William Thompson, Park Mill – c1800s

The mill was leased from the Emmott estate by William Thompson in the early 1800s. He, with his brothers went on to manufacture cloth also at Larkfield Mill. There is a some lack of clarity as to which mill first used the Botany wool sent from Australia by the Rev. Samuel Marsden, some sources credit Low Mill/Park Mill or Larkfield Mill. Low Mill was originally built by the Thompson family around 1797 and Park Mill was built next door in 1805.
Both mills were constructed on the Rawdon side of Red Beck so it is close to the Horsforth boundary. Water for the mills was supplied by the Billing Dam which in turn was supplied via stream from the Larkfield Mill dam.

Image courtesy of Horsforth Museum.

To view Larkfield Mill, please – Click Here.
To view Larkfield Dam, please – Click Here.
To view Billing Dam, please – Click Here.

Editor’s Note:

Park Mill has also been known as Low Mill and Woodbottom Mill and in its life time has supported numerous occupiers, two of which were:

C W Wade, Dyers & Finishers – c1900 please – Click Here.
L J Booth & Sons – c1911 please – Click Here.

Other firms who were known to have operated from here and Low Mill were:
Outhwaite and Lofthouse (Bleachers) – c1857
Samuel Gray and Co.,- c1860
and a
Bleaching Group of Sir William Duncan D.L., J.P. until 1911.

Ed. JB. 19 January 2024.