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Wire Mill at Ringinglow


Guest Jeremy

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In the 1851 census my GGG grandfather, George Wordsworth along with his brother and 13 employees are listed as Wire Manufacturers at Ringinglow. Wire Mill Dam is not too far from Ringinglow, but I would have thought that that was classed as being in Fulwood. Does anyone with books on Sheffield water wheels have a better suggestion?

thanks, Jeremy

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Never mind, I think I've answered my own question and it actually was Wire Mill Dam. White's 1849 and 1852 directories list them as being at Nether Green.

Jeremy

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There was indeed a wire mill at Ringinglow though. This is from a Clarion Ramblers' Handbook, 1950/51, and is an account told by Herbert Trotter of Ringinglow.

The wire mill was built in 1844, and thee was a date mark on the chimney. The mill was on the right (East side) ar you turn NW along Fulwood Lane, and immediately behind the row of six stone-built cottages, built for the mill workers – two more between them and the Norfolk Arms. It is understood that the mill was started by Robert Cooke of Hathersage (in White’s Directory for 1837), and his son Robert, and came into the possession of a Mr. Broomhead of Hathersage after 1855, when the mill closed down for a time. It was last worked by a Mr George Winterbottom of Barnsley who as manager for Cooke, took it over and a Mr Fieldsend became his partner.

Probably about 78 years ago (c. 1876?) there was a strike. The employers and apprentices were working, “but t’gaffers wouldn’t pay t’price and t’warehus got afire. Men thought it worn’t insured, but t’gaffers ‘ad insured it a month afoor, an’ cleared a thaasan’ quid aht o’ t’job” so it was said.

(If you need a translation, - The employers and apprentices kept working, but the bosses wouldn’t pay what the men were asking, and as a result the warehouse ‘caught fire’. The men thought it wasn’t insured but the bosses had insured it a month before and made a thousand pounds as a result. )

The firm had obtained coal from Barber Fields drift workings, several hundred yards to the SE and with this or probably other earlier capital they found coal and sunk a 196ft shaft in the mill yard. “Joe” Trotter (Herbert’s uncle) and Sam Millward were colliers, and Hiram Trotter (Herbert’s father) was engineman and John Mills the banksman.

Water troubles soon stopped the pit but Hiram Trotter’s great grandson (also Hiram Trotter) tells me that an attempt to drive an underground road to join up with the Barber Fields drift and seam and so increase production and make a two-way trade with lime and coal did not succeed. The shaft at the N end of the yard was ordered to be filled in by the authorities in 1901 after the late Alderman J. R. Wheatley bought the Ringinglow property. The chimney, a local landmark, gradually declined, and a little before 1912 was pulled down to a few feet above ground level, and none remains now. Many years ago, Herbert Trotter took down the lightning conductor an made tooastin forks for nearly ivvreybody i’ Fulwood”.

A sough was built to drain the mine, which empties into the porter valley in the area called Hell Bank.

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I'm struggling to locate the site of the mill from this description. Partly because the only mine shaft I was aware of is to the SW of Ringinglow, in what is now Lady Cannings Plantation. Tried to find it a few years back without success so may have to try again.

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I'm struggling to locate the site of the mill from this description. Partly because the only mine shaft I was aware of is to the SW of Ringinglow, in what is now Lady Cannings Plantation. Tried to find it a few years back without success so may have to try again.

The mill was in the area to the rear of the row of cottages on the main road. If you turn right onto Fulwood Lane, walk along a few yards and look to your right, there's a small stone-built 'shed', with a sloping roof. That's the last remaining bit of the mill. As the account said, the mine shaft was filled in on the orders of the council and there is no trace left.

The mill isn't mentioned in David Crossley's book because it wasn't a water mill. It was steam powered.

I've seen the shaft in the plantation you mention. There are also a number at Barber fields, visible on Google Earth. In 2006 the Limb Brook disappeared into a hole that appeared near the top of the valley. It had broken into the old mine workings, and reappeared lower down the valley!

In Sheffield Archives there's a plan by Fairbank of 'Fields between Hangram Lane and Ringinglow' dated 1826, which also covers Barber Fields, and has the mineshafts marked.

The Friends of the Porter Valley published a report last year called Mining and Quarrying in the Porter Valley, which also covers the Ringinglow area, and has a map with the old mines marked.

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Here's a pic on a similar line,

That was one of the last remnants of the Wire Mill at Bowser Bottom, now known just as Wire Mill dam.

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That was one of the last remnants of the Wire Mill at Bowser Bottom, now known just as Wire Mill dam.

In Water Power on the Sheffield Rivers, edited by David Crossley, there are references to 3 Dams/Mills/Forges in the extreme west (Fulwood). There is quite an extensive history of all 3 in the book.

