Stanhill Ring Spinning Company, Oswaldtwistle

 The Stanhill Ring Spinning Company was a latecomer to the English Sewing Cotton Company, joining just after the end of World War Two in 1946. Their premises were as eye-catching and dominant as any mill - especially as ring spinning machinery was heavier than the standard looms so required very sturdy housing.

So, what is ring spinning? Good question - I have read descriptions but am not much the wiser as they all assume a background knowledge that I don't have and I'm just not technically minded. I can relate that the system was perfected in the US in the mid 19th century and was brought back to Lancashire, where initial experiments had taken place in the 1820s. Although it was quicker and required less skilled workers to operate the looms, the finished product was no good if you wanted a fine yarn - a 40 count was the best you could get.  Also, because the work was less skilled the pay was lower, so there was a labour shortage as people preferred the higher wages to be got working traditional looms. At one point in the 1930s, Stanhill had 87000 rings. In April 2018, the Lancashire Telegraph ran the article below:

    


This demonstrates how part of the labour problem was met by the use of children, with John and Ada having started work there aged 12 and 13, and note how many others received long service awards too. 

The mill closed in 1980 and as the photo caption states, is no longer standing.


Google Streetview of the location today


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