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Is the building that was KingsMill still standing? If so, what is it used for now?

Kings Mill is now an antique centre. The web site address is www.kingsmill.demon.co.uk

Suzy
A couple of photos that I took of Kingsmill, I don't know whether you have already spotted them


http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Pho ... smill1.htm

http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Pho ... smill2.htm

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David
Genealogists do it in the library.

King's Mill--I saw it last November as it was the site of the Mason, West & Bather cotton mill. I understand it was established 1912, sold out in 1959.
Rob

Thanks, David. I had noticed the photos in the archives....I keep a watch daily over 'new posts' and archive updates!
I remember Kingsmill....but mostly I remember Siberia! This is where my grandfather worked and, as a kid, when I arrived in th'Syke for a stay I would wander over to the mill and sidle carefully (holding on to my pigtails...just in case!) past all the clattering looms to my grandfather's six looms. Loved to surprise him, altho' I'm sure that by the time I was half way through the cavernous room, he knew. There was a lot of sign language around and preceeding me!!

I went into the weaving shed at Queens Mill last summer when they had some of the looms working,maybe about 20 out of the many more that are in the shed. The noise was almost unbearable and it is no wonder why so many of the weavers had hearing problems in later life.God knows what the noise was like when all the looms were operating.In fact today they would never be allowed to work in such a noisy environment, even wearing ear defenders the noise was still quite loud.

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David
Genealogists do it in the library.

You're right about the noise...absolutely unbelievable. Couldn't hear your neighbour 6feet away...hence their own sign language and lip reading skills. Never would be allowed today....nor would the habit of tending your looms with a Woodbine hanging off your lip! I wonder if any fires started and were quietly put out before anyone noticed!
Also there was always a fine dust of cotton in the air....looked like a mist everywhere. I never heard if lung disease was a predominant cause of death for weavers...but I would not be surprised.

From what I have read Suzy lung disese was more prevalent in cotton spinning rather than in the cotton weaving process. There is a lung disease called Bysinossis which many employed in the spinning industry suffered from. Another name for it is "Monday tightness"
I think that the weavers did not get this disease, but am sure that they must have had some bronchial problems working in such a dusty environment and also in those days as you say a lot of them smoked tobacco.

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David
Genealogists do it in the library.