Cotton Mill Co., Cotton Street

February 18

The Cotton Mill replaced an earlier Silk Mill of about 1760 which burned down 1792. After a fire in 1828 the Cotton Mill was converted to Sheffield Workhouse, part of which was utilised as a hospital for the Cholera epidemic 1832 and Sheffield Flood of 1864.

William Bower leased the former named Kelham Wheel, building a Silk Mill sited to the south east of the original wheel, taking water through a secondary channel diverging from Kelham head race. Featured on 1771 Town Map of Fairbank and in more detail drawn to accompany the lease of 1773. Only functioning briefly, as Bower was declared bankrupt 1774.

Plan of the ground and tenements about the junction of Spring Croft, Bower Spring Lane and the road from the Silk Mill. Surveyor: William Fairbank II. 1783.

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A small lot between Spring Croft and the proposed Back Lane (Love Lane)

1774 the Silk Mill was converted to a Cotton Mill when Wells, Heathfield & Co. took a 21 year lease. Built on either side of the secondary race, incorporating the abandoned cutlers wheel. A valuation survey describes a water wheel 19ft diameter and 21ft wide, producing power adequate enough for 70 cutlers troughs. Fire damaged in 1792 and running again by 1794. The map of 1805 is the rebuilt second mill.

Spring Street. Colson Crofts measured for the Duke of Norfolk, including the Cotton Mill, the Steam Engine Grinding Wheel, and T Holy’s land laid out in streets. 1805.

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Shows: Cotton Mill Co., goight to footbridge, Cotton Street, Bower Street, north side of an ancient cut of fish pond, Spring Street, Water Street, Pear Street, Plum Street, Love Street, Engine Street (changed to Steam Street) and steam engine grinding wheels.

The Cotton Mill was operated by Water Power until after another fire August 1810 when steam power was introduced. The freehold was sold in 1815, showing there were two Cotton Mills, the steam powered one the Silk Mill site (becoming the Workhouse in 1828) and a smaller water powered mill, converted from the Kelham grinding wheel, also housing a 20hp. Boulton & Watt steam engine.

Kelham Wheel reverted to being a grinding wheel.

For more information about Kelham Wheel see: "Water Power on the Sheffield Rivers" edited by David Crossley with Jean Cass, Neville Flavell & Colin Turner.

Kelham Street. The Cotton Factory, the Cotton Mill (formerly Kelham Wheel) etc. in lots for sale, 1815.

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Shows: Spring Street, Bower Street and Spinning Street.

Also marked: engine, boiler, cotton mill (formerly Kelham Wheel), store, wash, nine dwelling houses, large cotton factory, palisades, counting house, two dwelling houses, kitchen, roller shop, iron turners shop, tinner’s shop, turners shop, millwright’s shop, shed, intended engine, gearing room, engine house, intended boiler, boilers, blowing room, warehouses with picking rooms over them, four houses, ten houses.

Former offices of Ibbotson Brothers and Co. Ltd., merchants and manufacturers, Globe Steel Works, Alma Street at junction with Cotton Street. 1986.

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William Ibbotson founder of Ibbotson Brothers, steel converters, refiners, manufacturers and worldwide merchants built the aptly named Globe Works (Penistone Road) in 1824. The main building was designed to incorporate a domestic residence. The west wing was residential, the east wing counting houses and warehouses. In 1863 he moved to a site on Cross Smithfield before purchasing the former workhouse on Alma Street which he renamed Globe Steel Works.

For more information see: Globe Works by Kim Streets (Sheffield Museums), August 1990. Local Studies Ref: 2867 MP.

Cotton Mill Walk off Alma Street. 28th April 2007.

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Cotton Mill Walk off Alma Street runs down the side of the Fat Cat public house, formerly The Alma. The original cobbled walkway is still visible (2007) and it turns to the right just before the building in the photograph opening up into what would have been the Court which is now a car park for Kelham Island Industrial Museum.

Cotton Mill Walk, from the Court entrance looking towards Alma Street with the Fat Cat public house left and the Globe Steel Works in the background. 28th April 2007.

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Cotton Mill Row from Alma Street looking towards Bower Street. 1st August 1985.

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