Oldham Historical Research Group

Scan and page transcript from:
Historical Sketches of Oldham by Edwin Butterworth
Pub. 1856

Historical Sketches of Oldham by Edwin Butterworth

tor to the fund for the erection of Hope Chapel, Greenacres moor, 1824, belonging to the Independents, and in 1842 was the donor of £500 towards the erection of the Independent College, lManchester. Mr. Lees died July 10, 1845, aged 72 years. Messrs. Abraham Seville and Co. commenced in 1821 a roller making concern at Mumps, but in 1824 - 1825 the firm had been established at Lower moor, in partnership with Mr. Woolstenhulme, as roller and spindle makers. Prior to 1828 they became iron and brass founders ; and in 1846 employed in these several branches 250 operatives, and consumed weekly twenty tons of iron and other metal. Mr. Elijah Hibbert, a native of Ashton-under-Lyne, raised himself from an obscure condition in life to considerable opulenee, entirely bythe power of his own perseverance and industry. In 1823-1824 he commenced a small iron and brass foundry upon his own account at Soho, Greenacres moor, and in 1824 had become not only a partner with his uncle, Mr. Tomlinson, in a millwright concern in Manchester street, but also a partner with Mr. Platt in a carding engine manufactory also at Soho, adjacent to Mr. Lees's works. Mr. Henry Platt proved a worthy co-associate with Mr. Hibbert in his career of enterprise. In 1828 Messrs. Hibbert and Platt possessed a machine making mill at Mount pleasant, whilst Mr. Hibbert was partner in several other concerns. In 1829-1830 the firm established an extensive machine making mill and iron foundry at Fowleach, Greenacres moor, named Hartford works. The construction of almost every description of machine used in the cotton manufacture formed the business of the concern, and the transactions of the firm were conducted with such celerity and skill as acquired for the establishment a widely spread reputation both at home and abroad. In 1843 the number of workmen employed at these works was upwards of 500; and in 1844, the spirited proprietors erected a new establishment at Barnfeld adjacent to the railway, on the west side of the town, named Hartford new works. This new mill

185

 
link to home page
Oldham in Gazetteers link
From the archives link
link to members' pages
link to News
link to miscellaneous pages
links page