Macclesfield

Entering Macclesfield

The old Hovis works, now luxury flats

One of our goals on this journey was to visit this historic town famous for it's silk production.  Back in 1997 Sid did some work for a company called Reiter Scragg in this charming Cheshire town and it he was delighted to see machinery made by this company in the Silk Museum. Derek, our tour guide, gave us a fascinating tour of the museum in the Paradise Mill which houses the only working Jacquard silk hand looms in the country in their original location.  We were mesmerised as we saw how silk emerged from the moths cocoons through to the shanks that are then spun on to bobbins and shuttles and then onto the looms, all of which we saw working.  Derek demonstrated how the pattern cards were designed and made  and also showed us the 'boss's' office, which was set up exactly as it would have been, baker light telephone, typewriter,  nibbed pens, inkwell and blotters and much ,much more. Sadly, we both remembered far too many of the items!

Bobbin winders

The original weaving floor

Children were used to wind bobbins on this wheel by hand

Sid at work 1800's style

The day had started very wet and cold and the afternoon ended with a huge thunderstorm but we were quite safe on our pontoon mooring and were nice and cosy as we had a low fire on the go! Our first this June!