at the same place. It is clear from these circumstances that the now extensive village of Waterhead mill, which, in 1841, had a population of 1600 persons, and eight cotton mills, was an extremely small place at so late a period as 1803.

About 1802, Messrs. James Lees, (brother of Mr. John Lees, of Green bank) and John Travis, of Oldham, erected the original Castle mill, at Greenacres moor, which was shortly afterwards let to several parties, who carried on business upon a small scale. It was in this mill that Messrs. George Lowndes & Co., and John Twemlow, had concerns - the former in 1805, and the latter in 1807. In 1803, Mr. Daniel Broadbent established a manufactory at Side of moor, the first portion of the present extensive mills of Mrs. Broadbent and Son, new employing 350 hands. From 1800 to 1805, a cotton mill, worked by water power, was established in the valley below Chamber hall, and in the latter year the possessor was Mr. Jonathan Wild, who was still there in 1807. In 1803, Mr. Thomas Wroe, publican, of Hollinwood, son of Mr. Isaac Wroe, weaver, of Blackley, erected a cotton mill at Hollinwood. Mr. Wroe and his partner, Mr. Duncuft, erected a cotton mill at West Houghton, near Bolton, about 1810, where, by introducing power-looms, the manufactory became obnoxious to the populace, and on the 24th of April, 1812, was attacked by a riotous mob, wilfully set on fire, and destroyed. For this outrage, three men and a boy were executed at Lancaster, on the 11th of June, the same year. Mr. Wroe was the father of the late Mr. Thomas Wroe, the respected comptroller of the Manchester gas works. Mr. Joseph Rowland, son of Mr. James Rowland, once house steward of Sir William Horton, Bart., of Chadderton hall, erected a cotton mill near the Rochdale road, in 1805, afterwards called Orleans mill. Mr. Rowland, who was in the cotton spinning business previous to 1796, in Buckley mill, Manchester street, was father of

152