Day Five: Stott Park Bobbin Mill

 Today was my last day in England before I time-traveled again to the present, so I visited the Stott Park Bobbin Mill. The mill is located in a very remote area, which was perfect because the trees around it provided the mill with the resources necessary to create bobbins. Also, I noticed that all of the surrounding trees were cut into perfect poles. They were all trimmed back so that the tree could be used for bobbin making ("History of Stott"). The Scott Park Bobbin Mill was powered by a watermill which “had been fed by a pond beside the mill, which drew its water from High Dam. . .” ("History of Stott"). As I stood by the mill, I could hear the water rushing fast over the wheel. The water wheel powered and turned the belts overhead, which in turn powered the machinery, allowing the men to produce the bobbins. 

Once I stepped inside the mill, I was immediately greeted by the smell of sawdust. There were piles of bobbins on the ground in various shapes and sizes, along with wood scraps. Additionally, this mill produced over 260 different types of bobbins in various styles and shapes (Science and Industry). There were many men and young boys making bobbins, some as young as 14 years old. And to my surprise, some of them often labored for 16 hours or more daily, usually performing repetitive manual tasks ("History of Stott"). 

As I left Scott Park Bobbin Mill, I could not help but reflect on the previous five days. Experiencing the Industrial Revolution in England during the 1850s was a truly eye-opening encounter. From the cotton factories and coal mines, to riding a locomotive train and experiencing the circus, I realized the Industrial Revolution has had an impact on today’s lives. The new machinery, such as the waterwheel, the locomotive train, and the cotton gin, all point to one idea: the beginning of progress. Everything I visited in this blimp back in time shaped the world in many ways today. 


Coppice poles being stored in every available space in the mill yard at Stott Park in 1965, when the mill was still operational Stott Park in 1965, English Heritage

 

 

Works Cited 

“History of Stott Park Bobbin Mill.” English Heritage, 2019, www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stott-park-bobbin-mill/history/. 

Science and Industry Museum. “Our Curator’s Guide to the Textiles Gallery.” YouTube, 2 Aug. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwgY4yQIJ8s. 

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