LUMB PAPER MILL

This mill is believed to have been founded by John Stones in the early 1850's and run by him until his death in July 1856. It was then run by his executors for a time before passing to Samuel Holker by 1860.

In 1860 Samuel Holker's address was given as Haslingdon. The area is also known as Tottington Higher End. In 1861 there were 50 hands employed at the mill.

In 1869 Holker had an office at Cross Street Chambers, 78 Cross Street, Manchester. In 1871 there were 34 men, 10 women and 5 boys at work. Holker was still residing at Lumb House in 1881 at which time, as a papermaker and the farmer of 28 acres, he was employing 58 persons.

On 22 June 1877 they advertised in the "Manchester Guardian" for a stonemason to construct a chimney at the mill site.

In October 1883 a prospectus was issued seeking to form "The Lumb Paper Company, Limited" to take over the Lumb Paper Mill from Samuel Holker, with Holker willing to act as a director of the new company for up to 3 years.

It seems likely that the mill came to be managed or owned by William Daniel Hughes in the mid to late 1880's and that it was a papermaking machine from this mill that he shipped to Australia intending to use it at the Austral Paper Mill in Geelong. This machine eventually ended up at the Waterloo Paper Mill, near Sydney, New South Wales.

Sources:

Hughes, Ian Alexander "Hughes, A Family of Papermakers" (privately published, Melbourne, Vic., 1979)

Lancashire census returns (1861, 1871, 1881, 1891).

Lyddon, Denis & Marshall, Peter "Paper in Bolton - A Papermaker's Tale" (John Sherratt and Son Ltd., Altrincham, Cheshire, England 1975)

"The Paper Mills Directory" ("The Stationer", London, England 1860)

Newspapers:

Lancashire "Manchester Guardian"