Dimock's grandson John Dimock (fn. 96) and a Mr. Hitch were working it in 1819. (fn. 97) Later it was occupied by Sir Paul Baghott who went bankrupt in 1837, (fn. 98) and in 1840 Aaron Evans was leasing the mill from George Elliot. (fn. 99) In the later 19th century it apparently functioned only as a large dyeworks. (fn. 1) The dyeworks there were owned with Upper and Lower Mills by the Davies family, but from 1856 or earlier until they closed c. 1900 they were worked by the firm of Joseph Gainer. (fn. 2)

Bond's Mill, the lowest mill in the parish, was first mentioned in 1714. (fn. 3) In 1724 it was sold to four clothiers by John Ball, lord of Stonehouse manor, (fn. 4) whose family may have worked the mill for some time earlier; his father, also John Ball, was a cloth factor of Blackwell Hall; (fn. 5) a Samuel Ball, clothier, of Stonehouse, died c. 1654 (fn. 6) and John Ball a clothier, perhaps Samuel's son, in 1668. (fn. 7) By 1750 Bond's Mill was being worked by Richard Pitt, who purchased it soon afterwards, (fn. 8) and Mrs. Pitt, a widow, put the mill up for sale in 1774. (fn. 9) In 1787 when it comprised four pairs of fulling-stocks it was being worked by Messrs. Eycott; (fn. 10) Henry Eycott was leasing it to William Wood in 1832, (fn. 11) and Frederick Eycott to William Wise in 1840. (fn. 12) A power-loom was installed at the mill in 1837. (fn. 13) Bond's Mill was occupied by Charles Warner in 1863, (fn. 14) but by 1870 it had been acquired by the Eastington firm of Charles Hooper, which apparently rebuilt it in 1887 (fn. 15) and continued to produce cloth there until 1934. (fn. 16)

In 1721 William Adderley, a mercer of Stroud, acquired land at Ebley and built a new mill, (fn. 17) later known as the Oil Mill. In 1723 it was being used to produce rape and linseed oil, (fn. 18) and in 1725 John Adderley was making oil there. (fn. 19) When put up for sale in 1727 it was said to be adaptable as a fullingmill, (fn. 20) and it was perhaps in use as such by 1751 when it was owned by the Rimmington family. (fn. 21) In 1764 the Oil Mill, described as a fulling-mill of four stocks and two gig-mills, belonged to Mr. Rimmington of Woodchester, (fn. 22) and it was apparently the mill at which the partnership of Thomas Pettat of Stanley Park, John Rimmington, and Richard Flight were making cloth when they went bankrupt in 1786; the owner was then Samuel Rimmington. (fn. 23) The Oil Mill was acquired in 1791 or 1792 by James Lewis, (fn. 24) who worked it until his death in 1826; his sons continued the business until at least 1840. (fn. 25) In 1833 the mill gave employment to c. 200 people, including the outdoor weavers. (fn. 26) It had ceased to be a cloth-mill in 1856 when it was probably the corn-mill worked by William Hall. (fn. 27) In 1885 it was driven by both water-power and steam, (fn. 28) and when sold in 1892 it had two steamengines, eight pairs of stones, and two water-wheels. (fn. 29) The Oil Mill remained a corn-mill in 1967.

The corn-mill built c. 1500 by John Gibbs on a piece of land inclosed out of Stonehouse Ham was apparently at Ryeford; (fn. 30) his son Richard Gibbs held it in 1539. (fn. 31) It had perhaps been adapted as a fulling-mill by 1608 when two members of the Gibbs family were clothiers. (fn. 32) By 1710 Ryeford Mill was owned by the clothier Giles Phillips, (fn. 33) who settled it on the marriage of his son Thomas in 1717; it then comprised three fulling-stocks and a gig-mill. On his death in 1757 Thomas Phillips devised it to his nephew Halliday Phillips (d. 1780). (fn. 34) In 1798 and 1804 the mill was being worked by the clothiers Nathaniel Miles and William Taylor. (fn. 35) In 1819 it was owned by Saul Lusty, who sold it to Reuben Hyde in 1828. (fn. 36) John King owned it in 1840, (fn. 37) and in 1853 it was being worked as a cornmill by the firm of Ford & King; it was then powered by two water-wheels and had six pairs of stones. (fn. 38) It remained a corn-mill until c. 1880, the building and site later being used as a saw-mill and timberyard. (fn. 39)

From: 'Stonehouse: Economic history', A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 10: Westbury and Whitstone Hundreds (1972), pp. 276-84. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=15887. Date accessed: 15 June 2006.