Robert Hamiltons ltd.
Click To Expand
Robert Hamiltons ltd. where specialist fibre fillers who manufactured wadding and fillings for the textile industry, the business closed around 2004 and has layed derelict ever since.
The site hamiltons occupies is also known as Cataract Bridge Mill and was one of the 64 mills that once made up part of Stockports booming textile industry, the majority of the mills closed in the 1970s and have since been converted or demolished.
Cataract Bridge Mill, although some what different to most mills in terms of size and layout does how ever hold claim to one very important piece of history.
Of the 64 original Mills in the borough Cataract Bridge was the last one to close ending Stockports entire textile industry which had thrived since the 1800s.
From what limited history is available on the mill it would seem it has nearly always been associated with textiles in some form or another.
We where saving this one for a rainy day but having exhausted all avenues in the area some time ago and the fact that planning permission has been made to transform the site into apartments it was now or never to explore this place.
Aside from its unusually small size, the mill does have a lot of character and is very photogenic in sections, surprisingly there where even looms still in situ along with various paperwork including tax returns for the company and its employees.
The most bizarre thing we came across was boxes upon boxes of brand new shoes? we dont know if these where made by Hamiltons or where samples or where the finished products that there fillings where used for?.
Either way it was an unexpected surprise, it was also a surprise they hadnt been stolen by the locals.
Inside decay is evident in every section and virtually every floor has been ripped up apart from that though there is no vandalism or grafitti what so ever which is surprising given the area.
An interesting little explore this one with plenty too see, and with it being the last textile mill in Stockport to close, it had to be seen if not just for the sake of it but the history that it holds.
Just a shame really the last mill in the borough is to fall victim to redevelopment for yet more housing, if anyone is planning on visiting this place, I would be quick as the rate Stockport is redeveloping at the moment it will be gone in a matter of months if not weeks.
Date : February 2008 : Location : Cheshire : Explorers : Havoc : The New Mendoza : Jaff Fox
