the History Spot
by Renfrewshire Local History Forum Elderslie Mills and Old Patrick Water
Renfrewshire had numerous cotton mills. The best-known mills were on the main rivers, the Black Cart, White Cart and Gryfe. However some lesser burns, including the Old Patrick Water at Elderslie, also powered large cotton mills from the 1790s.
The Old Patrick Water drops steeply from the waterlogged Caplaw Moss, down through Elderslie and into the Black Cart between Johnstone and Linwood. Traditionally the burn powered meal mills at Elderslie Mill and Mackies Mill. The name Mackies Mill still survives as the name of a farm half way up the Old Patrick.
In the 1720s Houston of Johnstone got permission from Claude Alexander of Newton to built a dam near Craigmuir farm, just before the Old Patrick drops 60 metres over a succession of spectacular waterfalls. This dam diverted part of the burn’s fl ow for two miles, across to Johnstone. The purpose was to turn a “water engine” and pump water out of Houston’s Quarrelton coal fi eld. In 1728 an apprentice was indentured by Houston of Johnstone to look after the “Water Wheel, Pumps and Gins, for out-taking his coal of Quarrelton and for draining the water therefrom”.
Elderslie meal mill was
situated in Elderslie village, just above the Main Road. In 1791 the site was purchased by John Clark, a wright from Paisley, who built a much larger mill to spin cotton. In 1794 Clark also built Caplaw Dam, up near the source of the Old Patrick on Caplaw Moss, at the former Peesweep sanatorium. This dam was to store water for his new cotton mill. Caplaw Dam and its reservoir still survive up on the moors. Down in Elderslie, Clark also built another large dam to provide a 30 foot fall to power his cotton mill wheel.
Elderslie cotton mill was located on the Main Road, between the Old Patrick and the Wallace Monument. Soon after construction, John Clark sold the mill to the King brothers of Lonend in Paisley, who were partners with Robert Corse at Johnstone Old Cotton Mill. The two cotton mills were run for many years as one business. By 1823 Elderslie cotton mill had 9,400 mule spindles and the water wheel was complimented by a steam engine.
Elderslie cotton mill passed through various owners and, after the decline of the cotton industry, persisted as a clothing factory. The mill was typical of the tall whitewashed Renfrewshire cotton mills, and was fi nally demolished about 50 years ago. The nearby dam and sluice survive, although the dam is breached, forming a spectacular waterfall.
From 1793 further potential mill situations on the Old Patrick water were advertised in the press. This led gradually to further use of the Old Patrick water to supply power and process water to various other industries further upstream. The fi rst was a large paper mill, built at Patrickbank in 1815 by Vallance and Lamb. This was driven by a 30 foot fall, and the manager’s house was at Leitchland nearby. By the 1820s the paper mill was worked by Walter Millar, with three vats for making paper. In the 1830s it was part of the Collins paper empire and the mill still had water rights to Caplaw reservoir.
By 1841 the paper mill became Partickbank print works. Much of the printworks still survived into the 1990s as part of the much larger Stoddart’s Carpet Factory which stretched further downstream. Both were razed and redeveloped with housing shortly after 2000. Only the dam and lade survive in the glen.
Slightly further upstream, at another spectacular water fall, Glenpatrick Distillery was established by the 1840s. This led to the Old Patrick being more commonly known as the Brandy Burn. Despite the demolition of all the mills, various traces of their dams and lades can still been seen when walking along the banks of the Old Patrick.
Stuart Nisbet © 2011
PHOTO: Waterfall formed by a breach in the old Elderslie Cotton Mill Dam
Lochwinnoch Community Council
The inaugural meeting of the new Community Council took place on Tuesday 5th April at the Bowling Club and the 13 candidates were declared to have been unopposed as members of the CC.
Graeme Brown was elected as Chairperson and Chris Gould becomes Vice Chairperson (and Planning Convenor). A vote of thanks was given to outgoing members, Lesley Scott and David Fowles, for all their hard work over the past few years as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.
The next Community Council meeting will take place on Tuesday 3rd May at 7.30pm in Lochwinnoch Bowling Club. All members of the public are welcome to attend.
Knitting Group
Knit @ The Junction - Mondays from 10am - noon (sometimes longer). All levels and learners welcome. Come and be inspired and partake of Jo and Ivan’s great food. For more info telephone 07809 120577
Like to join us?
Contact the Elderly is a national charity which provides a lifeline of support to lonely older people over the age of 75 who live alone in their own home. We are currently looking for volunteers to assist with providing the service for older people who can benefi t from a monthly outing. If you can help, please get in touch with: Margaret Oliver, Contact the Elderly, PO Box 5207, Dumbarton, G82 9AP. T: 01389 605915 or email margaret.
oliver@contact-the-elderly.org.uk
Lochwinnoch Library
New Opening Hours •Mon: 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm • Tues: 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm • Wed: 2pm - 5pm and 6pm - 8pm • Thur: Closed
• Fri: 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm • Sat: 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm • Sun: Closed
The changes are a result of a consultation with library users. The study showed that 62% of users who participated in the consultation supported the new hours.
Holiday Weekend
Lochwinnoch Library will be closed on the 29th April for the Royal Wedding Public Holiday and also on Monday 2nd May, May Day.
Lochwinnoch Energy Project Expands To Kilbarchan & Howwood
LEAP Bounds On!
The LEAP project has been running in Lochwinnoch since May 2010. A second funding injection from CLIMATE CHALLENGE FUND will now support the project until March 2012, allowing the group to continue to help reduce domestic energy consumption in Lochwinnoch and extend the project to nearby villages of Kilbarchan and Howwood.
The LEAP Project is all about helping people in Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch reduce the energy wasted in their homes. LEAP can help save householders money by cutting fuel bills and ensuring they take advantage of the subsidies and grants available to make homes more energy effi cient.
HOW CAN LEAP HELP YOU ?
LEAP can have a qualifi ed Energy Advisor visit your home to identify where easy savings can be made – through a FREE HOME ENERGY CHECK (worth £45)
LEAP can carry out a FREE DRAUGHT TEST on your home and provide a video showing where fi xable draughts are chilling it (worth £108)
LEAP can produce a FREE THERMAL IMAGE of the outside of your home to show where more insulation could improve cold spots(worth £25)
If you live in KILBARCHAN or HOWWOOD and you’d like to fi nd out more: Visit:
www.kipcokil.com/leap Email:
leap@kipcokil.com
Phone: 01505 706070 or drop into The Old Library Centre, 9 Barholm, Kilbarchan PA10 2EF
36 | MAY 2011 | your LOCAL news every month - in print and online |
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