Tillicoultry mills 19thC

[Hugo]

I have been asked to help a friend find out at which mill(s) her relatives worked in Tillicoultry in the second half of the 19th century. She is particularly thinking that there might be account books somewhere, or whether their addresses might be houses rented from the mill.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Hugo

[WilmaM]

I'd say the 1st step is to get the census details for the family and see just where they were living, that might give clues as to where they worked [if it was company housing it might by near any mill buildings].

Looking at old maps I can't see any obvious mills in the town, but it is Mill Country in Clackmannanshire.

[Currie]

Hello Hugo,

You probably would have much more chance of finding something about the history of a particular set of houses than finding employment or other records of a long-gone Mill. However it probably would need to be a pretty large Mill, employing many people, and that didn’t have sufficient convenient close access to local workers, that would need to go to the trouble of building company housing.

Also the time period may be of significance especially where there may have been a gradual change in the number of mills in an area from many small to fewer bigger. This article in the Caledonian Mercury, Thursday, May 18, 1837, suggests there were many mills there at that time.

TARTAN SHAWL WEAVERS.—It is no doubt known to many of our readers that the tartan shawl weavers of several of the mills around Tillicoultry have struck work for the last three weeks, in consequence of their masters intimating the necessity of a reduction in their wages. We understand that, in consequence, a meeting of 25 of the woollen manufacturers was held on Friday last, at Gibb’s Inn here, when it was moved and carried unanimously, with the exception of one dissentient voice, that in consequence of the coercive measures adopted by the union of shawl weavers in this district, the meeting agree to discharge every weaver or any other person in their employment connected with said union, on and after the 15th current; at the same time recommending to the other manufacturers in this district, who were not present, to adopt the same measures.—Stirling Journal.

There’s more about Tillicoultry Mills at this site http://www.tillicoultry.org.uk/history/index.html

Hope that’s interesting,
Alan

[jmdrummond]

Hugo's post was on my behalf. I have the addresses in Tillicoultry for various relatives of my husband in the Censuses of 1851through 1891 and in each family members were working in the wool trade. In 1861 they occupied two houses in Mill St and in 1871 and 1891 were in Stirling St. In 1881 one family was in Craigfoot. I hope to be in Tillicoultry in the summer, has anyone any suggestions about where I might ask about company housing there? Thanks for information so far.

June Drummond, Spain

[Currie]

Hello June, and Welcome to TalkingScot.

I had a good look through the 19C newspapers and I’m sorry to say I couldn’t find anything referring to company housing in the streets etc you mentioned or elsewhere in Tillicoultry. There were just the usual BMD notices and reports of various goings on.

This 1883 book may be worth a read, “Reminiscences of Dollar, Tillicoultry and other Districts adjoining the Ochils” It describes location and development of various mills. There may be clues within as to whether any mill had the need to build company housing.
http://www.electricscotland.com/history ... apter9.htm

On ScotlandsPlaces you’ll find information about Tillicoultry. Search within these results for Craigfoot, or whatever, then click the result box and you’ll get location details if available http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/searc ... oultry1307

Google Maps (& Earth) have quite reasonable overhead images of Tillicoultry and Street View is available. It may be interesting to take the tour there before the visit. Craigfoot Mill was apparently located here http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&i ... 02106&z=19

With Google Earth you can use pushpins to mark and label precise locations. As suggested by Wilma, it may be an interesting exercise to do this, if possible, with mill locations and the address of your relatives to see how close they lived to any particular mill. These pushpin locations need to be saved in the places list.

Perhaps the Clackmannanshire Archives have something? See also the links on the right of the page for branch and service info. http://www.clacksweb.org.uk/culture/archives/

Hope that helps,
Alan

[jmdrummond]

There is some useful information in this site about the Tillicoultry woollen industry
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/t ... index.html
Thanks Alan for your helpful list of links. June