1. Fulwood (Mayfield) Corn Mills

2. Old Forge or Whiteley Wood forge

3. Whiteley Wood Rolling Mill of Wire Mill

1. Fullwood Corn Mills consisted of 2 actual mills Upper and Lower. The Lower Mill has been demolished, however the upper Mill buildings survive

2. Old Forge, again this was actually 2 (Upper and Lower), the earliest mention of these is in 1779 where the Dam is referred to "Thomas Boulsover's Dam

3. Whiteley Woods Rolling Mills again 2 Dams originally but later 1, These Rolling Mills were built by Thomas Boulsover c1760.

The Dams of the last 2 still remain

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Thanks for all the excellent replies. Particularly to Bayleaf for the description and map of Ringinglow Wiremill. The map seems to settle it, as it mentions George and Joseph Wordsworth. I guess that when the 1851 census says 'Ringlinglow' it means it.

The census shows some of the people who worked at the wire mill:

Joseph Wordsworth, Wire Manufacturer (13 men employed). One of his sons, also called Joseph, was working at the wire mill too

George Wordsworth, Wire Manufacturer. One of his sons, called Joseph, was working at the wire mill too

Joseph Dyson, Wire Drawer

James Wyley, Wire Drawer. One of his sons, called George, was also employed at the wire mill

Thomas Jason, Wire Drawer

William Cranshaw, Wire Drawer. One son, Thomas, employed at the mill

James Dyson, Wire Drawer

By 1861 George and Joseph Wordsworth were running the new Wire Mill at Thurgoland. George died in 1864, but his descendants continued to run the wire mill at Thurgoland well into the 20th century. By 1881 Joseph was running the Wire Mill at Owlerton.

I'm still a little confused by the directories. Both White'1849 and 1852 have 'Wordsworth, Geo & Jph wire drawers' listed in Nether Green.

thanks again,

Jeremy

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There was indeed a wire mill at Ringinglow though. This is from a Clarion Ramblers' Handbook, 1950/51, and is an account told by Herbert Trotter of Ringinglow.

The wire mill was built in 1844, and thee was a date mark on the chimney. The mill was on the right (East side) ar you turn NW along Fulwood Lane, and immediately behind the row of six stone-built cottages, built for the mill workers â€" two more between them and the Norfolk Arms. It is understood that the mill was started by Robert Cooke of Hathersage (in White's Directory for 1837), and his son Robert, and came into the possession of a Mr. Broomhead of Hathersage after 1855, when the mill closed down for a time. It was last worked by a Mr George Winterbottom of Barnsley who as manager for Cooke, took it over and a Mr Fieldsend became his partner.

Probably about 78 years ago (c. 1876?) there was a strike. The employers and apprentices were working, but t'gaffers wouldn't pay t'price and t'warehus got afire. Men thought it worn't insured, but t'gaffers ad insured it a month afoor, an' cleared a thaasan' quid aht o' t job so it was said.

(If you need a translation, - The employers and apprentices kept working, but the bosses wouldn't pay what the men were asking, and as a result the warehouse ˜caught fire". The men thought it wasn't insured but the bosses had insured it a month before and made a thousand pounds as a result. )

The firm had obtained coal from Barber Fields drift workings, several hundred yards to the SE and with this or probably other earlier capital they found coal and sunk a 196ft shaft in the mill yard. Joe Trotter (Herbert's uncle) and Sam Millward were colliers, and Hiram Trotter (Herbert's father) was engineman and John Mills the banksman.

Water troubles soon stopped the pit but Hiram Trotter's great grandson (also Hiram Trotter) tells me that an attempt to drive an underground road to join up with the Barber Fields drift and seam and so increase production and make a two-way trade with lime and coal did not succeed. The shaft at the N end of the yard was ordered to be filled in by the authorities in 1901 after the late Alderman J. R. Wheatley bought the Ringinglow property. The chimney, a local landmark, gradually declined, and a little before 1912 was pulled down to a few feet above ground level, and none remains now. Many years ago, Herbert Trotter took down the lightning conductor 2an made tooastin forks for nearly ivvreybody i' Fulwood".

A sough was built to drain the mine, which empties into the Porter Valley in the area called Hell Bank.

Could only be one Hiram Trotter but as reported there was more than one!

Picture Sheffield

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/...jpgh/s08947.jpg

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The mill was in the area to the rear of the row of cottages on the main road. If you turn right onto Fulwood Lane, walk along a few yards and look to your right, there's a small stone-built 'shed', with a sloping roof. That's the last remaining bit of the mill. As the account said, the mine shaft was filled in on the orders of the council and there is no trace left.

The mill isn't mentioned in David Crossley's book because it wasn't a water mill. It was steam powered.

I've seen the shaft in the plantation you mention. There are also a number at Barber fields, visible on Google Earth. In 2006 the Limb Brook disappeared into a hole that appeared near the top of the valley. It had broken into the old mine workings, and reappeared lower down the valley!

