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Report - - Dobroyd Mill, Jackson Bridge, West Yorkshire, May 2019 | Industrial Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Dobroyd Mill, Jackson Bridge, West Yorkshire, May 2019

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HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
1. The History
For such a big mill with a long history there is a surprising lack of information. Dobroyd Mills, in the village of Jackson Bridge near Holmfirth, dates back to the 1820s when the original building was constructed in 1829 as a water-powered mill. Historical records give an insight into the going’s on at the mill. In an 1851 Census, John Earnshaw was listed as having “31 hands” at his mill. Five years later, in 1856, John Earnshaw’s son, John William, age 2, fell into the plug hole of a dye pan and received fatal injuries in dyehouse near his father’s residence. In 1859 John Holroyd of J & E Moorhouse was charged by PC White with “leaving a wash barrel unattended for over an hour” at Sude Hill and “being more than 100 yards from his horse”. On refusing to pay the fine, he was committed to Wakefield prison for seven days. Tragedy struck again on 8th May 1869 when Mary Webster drowned herself and her illegitimate infant in the mill’s dam.

The mill was then rebuilt in 1870 and stood three stories tall. Several outhouses were added later on and a square chimney. The next key development was the foundation of the Dobroyd Mills Company textile business on the site in 1919. William Haigh, a First World War flying ace, civilian hero, textile magnate, and philanthropist bought into the mill as a director. Haigh's life was many and varied. After being demobbed from the Royal Flying Corps in 1919, his next mission was to become involved with the Mill. Haigh, who died in 1956, became known as "Buffalo Bill" through his liking for broad-rimmed hats. He was an avid collector of trongers (wool weights), which came to be the symbol of Dobroyd Mill. Before he died, he had turned the company into one of the world's best-known names in women's worsteds.

A couple of aerial views of the mill, in 1939:

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Dobroyd 2 by HughieDW, on Flickr

...and 1948:

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Dobroyd by HughieDW, on Flickr

One of the mill’s engines (single cylinder Uniflow @ Woodhouse & Mitchell, 1937)

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Dobroyd engine by HughieDW, on Flickr

At its peak in the 1960s, the company employed almost 600 workers. The mill closed in 1974, only to re-open two years later in 1976 under John Woodhead Ltd spinners. However, the mill ultimately succumbed to the decline of the textile industry. Planning permission to knock down two sections on the northern end of the complex was granted by Kirklees Council in 2012.The classic car renovation company and the Oil Can café were the last occupants on the upper floors to the rear of the Mill. However, they both moved out and relocated to the nearby Washpit Mills circa 2017, leaving the mill empty. Recently the Chimney stack has been demolished along with an outer building.

Proposals to redevelop the mill into new homes and office and industrial space were tabled in January 2018 including the demolition of all the buildings on the site, apart from the 19th century, four-storey mill building, and the property used by Hepworth Band. It proposed that the retained mill building would be converted into 27 apartments and 7,000 square foot of space for office or light industrial use and the construction of 75 houses on the site that had been cleared. Beyond this proposal no current information on the mill’s status or fate could be found.

2. The Explore
This fine mill has had its fair share of reports over the years. Until recently a couple of the floors had the original spinning machinery in situ. Sadly, these have now been taken away. For an excellent report that shows the machinery before it was removed, see @Esoteric Eric 's superb report HERE

Now the mill is now pretty much empty, but it is vast and still has enough original features to hold your attention for an hour or more. The mill’s footprint stretches for just over some 4.04 hectares It is also in a very picturesque location and, fortunately, the idiots are yet to arrive here on mass. It’s my favourite mill explore to-date. From the front it’s pretty secure, but like most places, if you go around the back you can find a way in. What’s in store for the mill in the future is unclear. Hopefully it will get saved and it is spared the same fate as Newsome mills.

3. The Pictures

Front view of the mill:

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img0911 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And the distinctive water tower (the only bit of the mill that was particularly wet)

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img0909 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Round the back you are greeted by the shell of this old car:

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img0914 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And we’re into the new bit at the top of the mill complex:

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img0921 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0918 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0925 by HughieDW, on Flickr

This newer bit of the mill had the now relocated Oil Can cafe in and some small retailers:

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img0926 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Back out and round, here’s an indication of the mill’s former usage:

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img0936 by HughieDW, on Flickr

This is the oldest section of the mill:

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img0939 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0945bw by HughieDW, on Flickr

Seen pictures of the sign on the top floor. Looks like someone decided to give it the heave ho out of the window:

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img0943 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The sound of running water is quite unique:

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img0946 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0948 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Probably the best graff in the place:

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img0950 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0954 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0956 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0955 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The original part of the mill, although empty, was my favourite bit with its wooden floors and iron support pillars:

by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0958 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0959 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0961 by HughieDW, on Flickr

This bit of the mill has the most stuff left behind although the machines are now gone. This is where John Woodhead Ltd spinners moved into in 1976. Bizarrely, their registered office address was only changed last month (May, 2019) from Dobroyd Mills to Hartcliffe Mills, Denby Dale.

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img0967 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0969 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0972 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0973 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0976 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Vintage poster still on the wall:

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img0979 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0980 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 
Last edited:

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Back out again and round:

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img0982 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And a few phone pictures:

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Dobroyd 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 11 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 12 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 13 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 14 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 16 by HughieDW, on Flickr

But….like always as soon as I got home I realised I’d missed parts of the mill that had good bits in. Soooo…a week of so later went back for a fresh look:

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img1135 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1140 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1142 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1144 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Pictures from earlier in the year showed this intact:

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img1146 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Sad to see this piece of history left behind. It’s John Woodhead Ltd’s original incorporation certificate from 1924:

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img1147 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1151 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1158 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1161 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1164 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1167 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1168 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Missed this floor in the old building:

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img1156 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1159 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And the top floor:

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img1165 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And the electrics/switch room bit:

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img1173 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1175 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img1179 by HughieDW, on Flickr



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img1180 by HughieDW, on Flickr



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img1181 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 

host

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Quality work mate it’s getting in a right state now. Some bits I’ve not seen before.
 

Esoteric Eric

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Cheers for the mention pal.

Nice archive pic of the engine house and I love that modernist poster of the wool industry!
 

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
And a few more as I'm obsessed with this place:

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Dobroyd 29 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 28 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 27 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 26 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 23 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 22 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 20 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 19 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 18 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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img0944 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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Dobroyd 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Apologies. That's enough now.
 

MarkusCP87

Undiscovered locations in the UK
28DL Full Member
Amazing report mate.
That staircase shot with the trees outside the window is unreal.
 

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