Horace Green and Co Motor Works
The site of Horace Green's Motor Works is part of a mill complex called Station Mills. There were originally two mills on the site, ten yards apart (9.1m), High Mill and Low mill which were built in 1837, High Mill being the one closest to the village centre. The original founder of High Mill, William Turner, when he died in 1838 left High Mill to his son John. John eventually bought the lease for Low Mill in 1852. Around this time a house was built in the grounds of the mill which would eventually become the offices of Horace Green's. Ownership of both mills passed to his son in 1862, also called John. When he died in 1886 he left both High and Low Mill to his son George. Around 1890 George built the present main mill building, incorporating the still evident High Mill but replacing Low Mill. Now the mill was renamed Station Mills. The mill in 1905 had 250 looms and was producing Cashmeres.
The financial strain of rebuilding resulted in George becoming bankrupt in 1901. Peter Green, the father of Horace Green purchased Station Mills in 1905 from George Turner. Peter Green had been producing textiles at nearby Cross Lane Mill, Low Bradley since 1883. The company continued to produce textile related products such as bed ticking and pocket cloths for spring interiors along with cotton shirting. Peter Green & Company operated at Station Mills until 1968.
If I was going to pick a top 3 of favourite mills in Yorkshire, then this one would be in there.
A section of ceiling showing a nice vibrant character of paint peel
Old style cubicle…
for when nature calls
Horace Green
Horace Green began an apprenticeship in electric motor manufacture in Bradford. He later worked for British Westinghouse (Metropolitan-Vickers) and the Lancashire Dynamo and Motor Company in Manchester.
He returned to Cononley and in 1910 established an electrical engineering works in the Western half of his fathers Station Mills, later becoming Horace Green & Company Ltd.
In 1960 for the Golden Jubilee of Horace Green & Co, 72 employees were flown to Dublin, which indicates the approximate size of the workforce at that time.
Horace Green & Co Ltd ceased production in 1997.