In Sheffield Archives there's a plan by Fairbank of 'Fields between Hangram Lane and Ringinglow' dated 1826, which also covers Barber Fields, and has the mineshafts marked.

The Friends of the Porter Valley published a report last year called Mining and Quarrying in the Porter Valley, which also covers the Ringinglow area, and has a map with the old mines marked.

The Peak District Mines Historical Society has an article on Barber Fields available as a PDF, written and published in 1987 but based on a 1959 survey.

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The Peak District Mines Historical Society has an article on Barber Fields available as a PDF, written and published in 1987 but based on a 1959 survey.

Thanks , I've seen the plan before but not the whole thing.

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On 29/10/2008 at 00:55, Guest Jeremy said:

Thanks for all the excellent replies. Particularly to Bayleaf for the description and map of Ringinglow Wiremill. The map seems to settle it, as it mentions George and Joseph Wordsworth. I guess that when the 1851 census says 'Ringlinglow' it means it.

 

The census shows some of the people who worked at the wire mill:

 

Joseph Wordsworth, Wire Manufacturer (13 men employed). One of his sons, also called Joseph, was working at the wire mill too

George Wordsworth, Wire Manufacturer. One of his sons, called Joseph, was working at the wire mill too

Joseph Dyson, Wire Drawer

James Wyley, Wire Drawer. One of his sons, called George, was also employed at the wire mill

Thomas Jason, Wire Drawer

William Cranshaw, Wire Drawer. One son, Thomas, employed at the mill

James Dyson, Wire Drawer

 

By 1861 George and Joseph Wordsworth were running the new Wire Mill at Thurgoland. George died in 1864, but his descendants continued to run the wire mill at Thurgoland well into the 20th century. By 1881 Joseph was running the Wire Mill at Owlerton.

 

I'm still a little confused by the directories. Both White'1849 and 1852 have 'Wordsworth, Geo & Jph wire drawers' listed in Nether Green.

 

thanks again,

 

Jeremy

Interestingly the Dyson brothers, Joseph and James crossed the paths of history in later life - in 1864 thanks to the Sheffield flood. The 2 brothers hailed from Thurgoland and in 1864 they were both employed at a wireworks on Bradfield Road, Hillsborough. Joseph (the manager there) and his family lived in Brick Row, Holme Lane where James lodged during the week while his family lived in Thurgoland. On the night of Friday March 10 / 11 the Dale Dike dam at Bradfield burst and the flood killed over 200 people in the Sheffield area. The flood destroyed Brick Row and Joseph and most of his family were killed - one child was away that night and survived - but James escaped by breaking through the roof and he escaped and was reunited with his own family a couple of days later - his wife had come by train to Sheffield to try and find him and he caught the train back home! My partner is James’s g-g-granddaughter and every time we go into the Norfolk Arms we think of him, his relatives and their experiences of that terrible night. 

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G. Winterbottom and Co., Ringinglow Wire Mills, steel wire manufacturers, from an advertisement in Melville Co.'s Commercial Directory of Sheffield 1859.

y03023.jpg.58f67cb9e17df7a165d7202d15c7ec5e.jpgy03023

Last person to work the Wire Mill see earlier posts.

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The Ringinglow Estate, the property of the late Thomas Rawson, 1827. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc03946&pos=1&action=zoom&id=101954

Git Mottram: 1. Rough Smeltings and Croft, 2. House and garden, 3. Upper Smeltings, 4. Lower Smeltings. In hand, 5. New planting, 6. Bank plantation, 7 and 8. plantations, 9. Weigh house, 10. Rough plantation toll house and part cultivated, 11. Stack Garth Plantation, 12 - 14. Plantations, 15. Upper Lumb, 16. Lower Lumb, 17. Plantation adjoining Porter Brook. 18. plantation in Angram Lane. Richard Whitworth 19. Ringinglow Inn [later the Norfolk Arms], homestead, out buildings, yard and garden, 20. Stack Garth, 21. House Field, 22. Upper Planting field, 23. Cow Pasture, 24. Lamb Field, 25. Low Rye Field, 26. Rye Field. 27. Horse Pasture, 28. The Rough Banks; James Creswick, 29. Bottoms, 30. Well Bank, 31. Well Field, 32. Middle Common Piece, 33. Four Acre, 34. Barley Field, 35. Wiggin Field, 36. Bennet Field and Calf Croft, 37. Anise Field, 38. Planting Field, 39. Croft, 40. Homestead, house etc., 41. Old Field; Benjamin Fox, 42. Bank., 43. [black], 44. Broomhead Field, 45. Pingle. Thomas Watson, 46. Allotment.

Also shows Colliery, road from Grindleford Bridge [Sheephill Lane], Ringinglow Road, Barber Fields, road to Fulwood [Fulwood Lane], site of [Norfolk Arms], [toll house], house field, Angram Lane, road to Birks Green and road from Bower Hill [Cottage Lane?].

 

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