Ellenroad Steam Museum

A common sight in 20th-century Lancashire: a cluster of cotton mills similar to that at Ellenroad.

As brickwork decayed, the chimneys were shortened. At Ellenroad, the chimney has been restored to its original height.

Since mills usually specialised (e.g. in spinning or weaving), partly-processed cotton was transported between them.

The workforce of a Lancashire mill shared not only a working life but usually their leisure time, too.

Here are Ellenroad workers from about 1950.

Earlier, the sense of community was even stronger. The work, though highly skilled, was hard, but the people were bonded by a strong camaraderie that compensated for the hard and dirty conditions. They started young...

Aw’ve seen when aw’ve bin wakkent at foive o’clock i’th’ dark
On bitter frosty mornin’s, an’ packed off to mi’ wark,
An’ if ere th’ engine started, aw had no’ eylt mi tops,
Mi moinder ‘ud a cusst me, an’ cleawted me i’ th’ chops...

Postcard - hotograph - Ellenroad workers ca.1950

Wakes Week

Once a year the mill towns emptied as their denizens descended on the pleasure capital of the North - Blackpool.

Savings were blown away in one mad week of fun and romance.