Castleton Mills, Armley Rd, Leeds

[soofie]

Does anyone know anything about this mill or where I might find background info?
I have a birth for Eliza Worrall listed as born Castleton Building, Armley, New Rd, Leeds 1851. Family hearsay is that her father Samuel Worrall was a factory owner who went bankrupt when the American Civil War stopped the flow of cotton into England.
Any local expertise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[brassbounder]

Soofie,

This might help you a little bit.

It seems that Castleton Mill still exists, just off what is now Armley Old Road (the bit they chopped off when they built the Armley Giratory).

There appears to have been a Castleton Road and a Castleton Terrace nearby, but I'm not quite sure where.

There is also a Castleton School, a new building a short distance away on Green Lane.

Now, my memory might be playing me tricks (it's many years ago) but I thought the school on Armley Road (known locally as "The Clock School" because of its clock tower) was Castleton School, and the original school on Green Lane was Green Lane School. The Clock School is still there, but I think it's offices now.

Also, see the topic in this forum "Ellis in Yorkshire 1880s" if you haven't already read it.

Hope this helps,

Jon

[peterb]

If you go to       http://www.leodis.net/
and type in "castleton mills" you will find several photos and some info.

PeterB

[soofie]

Peter and Jon
Thank you both very much. That gives me several new leads to follow.

[caza]

Hi Soofie, just wondering how you got on  finding info on Castleton Mill. I have the topic in this forum called Ellis in the 1880's and my mystery lady had her babies at Castleton building.
Carol.

[Swampduck]

Hi Soofie,

I lived in Armley during the 1940's and 1950's.   Not sure where Castleton Mills was but there is a brilliant site called "Leodis"  where you can download photos of old Leeds. I found pictures of the the actual houses where my family lived, grandparents and gr. grandparents. Hopefully you might find a picture of Castleton Mills, plus a description of where it was.

For the record, I went to the "Clock School". It was Armley County Primary School for the 4 to 7 yr olds (it still stands but is now offices).   From there I went to Castleton School which was in the street next to Armley Jail, on the Armley Road side.  The boys had the ground floor and playground, the girls had the top floor and their playground was on the roof.  You could look over the wall and into the prison.  Castleton school has now been demolished.

Good luck with your searching.

Jean.

[soofie]

Thanks Jean,
I am putting together the family history gradually and I will eventually tease out the connection to Castleton Mills. I have found the Leodis site and I have seen photos but I still can't quite work out "births in a mill" idea.
Soofie

[Coldmasta]

As far as I am aware Castleton Mills still exists, though part of the complex has been demolished. Castleton Mills is a grade 2 listed building. http://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-464976-castleton-mill-leeds is the link I found.  In 1973 I worked at a mill, but the name of the owner was Thomas Leuty.  This, I think, was part of the same complex, but may have been the demolished part.  The entrance still exists as 'SOLK HOUSE'.  I am not sure of the pronounciation.  My dad worked there too.  He started as a Tuner, then became a Foreman/Overlooker and was made Works Manager before lack of support for the British Textile industry by the then 'Thatcher Government' in the late 80's brought about redundancy before his death in 1995. I worked taking 'weft' to the weavers and also had a short spell on the 'mule gate' spinning yarn.  The mill was a Heavy Worsted mill.  Hope this helps but my memories of the area are fading as I worked there between June 1973 and October 1973.  Hope this helps. 

[Sandymc47]

Hi Soofie
In those days you didnt go to hospital to give birth and if Elizas mother was working at Castleton Mills she would have worked until she dropped them as they say in Armley. If she was a mill owners wife she would probably have had rooms in the mill.
 As mentioned the Clock School was near to Canal Road and the other side was Pickering Street where I used to live. The  Castleton School that was near Armley Jail and off Armley Road. Green Lane School was on Green Lane.
I looked for Eliza after Leeds and she is living with her Mum and brother on on the 1971 census aged 19 at Bolton. It states she was born in Wortley Leeds.
On the census it says that Eliza's Mum was also Eliza and she was an artist/painter and young Eliza was a Cotton Hank Winder. Thomas is her brother.
No sign of Samuel on either the 1861 or 71 but Eliza is living in Bolton from 1861?
So when he went bankrupt I wondered if he went off somewhere else?
Hope this helps a litte. My brother is alot older than me and I have tried to phone him to ask about the Mills as he worked down there when he was a teenager so will have to post again if I can get any more information about them as a work place.
regards
Sandymc