Bancroft Shed

About

Bancroft Shed was a weaving shed in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, England, situated on the road to Skipton. Construction was started in 1914 and the shed was commissioned in 1920 for James Nutter & Sons Limited. The mill closed on 22 December 1978 and was demolished. The engine house, chimneys and boilers have been preserved and maintained as a working steam museum. The mill was the last steam-driven weaving shed to be constructed and the last to close. The engine house is open to visitors and the William Roberts cross compound 600hp engine regularly runs from steam generated from donated wood.

Bancroft Shed was the last weaving shed to be built in Barnoldswick, which had twelve others. It is midway between Burnley and Skipton and 30 miles (48 km) north of Manchester, 600 ft (180 m) in altitude in the Pennine hills. In 1920 this industrial town had a population of 10,000 people and there were 24,000 looms. Historically in Yorkshire, in 1974 Barnoldswick and a number of surrounding villages were transferred to the Borough of Pendle in the Non-metropolitan county of Lancashire as a result of the Local Government Act 1972. The town is located on the edge of the Yorkshire wool district and the Lancashire cotton weaving district.

James Nutter had space at Calf Hall Shed, a room and power mill, while his mill was built. His mill was designed by W M Atkins of Colne in 1914, but construction was suspended because of the Great War. The weaving shed was completed in 1920 and the opening ceremony was performed in March 1920. About 50 Lancashire looms were installed and weavers from Calf Hall were brought in on a standard wage to loom-in. In 1920, most four-loom weavers were on piece work and were expected to weave six pieces each of 100 yards (91 m) a week for 6s each. Bedding in a new shed was too problematic, however, to rely on piece work wages, so a standard wage was paid. When all the looms were installed and everything was running six weeks later, the company reverted to the Uniform List of Weaving Prices. The shed opened with part of the first double row of looms closest to the warehouse, eventually 80 pairs of looms on this row ran from one cross shaft. Eventually there were 19 cross shafts. Opening in 1920, Bancroft Shed missed the profitable years. During the Great War, Britain lost much of its export market, and only the most specialised weaving sheds survived.

Increased efficiency was sought, four-loom weavers were encouraged to work six or more looms. This was the more looms system, which reduced the number of weavers required. The looms were slowed from 220 picks per minute to 180 by changing the diameter of the pulleys. Elsewhere this caused industrial action, but here management maintained the four loom system in most of the mill. Additional power was required in the 1940s and a supplementary Cornish boiler was installed. In 1935, 450 people were working at the mill running 1,152 looms for 50 hours a week making 200,000 yards (180,000 m) of grey cloth. During the 1939–45 war, many empty weaving sheds in Lancashire were requisitioned; Rover and Rolls-Royce moved into Barnoldswick. An extra layer of management was imposed on the industry when the Cotton Control Board was set up by the Board of Trade. Labour and all resources were rationed. James Nutter took action to close his businesses at Grove Mill and Westfield Shed and moved his looms into storage at Bancroft. This reduced his operable looms to 500 at exactly the time he was required by the Cotton Control Board to reduce output to 40%. While other firms collapsed, Nutters wove throughout the war. From a high point of 808,797 looms nationally in 1915, the numbers had fallen to 530,000 in 1939 and plummeted to 220,000 in 1941 rising marginally to 355,500 in 1949. Under Board of Trade control, working conditions for the weavers improved and the average wage increased from 31s 5d to 78s 0d. On 19 August 1941 a minimum wage agreement was signed. The existence of aero-engine manufacturers in the town provided alternative employment in cleaner conditions. When the war ended weavers expected better working conditions, but the more looms system became almost universal. Bancroft weavers worked eight-loom sets, then ten sets. Tacklers' sets were reduced from 140 to 70 to cope with extra work. Conditions eased in the 1950s, mill lighting was changed from 110 V DC to 250 V AC. Mechanical Proctor coking stokers were fitted to the Lancashire boiler. The looms were re-spaced into ten sets with a separating alley, though a row of eight sets was retained as a "Pensioner Side". Opinion varied as whether a ten set produced as much cloth as an eight set run by an experienced weaver. In 1976 production consisted of contract weaving and part warps. Experienced weavers and tacklers recognised that demand was drying up and left. In September 1978 closure was announced. The mill struggled until 22 December when it finally closed. Demolition began the following year.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.