Report - Wilton Mills, Hawick - March 2009

[Oxygen Thief]

Visited with Raddog and Dweeb.

More correctly 'Dicksons and Laings Wilton Mills'.

The original partners of the firm of Dicksons & Laings, whose works at Wilton Mills are well known to all acquainted with the Hawick trade, were also among the pioneers of the manufacturing prosperity of the burgh. The Brothers Laing carried on business as hosiers, spinning their yarns on the hand-jenny, before becoming mill proprietors. They entered into partnership with Messrs Dickson, and the first part of Wilton Mills was built in 1809-10. On two occasions the factory was enlarged. The parent building was burned down in December 1867, being then the centre of an extensive range of erections which the increasing business of the firm had called into existence. On the site of the old mill new buildings have been erected. It was at the Wilton Mills that the first spinning- jennies in Hawick driven by water-power were worked, and at the same place that the power-loom made a first appearance in 1830...

This time we had a look around the smaller building at the right side of the above picture. Like the rest of the mill complex it had been cut up and used for other businesses, and it appeared to be last used as an auction house. Prior to that, at some time it was 'Marshall Lauder' a knitwear firm...

Pictures from upstairs...

Then we went over to the clock tower...