Thomas Ashton Jnr earned particular note for his conduct during the Cotton Famine (1861-1865), he kept his mills running despite the high cost of cotton. He had his workers build the above mill at Throstle Bank, thus keeping his workers in employment. The mill was also constructed of bricks made by his workforce, at a brick yard of Old Road... somewhere across from where The White Hart was.
I used to work here in the late 70s, first in the card room and then in the lift taking work from one floor to the next.... it wasn't a bad job but had it's ups and downs.... ha!
This above bridge was known as Bowler's Bridge.... I'd be interested to know the origins of that. The bridge was the one replaced in the mid 1970s when the M67 was built. I remember this part of the canal being full of shuttles and bobbins... I wish now I'd picked a few up and kept them.
