14 ISLE OF MAN EXAMINER www.iomtoday.co.im Tuesday, December 17, 2019 BUILDINGS AT RISK Flail and Fleece – uniting the two mills in Union Mills Whilst buildings can be lost, their legacy can be hidden in plain sight! This week Priscilla Lewthwaite of the Isle of Man Family History Society looks at Union Mills – and how the village owes its existence and its name to two mills. oday in the centre of the village of Union Mills stand a few walls, the ruins of what was once a thriving industry and Tthe sole reason for the devel- opment of a village in this area. The history of the mill goes back to our earliest land re- cords, the Manorial Roll 1511- 1515, where it states that the tenant of the corn mill paid 9s 8d Lord’s Rent. The tenant, Oates McTag- gart, in return for paying his rent, received all the landown- ers of the district as tenants of the mill. The tenants had to grind their corn at the mill to which they were apportioned and they were also bound to keep the mill in repair. The repairs could con- sist of being asked to provide straw for thatch (all the early mills were thatched) or having to help transport new mill- stones when required. The mill owners lived a precarious life and ran into financial difficulties many times when the mill had to be mortgaged. John Stevenson inherited the mill, then known as Mullin Oates through his wife, Aver- ick Oates, whose family had owned it for several genera- tions. In 1665 he had to borrow £16 and to obtain this he had to mortgage half the water corn mill (half belonged to his wife), 1868 Ordnance Survey of Union Mills – the mill buildings (no 1586, red), and the tenter-racks in field 1544 on the opposite side of the road behind the Post Office (Manx Museum Library) half the house the miller lived in, and half their croft. Thirty-six years later in death bed. She made her will In 1803, William Steven- ning the corn mill and realised processes necessary to turn tising that the public could 1701, when their son William stating that there would be lit- son’s daughter Mary, and her that an opportunity existed raw wool into finished cloth. have their own wool spun into was the owner, he managed to tle left to share after payment mother inherited the mill and for wool to be spun and woven On June 13 1807 he adver- cloth of various kinds and he save £16 and finally the mort- of their debts. it was purchased by William on a commercial basis. tised in the Manks Advertiser was willing to accept as little gage was paid off in full. The Stevenson family Kelly, clothier, of Douglas for He built another mill for 20 experienced weavers of as 10lbs in quantity. The family were still strug- struggled on, passing the mill the sum of £500. alongside the existing corn woollen cloth and also for six So successful was his busi- gling eight years later in Au- down from generation to gen- William Kelly proved to be mill, and this new mill became lads between the ages of 14 and ness that he issued his own gust 1709 when William’s wife, eration, always to the eldest a very progressive man. He the first factory in the island, 16 as apprentices. card tokens for small change. Elinor nee Parr, lay on her son. was not content with just run- being able to carry out all the In 1808 William was adver- One of these still exists at Five-shilling card money token issued in 1819 by the ‘Union Mills Ltd’, with their ‘Flail and Fleece United’ logo on the The Mill and weaving sheds from the south c. 1920s front and a drawing of the mills on the reverse (Journal of the Manx Museum) Tuesday, December 17, 2019 www.iomtoday.co.im ISLE OF MAN EXAMINER 15 BUILDINGS AT RISK The former mill buildings when used as Cowen’s Laundry c. 1920s (Tony Kneale) The Mill frontage, 1904 MNH today, showing a picture ness to his nephew Dalrymple of the mill on one side and the Maitland. words ‘Flail and Fleece’ on the In 1875, Dalrymple decided other, with the value shown to invest in the mills by hav- of five shillings. It was after ing the machinery driven by the building of the second steam instead of water power. mill that the village got its new Plans were drawn up by name of Union Mills instead of Messrs Clark & Martin engi- Mullin Doway. neers from Liverpool, to erect Business thrived, William a tall chimney. arranged for carts to visit the Robert Kaye a mason from major towns every week to col- Marown had the work entrust- lect wool for processing. ed to him as he had already But, unfortunately by the erected a similar chimney at 1820s, Mr Kelly’s fortunes East Foxdale