RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Inverness => Topic started by: langbank on Friday 23 March 07 20:16 GMT (UK)
-
Any info on the Holm Mills, weaving mills in Inverness, between 1871 and 1901?
Thanks
Alastair
-
Can't provide the information you want but just to check that you are aware that Holm Mills is still functioning as a retail outlet for woollens etc.
-
Thanks for that.
-
Hi there
In James Miller's book "Inverness" (pub Birlinn 2004) there's not a lot of information on the Holm Mills apart from the owner of Holm Mills (James Pringle Ltd) bought the only other woollen mill in Inverness (situated at Muirtown in Inverness) in 1937 and transferred its work to Holm. However, Miller does quote a reference, namely:
MacAskill, EHL, "Holm Woolen Mills 1798 - 1984" Scottish Industrial History (1984) 7.2: 36-44
Also in Gerald Pollitt's "Historic Inverness" (pub Melven Press 1981) he says that the mill was established about 1798. The Provost of Inverness Dr John Inglis Nicol owned the mill in the early 1800s. Pollitt gives some more information on the mill, based on the following references:
Groome, Francis H, editor Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland , a survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical (1883), vol 4
Barron, James, Northern Highlands in the Nineteenth Century, (Carruthers and Sons, Inverness) in three volumes 1903 to 1913 1.87, 3.154
Hope this info is of some help. If you're in Scotland, perhaps these publications may be available (or can be ordered) at your local library?
Many thanks
Lynn
-
Hi
Many thanks for that, very useful. I will try the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. Best wishes.
Alastair
-
Hi there. I could do with more information on Holm Mill myself. I suspect it may be tied in with my family.
Mr great uncle, James MacDonald (1873 - 1966), owned 8 acres of land and leased more on which he grazed around 6000 sheep. This land was on the side of the river between Inverness and Ness Castle. On the top end of his land was a mill. At some point, James went into partnership with James Pringle.
I don't have any more information than that. No dates either. I am surmising that the mill was Holm Mill based on the location and the current owners.
Any help gratefully received.
Alan
-
Hi Alan
I've had another look at my books on Inverness to see if they held any further information about Holm Mills. Unfortunately, they don't seem to give anything more than I listed in my reply to Alastair (Langbank) in March. There's no mention of a James Macdonald in these books, but perhaps the references I listed in my previous post may be useful?
Sorry that I can't be of more help
Lynn
-
Thank you Lynn, your references do give me somewhere to start.
Cheers
Alan
-
Interested in your comments re Holm Mills - my husband's uncle Finlay McDonald lives in house right opposite to Holm Mills in Holm Mills road; in fact he is known in family as 'Sonny Holm Mills". His father and he in turn own Ness Bank Poultry Farm and the house and land is still occupied by Finlay - running right down to River Ness. :D
-
Is there any way I can find out about a particular person that worked at Holm Mill?
One of my great great grandfathers daughters worked at Holm Mill, her name was Mary Whyte(could be white), she was there in 1867, again in 1873 and again in 1878, she had 3 children while she worked there (father unknown).
the first child, Alexander, bn 1868 on beauly railway station.
the second, Harriett, bn 1874 in Holm Mill
the third, Flora, bn 1879 also in Holm mill
Flora also later worked at the mill and had a child (father unknown) at the mill, her son was called John MacKay Whyte bn 1902...he later died of TB
would like to try to find more about who their father possible was...am guessing flora's 'romance' was with someone who's surname was MacKay.
I went to Holm Mill yesterday, and in their cabinet, they had a book of their workers, the manager kindley opened the display cabinet so i could look at the book, but it only goes back to 1916!...
...is there any way i can go further back??
-
Alan, my husband is direct descendant of McDonalds through his grandfather Malcolm - and I am very interested to read of your James MacDonald, who could be a relative. Do you have any details of his parents, children, etc. as I have traced my husband's tree back to 1700's. See my earlier post re Finlay McDonald. Ruth
-
Sorry, meant to mention - have you tried 'Am Baile' Highland site, based in Highland Library, Inverness - they may have some info. which could help. Ruth
-
This information is earlier than requested, but may be of interest:
Taken from the book: "Inverness before Railways" by Isobel Anderson (which I think I read at the Inverness Library in Farraline Park when in Scotland in 2006).
"HOLM MILLS.
"Compfield" was the summer resort of the late Doctor Nicol, who first started the Holme Mills (their spelling) and who, when Provost of Inverness, planned and carried out many local improvements, and caused that pretty path to be made which runs alongside of the River from the end of Ness Bank to Bellfield, and to which he gave the name "The Ladies' Walk". He was a remarkably clever physician and was also a man of great energy and force of character. It was a great loss to the town when he was carried away by the Cholera during its memorable visitation in 1849." Ruth (Australia)
-
My grandmother Jemima Boyd Hume worked as a Printfield Worker,(Factory worker who dyed and printed calico cloth) in Inverness at the age of abt 15 abt1901.
Don't know if it was at Holm Mills at this stage.