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A 'Mill town', also known as 'factory town' or 'mill village', is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories (usually cotton mills or factories producing textiles).
In Britain, the term "Mill town" often refers to the 19th century textile-manufacturing towns of Scotland and Northern England, particularly those in Lancashire (cotton) and Yorkshire (wool). Likewise the northern English city of Manchester was bestowed with the name ''Cottonopolis'' as its region was considered a metropolis of cotton processing mills. One of the most famous references to the early mills was in the poem/hymn "Jerusalem" by William Blake, in which "those dark satanic mills" were used to symbolise the injustice that a new Jerusalem ought to replace.
The British textile industry never fully recovered after the Great Depression, and its decline continued after the Second World War when it was unable to compete with the growing Indian textile industry. It is said that Gandhi was jeered when he visited mill towns on his 1931 tour of Britain, as many locals blamed his policies for causing unemployment.[1] There are still a minority of mills left in operation today however. In addition, many mill buildings have conservation orders on them, and some have been converted into blocks of flats.
The term ''mill town'' has seen something of a revival in the British media since the debate over relations between Muslims and non-Muslims began in the aftermath of riots in several mill towns.[2] The term conveniently groups together towns on both sides of the Pennines that suffer from racial segregation and sometimes significant racial tension. Bradford has seen several riots in recent years whilst Burnley, Dewsbury and Oldham have all had suffered one riot each (see Oldham Riots and Bradford Riot). After the Second World War, thousands of migrants from both the Caribbean and the Indian subcontinent settled in the mill towns to fill the labour shortage in the industry; they often moved to the traditional working-class areas whilst the White working-class moved out to the newly built estates after the war.[3]
Many mill towns have a symbol of the textile industry in their town badge. Some towns may also have statues dedicated to textile workers (e.g. Colne[6]) or have a symbol in the badge of local schools (e.g. Ossett School).
The list below includes some towns where textiles was not the predominant industry. For example, mining was also a key industry in Leigh and Wigan in Lancashire, and in Ossett in Yorkshire.
:† - denotes as a town historically in Lancashire, but now in Greater Manchester.
Beginning with technological information smuggled out of England by Francis Cabot Lowell, large mills were established in New England in the early to mid 19th century. Mill towns, sometimes planned, built and owned as a company town, grew in the shadow of the industries. The region became a manufacturing powerhouse along rivers like the Housatonic River, Shetucket River, Blackstone River, Merrimack River, Nashua River, Cochecho River, Saco River, Androscoggin River, Kennebec River or Winooski River.
:"In the nineteenth century, saws and axes made in New England cleared the forests of Ohio; New England ploughs broke the prairie sod, New England scales weighed wheat and meat in Texas; New England serge clothed businessmen in San Francisco; New England cutlery skinned hides to be tanned in Milwaukee and sliced apples to be dried in Missouri; New England whale oil lit lamps across the continent; New England blankets warmed children by night and New England textbooks preached at them by day; New England guns armed the troops; and New England dies, lathes, looms, forges, presses and screwdrivers outfitted factories far and wide." - Jane Jacobs, ''The Economy of Cities'', 1969
In the 20th century, alternatives to water power were developed, and it became more profitable for companies to manufacture textiles in southern states where cotton was grown and winters did not require significant heating costs. Finally, the Great Depression acted as a catalyst that sent several struggling New England firms into bankruptcy.
★ Kannapolis
★ Glencoe[7]
★ American Textile History Museum, Lowell, MA
★ Belknap Mill Society Museum, Laconia, NH
★ Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
★ Lowell National Historic Park, Lowell, MA
★ Lynn Heritage State Park, Lynn, MA
★ The Millyard Museum, Manchester, NH
★ Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley National Historic Corridor
1. http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=021MC900S05544AU00011C01
2. [1][2][3][4]
3. [5]
Britain
Oldham in Greater Manchester, is an archetypal English "Mill town". Although its textile producing days are over, it is still home to many historic cotton mills.
