Lancashire Loom
Willan and Mills
Category
Machinery and industrial devices
Date
1880
Materials
Metal
Measurements
124 cm (height)236 cm (length)124 cm (width)
Place of origin
Blackburn
Order this imageCollection
Quarry Bank, Cheshire
NT 1453827
Summary
A Lancashire loom made by Willan and Mills, Blackburn, circa 1880. This machine is number 235, identified by its affixed plate. This machine weaves cotton fabric using warp and weft threads. Hundreds of warp threads are wound around a metal beam at the back of the machine, and are drawn in from the back through a series of healds (thin ropes with eyelets) that are attached to heald shafts. As the shafts are raised and lowered, the weft thread is sent from side-to-side between the warp threads by a shuttle, weaving together the individual threads into a solid piece of cloth.
Marks and inscriptions
Front of horizontal bar that runs across the top of the loom: Willan and Mills Blackburn Front of horizontal bar that runs across the top of the loom: Willan and Mills Blackburn Plate centre of horizontal bar that runs across top of loom: white; 235 Front of horizontal bar that runs across the top of the loom: Willan and Mills Blackburn Plate centre of horizontal bar that runs across top of loom: white; 235 Back of plate on centre horizontal bar that runs across top of loom: white; 50 Front of horizontal bar that runs across the top of the loom: Willan and Mills Blackburn Plate centre of horizontal bar that runs across top of loom: white; 235 Back of plate on centre horizontal bar that runs across top of loom: white; 50 Hanging from horizontal bar: L235 b-2- / ends 2200 - 18s / weft - 12s / reed 51s / width in reed 42½" /____(unreadable) / date in 3-1-97 / heading 2 red bars Front of horizontal bar that runs across the top of the loom: Willan and Mills Blackburn Plate centre of horizontal bar that runs across top of loom: white; 235 Back of plate on centre horizontal bar that runs across top of loom: white; 50 Hanging from horizontal bar: L235 b-2- / ends 2200 - 18s / weft - 12s / reed 51s / width in reed 42½" /____(unreadable) / date in 3-1-97 / heading 2 red bars Hanging from horizontal bar: RY QUAL / 12 / date 9-8 / machine no. .... / gross .... / tone ....
Makers and roles
Willan and Mills, manufacturer