Piccadilly Mill, also known as Bank Top Mill[1] or Drinkwater's Mill, owned by Peter Drinkwater, was the first cotton mill in Manchester, England,[2] to be directly powered by a steam engine,[3] and the 10th such mill in the world.[1] Construction of the four-storey mill on Auburn Street started in 1789[3] and its 8 hp Boulton and Watt engine was installed and working by 1 May 1790.[4] Initially the engine drove only the preparatory equipment and spinning was done manually.[5] The mill-wright was Thomas Lowe, who had worked for William Fairbairn and helped with the planning two of Arkwright's earliest factories.[6]

During the early 1790s the mill employed around 500 workers.[4] Robert Owen was employed as the manager in 1792.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Kidd 2013.
  2. Oxford Archaeology North (2005). "PICCADILLY MILL, PICCADILLY, MANCHESTER Post-Excavation Assessment" (PDF).
  3. 1 2 Nevell 2007, p. 198.
  4. 1 2 Nevell 2007, p. 199.
  5. 1 2 Miller & Wild 2007, p. 18.
  6. Miller & Wild 2007, p. 64.

Bibliography

53°28′43″N 2°14′00″W / 53.4787°N 2.2333°W / 53.4787; -2.2333

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