Situated on Vale Street  Bacup was one of the largest cotton mills in the area built of local stone in1856 by Messer's Sleath and Carter,it stood four storeys high with a weaving shed to hold 400 looms. Bought by Joshua Hoyle in 1868 who ran the mill until August 1937 when Bacup Felt Manufacturing took over the premises. Throughout it's life Beech Mill  had seen many fires, accidents, and breakdowns.

Beech Mill closed at the end of January 1976 and was demolished in April 1978. Out of the 122 years of the mills history  80 years was devoted to the manufacture of Cotton goods. Beech Mill chimney stood at a height of 150 feet, it took six days in all to demolish the chimney the last hundred feet of the chimney being demolished by  explosives.

 

 

Accidents and Fires at Beech Mill.

 

March 1899 Mary Jane Calvery a Throstle Spinner was struck on the head by a leather strap, the impact knocking her to the floor at which point her clothes became entangled in the machinery. Fortunately her workmates freed her quickly  saving Mary from further serious injury other than a compound fracture.

 

1906 A young man named  Herbert Tattersall aged 19 years , of 3 Gladstone Buildings, Bacup,  was found by his father the manager of the mill  hanging from a beam.

 

April 1912  William George Garrard a Scutcher operator , of 36 Vale Street Bacup, was suddenly taken ill but succumbed before the arrival of a doctor. Earlier Mr Garrard had assisted in extinguishing the flames when a fire broke out in the Scutching Room. Shortly afterwards he went outside and began to vomit. Taken into the waste room by his work mates he died at 3.15.

 

1914 Mr   James Hensley of 16 Shepherd Street, Bacup was fixing a leather belt onto a scutching machine when his hand became caught in the machinery tearing the hand of at the wrist.

 

June 1915 A fire breaks out the slashing, beaming and twisting departments are all burnt out.

 

October 1926 William Williams of 71a Todmorden Road, the night watchman was found dead in the boiler house, and inquest gave a verdict of death by natural causes.