Cranage Mill Lostock Gralam

This is a lousy pic but it is the only one I have come across I have taken it from Lenna Bickerton's  book memories of a Cheshire childhood. Cranage Mill or locals called it Heskies mill, William Hesketh was a prominent local business man he owned most of the land in the village his grandson Alfred Hesketh Bateman use to run about the village in a large pre war car. The mill was also a home Leonard Hesketh was living there with his family 1911 census, Leonard is a cousin of William. All that is left today is the bridge the brook water is classed as (a-one) boiler feed water the river dane and weaver as they approach Northwich they take on salt from natural springs rending them useless as boiler feed water. Brunner Mond needed the brook water they went to the trouble of supplying the mill with steam and engine to grind the corn. There has been a mill and lower down the brook Witton mill since medieval times. In the 1970's you could drive car down to the site and park on a tile floor which must have been part of the old mill. In my younger days 1968 I worked in the lime plant Lostock Works, the foreman rigger  was a gentleman and scholar
 called Alf Moores now when it came to a sense of humour Alf was in the the front of the queue when the good Lord  dished them out. He was born in the mill now if Alf was alive today he would about 97-98 years of age.
William Dodson Hesketh and Leonard Hesketh both had sons called William they were killed in action in the first world war. Leonards son he was a waggon maker went on to become a sapper in the Royal Engineers he lies in Feuchy cemetery France at the end of the war his mother was living in Middlewhich road and the house was called Feuchy. William Dodson Hesketh his was working as a clerk in a corn mill he went on to become a 2nd Lieutenant in the Cheshire regiment he lies along with 4600 comrades in Bailleunal British cemetery his mother committed suicide in a canal in France now to get from Lostock to France in the 1920's would have taken some doing.

Wincham Hall about 1900 originally a tudor building, home of the Townshends Edward who also called himself captain was there in the 1881 census. The Townshends were successful salt mine owners at least three mines were named after them. The hall was   also home to Henry Neumann the salt proprietor Neumanns flash is named after him.
It was a girls school before the war, during the war American troops were stationed there. In the 1950's the phoenix youth club a highly successful club  operated in part of the property a modern addition which is on the far left of todays hall I can remember peering through the window sometime in the early 1960's the floor was littered with trophy's the hall had changed hands and the youth club had gone. I think the chimney is all that is left of the old building.

 

 

 

This bottom picture is dated 1935, look at the well worn path on to the brook.

 

 

 

Plumly works

Girls day out Plumly works the gable end in the back ground is the end house in Ascol drive. The Ammonia Soda company was taken over by Brunner Mond around 1914, forced out of business in reality and soda ash production ceased this picture 1914-18 the plant was making explosives. It would have been a bumpy ride look at the solid wheels on the bus and hope for good weather.

Holford mill wheel

Close up shot of the mill wheel showing a composite wheel cast iron inner and outer rims.

Holford mill wheel

Another shot of the mill showing the under shot wheel.

Holford Mill

This is Holford Mill known to locals as Malkin's mill, the picture is taken from Holford Hall side looking back to Ascol drive date wise 1900. The mill was a popular picnic area in the 1950,s all that was left then was one of the vertical mill wheels was still standing and the mill pond which is  to the right of the picture was a large pool since silted up. The mill was an  important building in its day, it had four working grinders each fed with its own sluice also it had a special track running though the long wood direct to the mill. There has been a mill on this site since Saxon times. Earnest Malkin old malky to the locals was living and working in the mill aged 22 with his parents 1911 census.

Roberts bakery I would think 1900-20 period