In Britain, the term "Mill town" often refers to the 19th century textile-manufacturing towns of Scotland and Northern England, particularly those in Lancashire (cotton) and Yorkshire (wool). Likewise the northern English city of Manchester was bestowed with the name ''Cottonopolis'' as its region was considered a metropolis of cotton processing mills. One of the most famous references to the early mills was in the poem/hymn "Jerusalem" by William Blake, in which "those dark satanic mills" were used to symbolise the injustice that a new Jerusalem ought to replace.
The British textile industry never fully recovered after the Great Depression, and its decline continued after the Second World War when it was unable to compete with the growing Indian textile industry. It is said that Gandhi was jeered when he visited mill towns on his 1931 tour of Britain, as many locals blamed his policies for causing unemployment.[1] There are still a minority of mills left in operation today however. In addition, many mill buildings have conservation orders on them, and some have been converted into blocks of flats.
The term ''mill town'' has seen something of a revival in the British media since the debate over relations between Muslims and non-Muslims began in the aftermath of riots in several mill towns.[2] The term conveniently groups together towns on both sides of the Pennines that suffer from racial segregation and sometimes significant racial tension. Bradford has seen several riots in recent years whilst Burnley, Dewsbury and Oldham have all had suffered one riot each (see Oldham Riots and Bradford Riot). After the Second World War, thousands of migrants from both the Caribbean and the Indian subcontinent settled in the mill towns to fill the labour shortage in the industry; they often moved to the traditional working-class areas whilst the White working-class moved out to the newly built estates after the war.[3]
Many mill towns have a symbol of the textile industry in their town badge. Some towns may also have statues dedicated to textile workers (e.g. Colne[6]) or have a symbol in the badge of local schools (e.g. Ossett School).
The list below includes some towns where textiles was not the predominant industry. For example, mining was also a key industry in Leigh and Wigan in Lancashire, and in Ossett in Yorkshire.
Cheshire mill towns
★ Congleton ★ Hyde | ★ Macclesfield ★ Stalybridge |
Lancashire mill towns
''Duke Street Mill,'' Blackburn, Lancashire, England
★ Accrington ★ Ashton-under-Lyne † ★ Blackburn ★ Bolton † ★ Burnley ★ Bury † ★ Chadderton † ★ Chorley ★ Colne ★ Darwen ★ Failsworth† ★ Heywood † | ★ Lees† ★ Leigh † ★ Nelson ★ Oldham † ★ Padiham ★ Preston ★ Radcliffe† ★ Ramsbottom ★ Rochdale † ★ Royton† ★ Shaw and Crompton† ★ Wigan † |
:† - denotes as a town historically in Lancashire, but now in Greater Manchester.
Yorkshire mill towns
★ Barnoldswick ★ Batley ★ Bingley ★ Bradford ★ Brighouse ★ Cleckheaton ★ Dewsbury ★ Elland ★ Halifax ★ Hebden Bridge ★ Heckmondwike | ★ Holmfirth ★ Huddersfield ★ Keighley ★ Morley ★ Ossett ★ Pudsey ★ Shipley ★ Skipton ★ Sowerby Bridge ★ Todmorden ★ Yeadon |
United States
''Amoskeag Canal,'' 1948, by Charles Sheeler
Beginning with technological information smuggled out of England by Francis Cabot Lowell, large mills were established in New England in the early to mid 19th century. Mill towns, sometimes planned, built and owned as a company town, grew in the shadow of the industries. The region became a manufacturing powerhouse along rivers like the Housatonic River, Shetucket River, Blackstone River, Merrimack River, Nashua River, Cochecho River, Saco River, Androscoggin River, Kennebec River or Winooski River.
:"In the nineteenth century, saws and axes made in New England cleared the forests of Ohio; New England ploughs broke the prairie sod, New England scales weighed wheat and meat in Texas; New England serge clothed businessmen in San Francisco; New England cutlery skinned hides to be tanned in Milwaukee and sliced apples to be dried in Missouri; New England whale oil lit lamps across the continent; New England blankets warmed children by night and New England textbooks preached at them by day; New England guns armed the troops; and New England dies, lathes, looms, forges, presses and screwdrivers outfitted factories far and wide." - Jane Jacobs, ''The Economy of Cities'', 1969
''Clark Thread Mill, Westerly, RI'' in 1907
In the 20th century, alternatives to water power were developed, and it became more profitable for companies to manufacture textiles in southern states where cotton was grown and winters did not require significant heating costs. Finally, the Great Depression acted as a catalyst that sent several struggling New England firms into bankruptcy.