Mines. started to decline. By June 1875 a chimney a He came into dispute over little over 60 feet in height was tithes with the then Bishop, erected. The scaffolding was the Rev George Murray, who removed after completion, pressed charges and sadly and just after the men had William Kelly ended up a returned to work after their prisoner in Castle Rushen in mid-day break, Mr Maitland 1827 and the mill and all the stepped outside, looked up buildings were advertised by at the chimney and saw the the coroner for sale by public Auction notice for the ‘Union Mills’ from the Manks whole structure fall right on auction. Advertiser August 2 1827 (iMuseum) The weaving/finishing sheds behind the mill, enjoying a new life top of the roof of the weav- The mills and premises ing shed. Inside, the shed was were sold to Thomas Harrison despatched on horseback to and dye house were back in James Kelly were injured in threatened by fire! It was for- completely destroyed by fall- and continued working until Douglas to try to obtain a fire production in less than 10 the fire which they eventually tunate that just after the dis- ing masonry. one disastrous day in Novem- engine to preserve the adjoin- weeks after the fire. managed to put out without it covery of the fire a Mr Karran A great portion of the roof ber 1828 when the mill caught ing buildings. This arrived at The machinery was the lat- doing too much damage to the from Peel together with his had fallen in and Robert (Rob- fire. At half past one in the 11.15am. Mr Archibald Clarke est and most modern invent- mill. By 1851, the mills were friend, Mr McCormack, were in) Green, who had worked at morning the overseer of the and his men were praised for ed, and many workmen had employing 40 men including driving past in a phaeton and the mill for many years, was mill awoke to see his bedroom their promptitude. been engaged from England corn millers, weavers, dyers, they both volunteered to help. killed whilst working at the illuminated by flames burst- Unfortunately, the mills to head the different depart- spinners and cloth dressers. Mr Karran offered the use of carding machine. Two boys ing from the corn mill with were badly damaged. The ments at the mill. The men his horse and vehicle to take were also injured. It took some ‘indescribable fury’. weaving department and dye engaged were from Armley in ork would some of the men to Douglas considerable time before the Although not a moment house suffered considerably, Yorkshire and stayed and mar- start after to get the fire engine. Mr Mc- rebuilding was commenced. was lost and every energy was the tuck mill and water wheel ried local girls. Descendants the mill Cormack drove them in and Dalrymple sold the wool- called into action to rescue the were partly damaged. today live in the island. bell had within a short space of time len and corn mills in 1887 and property, little could be saved. As the mill was insured As well as being able to rung at the Douglas fire engine was on trustees purchased the good- The upper floors at the it was not long before it was sell the Manx-made cloth at 6am; at 8am the men would the spot, in the charge of chief will of the lease and a public carding room were saturated rebuilt at a cost of £1,600 for the mill, a warehouse on the Wstop for half an hour to have constable Sayle with a body of company was formed. in oil and any attempt to pre- the building and replacement North Quay was leased so that breakfast; a short break policemen under his orders, The lease covered the wool- serve the machinery was im- machinery. By January 1829 that the public could inspect at noon and the men then who ‘rendered all the ser- len mill, dye works, corn mill, possible. the proprietor of the mill ad- and purchase the goods in worked continually until 7pm vice in their power’. Captain cottages and land. At 9.45am the following vertised in the Sun newspaper Douglas. before finishing work for the Higginson of the steamship By January 1891, the wool- morning, one of their men was that the weaving department The partnership of James day. Mona’s Queen gave directions len mill was closed but the Dalrymple, James Kelly and All this for 15 to 18 shillings and personally aided every- corn mill carried on until Thomas Maltby was formed a week! where, with complete disre- 1924, before closing for the about 1835 when they took Business continued to gard for any danger he might final time and ending the mill- over the running of the corn flourish with woollen cloths, be in.