History
Built in 1847, Reins Mill was occupied by Charles Dean in 1866 operating as a Fancy Woollen Manufacturer. A year later, Dean started a partnership with John Hey that would last until Hey's retirement in 1883. By 1889, Joseph Dean, son of the original founder, started at the company and from then on the company was known as Charles Dean & Son. The company would continue to operate from Reins right up to the end of the nineteenth century.
David France & Co were at Reins Mill at the turn of the century, and would have likely been present at the time weavers here went on strike in 1902, when looms were speeded up, and wages for the fast loom weavers reduced while the slow loom weavers were kept idle waiting for warps. Incidentally, I don't believe there is any family connection between David France and Josiah France of Queens Mills, despite both running mills in Honley.
By 1950, Reins Mill was occupied by Marsden, Sykes & Co and N Marsh Ltd. A decade later, the Holme Valley Rug Company was set up, lasting 15 years until 1975. Documents for which still reside in the mill. In 1973, another company called Holme Valley Patterns Ltd was incorporated, and it seems they stopped trading here around 2001-2003. As others have stated, it appears to have been used as a MOT testing garage in more recent times.
Built in 1847, Reins Mill was occupied by Charles Dean in 1866 operating as a Fancy Woollen Manufacturer. A year later, Dean started a partnership with John Hey that would last until Hey's retirement in 1883. By 1889, Joseph Dean, son of the original founder, started at the company and from then on the company was known as Charles Dean & Son. The company would continue to operate from Reins right up to the end of the nineteenth century.
David France & Co were at Reins Mill at the turn of the century, and would have likely been present at the time weavers here went on strike in 1902, when looms were speeded up, and wages for the fast loom weavers reduced while the slow loom weavers were kept idle waiting for warps. Incidentally, I don't believe there is any family connection between David France and Josiah France of Queens Mills, despite both running mills in Honley.
By 1950, Reins Mill was occupied by Marsden, Sykes & Co and N Marsh Ltd. A decade later, the Holme Valley Rug Company was set up, lasting 15 years until 1975. Documents for which still reside in the mill. In 1973, another company called Holme Valley Patterns Ltd was incorporated, and it seems they stopped trading here around 2001-2003. As others have stated, it appears to have been used as a MOT testing garage in more recent times.
Cheers for looking
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but i nicked the last shot for me desktop at work! 
Has a nice "feel' about it