New England
Connecticut mill towns
''Assawaga Mill, Dayville, CT'' in 1909
''American Thread Co. Mill, Willimantic, CT'' in c. 1910
★ Bridgeport ★ Danbury ★ Enfield ★ Hartford ★ Killingly ★ Manchester ★ Middletown ★ Naugatuck ★ New Haven ★ New London | ★ Norwich ★ Seymour ★ Shelton ★ Torrington ★ Vernon ★ Waterbury ★ Winchester ★ Windham ★ Windsor Locks |
Maine mill towns
''Hollingsworth & Whitney Paper Mill, Waterville, ME'' in c. 1920
''Cumberland Mills, Westbrook, ME'' in c. 1902
★ Anson ★ Auburn ★ Biddeford ★ Brunswick ★ Chisholm ★ Corinna ★ Lewiston ★ Lincoln ★ Lisbon Falls ★ Livermore Falls ★ Millinocket | ★ Milo ★ Newport ★ Old Town ★ Orono ★ Pittsfield ★ Rumford ★ Sanford ★ Skowhegan ★ Waterville ★ Westbrook |
Massachusetts mill towns
''Mill Street, Attleboro, MA'' in 1908
''Arlington Mills, Lawrence, MA'' in 1907
''Merrimack Falls, Lawrence, MA'' in c. 1905
★ Amesbury ★ Athol ★ Attleboro ★ Chicopee ★ Clinton ★ Dalton ★ Fall River ★ Fitchburg ★ Gardner ★ Grafton ★ Greenfield ★ Haverhill ★ Holyoke ★ Hudson ★ Lawrence ★ Lowell ★ Lynn ★ Maynard | ★ Methuen ★ Milford ★ Millbury ★ Monson ★ New Bedford ★ North Adams ★ Orange ★ Pittsfield ★ Russell ★ Southbridge ★ Springfield ★ Taunton ★ Uxbridge ★ Waltham ★ Webster ★ Winchendon ★ Worcester |
New Hampshire mill towns
''Amoskeag Mills, Manchester, NH'' in c. 1912
''Jackson Mills, Nashua, NH'' in 1907
★ Belmont ★ Berlin ★ Claremont ★ Dover ★ Franklin ★ Gorham ★ Greenville ★ Groveton ★ Harrisville ★ Keene ★ Laconia ★ Lancaster ★ Lebanon ★ Lincoln | ★ Manchester ★ Milford ★ Milton ★ Nashua ★ Newmarket ★ Newport ★ Penacook ★ Pittsfield ★ Rochester ★ Somersworth ★ Suncook ★ Tilton ★ Troy ★ Wilton |
Rhode Island mill towns
''Alice Mills, Woonsocket, RI'' in 1911
★ Bristol ★ Slatersville ★ Central Falls ★ Coventry ★ Cumberland ★ Lincoln ★ Pawtucket | ★ Providence ★ Westerly ★ West Warwick ★ Woonsocket ★ Valley Falls |
Vermont mill towns
''Colchester Mills, Winooski, VT'' in 1907
★ Bellows Falls ★ Bethel ★ Brattleboro ★ Bridgewater ★ Burlington | ★ Ludlow ★ Newport ★ Springfield ★ Winooski ★ Vergennes |
Elsewhere in the United States
Arkansas mill towns
★ Amity ★ Delight ★ Glenwood | ★ Malvern ★ Mountain Pine |
North Carolina mill towns
★ Kannapolis
★ Glencoe[7]
Museums & Historic Sites
★ American Textile History Museum, Lowell, MA
★ Belknap Mill Society Museum, Laconia, NH
★ Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
★ Lowell National Historic Park, Lowell, MA
★ Lynn Heritage State Park, Lynn, MA
★ The Millyard Museum, Manchester, NH
★ Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley National Historic Corridor
References
1. http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=021MC900S05544AU00011C01
2. [1][2][3][4]
3. [5]
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