Yorkshire Industrial Heritage

My wife and I have recently moved into Peel Mills and I've tried to find its history but, beyond the fact it was opened in 1855, I've not been able to find any information about it.

Can anyone help please?

Aspinall - I'm afraid I can't help at the moment but if you do come across any archives from any of the mills in Horbury, I'd be very grateful to know how to access them. In the census, the occupation of both my great-grandfather Edward Armitage and his father David Armitage was "overlooker in a worsted mill". I do not know which mill, or different mills. They lived at West End Cottages on Quarry Hill. If I find anything that may help you, I will try to contact you through this page.

Peel Mill, Horbury:

Back Lane (later named Peel Street). Built on the site of Horbury Chemical Works. The chemical works are shown on the 1855 map. Subsequent maps show Peel Mill on the same site.

YP 16th May 1874, William Moorhouse and Greenwood Naylor in business at Peel Mill, Horbury, knitting wool and carpet wool spinners, in liquidation. Peel Mill to be sold. Described as a compact woollen or worsted spinning mill current containing three sets of carding machines and eight spinning frames with a total of 1,032 spinning spindles and 384 doubling spindles.

BO 8th July 1874, the steam boiler at Peel Mill, Horbury exploded on Monday killing a young girl who was severely scalded. Considerable damage was done to the building. The boiler was a large double flued Cornish boiler 26 ft. x 9 ft. set to operate at 50 p.s.i.g., but only fit for 20 p.s.i.g., due to lack of support for the flue tubes and additional corrosion. The boiler had not been routinely inspected by the boiler association but left in the care of the mill engineer. Inquest verdict ‘accidental death’.

YP 12th August 1874, court proceedings against William Moorhouse, worsted spinner, accused of ten counts of fraudulent accounting and fictitious losses.

WFP 11th September 1875, Messrs. Schofield Brothers, Peel Mill, Horbury, shoddy manufacturers.

LT 18th November 1876, Joseph Schofield father of the members of the firm at Peel Mill has been killed. He was trapped by a driving strap at the mill when positioning it on a drum.

SMG 16th February 1884, Schofield Brothers, Peel Mill, Horbury, woollen manufacturers and yarn spinners, partnership dissolved re Henry Schofield.

YP 20th November 1900, William Schofield, Peel Mill, Horbury, yarn spinner, trading as Messrs. Schofield Brothers, creditors meeting, business to be wound up.

1907, mill marked ‘disused’ on O.S. Map.

YEP 8th December 1913, Walter B. Hampshire, Peel Mill, Horbury, woollen rag merchant. Mill used for wool sorting.

Dir. 1918, Walter B. Hampshire, Peel Mill, Horbury, rag merchant.

YTI 1927/28, no record.

1933, mill marked ‘disused’ on O.S. Map.

YP 26th March 1935, Peel Mill, Horbury to let or to sell, apply to W. B. Hampshire, laurel Bank, Horbury.

YP 19th January 1942, Peel Mill, Horbury is being made into a wartime ‘cooking depot’ by the Ministry of Food for the benefit of residents.

YTI 1951, no record.

1954, mill marked ‘disused’ on O.S. Map.

YTI 1956, no record.