Lancashire Loom
Willan and Mills
Category
Machinery and industrial devices
Date
1880
Materials
Metal
Measurements
121.5 cm (height)218 cm (length)112 cm (width)
Place of origin
Blackburn
Order this imageCollection
Quarry Bank, Cheshire
NT 1453830
Summary
A Lancashire loom made by Willan and Mills, Blackburn, circa 1880. This machine is number 243, 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; 243 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; 243 Plate centre of horizontal bar (back): 45 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; 243 Plate centre of horizontal bar (back): 45 Hanging from horizontal bar: mule weft 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; 243 Plate centre of horizontal bar (back): 45 Hanging from horizontal bar: mule weft Hanging from horizontal bar: L243 lt towel / date in 29-1-96 / warp - 1102 / ends - 12s / weft condensor / reed 33s counts / heading 2 blue bars / width in reed - 33½"
Makers and roles
Willan and Mills, manufacturer