Portland Street Mill
in Portland Street, Manchester
Location
The 1849 O.S. map shows 'Portland Street Mill (Silk)' bounded by Portland Street, Aytoun Street, Silver Street and Minshull Street. The plot was shared with a row of houses, offices or shops fronting onto Portland Street, and 'The British Volunteer' pub at the corner of Minshull Street, these buildings hemming in a small block of back-to-back houses and a timber yard. Slater’s Directory gives the mill's occupier at that time as James Houldsworth and Co, silk manufacturers.
Steam-powered mills needed a supply of water for the engine's condenser, but it is not apparent from the maps how the mill's requirements were met. There was a branch of the Rochdale Canal about 100 yards away.
Occupiers and Events
1809 'Steam Engine on Sale, AT A FACTORY. IN PORTLAND STREET, (Late Smith and Unsworth)
A STEAM ENGINE and BOILER, fourteen horse power, two good Horse Wheels, a Malt Mill, with Rollers, a Slide Lathe for turning Iron or Copper Rollers. Cast Iron Shafts, and Wheels, a Quantity of useful Oak and Deal Timber; also a Quantity of Cotton Machinery, Carding Engines, of all sizes, and Preparation, Mules, Throstles, Batting Machines, Devils, and Making-up Presses. Apply to Mr Henry Hughes, as above. One Concern.'[1]
1815 'Portland-street Cotton factory. This very complete Spinning Establishment, which is capable of turning off weekly 4500lbs. of 30's to 50 hanks of twist, may yet purchased at a low valuation, and set to work in a few hours. Every thing relating to the engine, boilers, mill geering and machinery, is in excellent condition. Messrs. John G. Baker and Emanuel Cantrell will treat with principals ; and further information may had by applying to Mr. Thomas Steele, No. 3, Crow Alley, Manchester.'[2]
1827 'To Throstle and Mule Spinners, Power-loom Weavers, and Machine Makers.
TO BE LET, in Portland-street Mill, sundry ROOMS, with excellent TURNING.—Apply to Messrs. D. Burton and Sons, or the engineer on the premises. N. B.— A house to let, in Aytoun-street. (one concern.)'[3]
1831 Bancks's 1831 map shows the premises as 'Walson's Cotton Mill'
1845 'ALL Persons having any claim on the late Mr. LOUIS SCHWABE, silk manufacturer, will please to send in a statement of their account, not later than the 30th instant, to Portland-street Mill.'[4]
1846 Visit of Ibrahim Pascha to Manchester: '....The party next proceeded to the silk embroidery establishment of Messrs. James Houldsworth and Co., Portland-street where upwards of an hour was spent in examining the process of manufacture. In this establishment it was learned that five girls could embroider upwards of 40 yards of silk velvet in a day, with any number or variety of colours. In the warehouse was exhibited a most splendid satin embroidered counterpane, ordered for the King of the French, and some fine specimens of embroidered satin, used by the Queen for dresses. The prince and his suite were next I taken to the patent reed machine-shop of Mr. Chipman, with which they appeared much pleased. The striking machine is one that cuts its own wire, and puts in 365 pins in a minute, and is so fine that there are 4800 in a yard; the reed being about six inches wide.....' [5]
1861 'Tapestry for Windsor Castle. — A magnificent piece of tapestry, designed for the council chamber of the royal residence, Windsor Castle, has been prepared by Messrs. James Houldsworth and Co., Portland-street, Manchester. The design, which was obtained direct from the Court, by Messrs. Cayley, Brothers, of Windsor, the royal tradesmen, is very similar to that of some tapestry executed for William IV….'[6]