Situated just off New Line Olive House was the home of Joshua Hoyle,built in a field of Stubylee known as Bull Field he was born in 1808 described as a tall, well built robust man his job at this time being a tackler or loomjobber for Messrs James Howorth and brothers of Rockliffe Mill. Joshua and his wife Jane had five children John, Henry, Robert, Joshua, Caleb and Alice sometime during the late 1850's Joshua took his family to Water and there he went into business with his old boss James Howorth of Rockliffe and Forest Mills.  Later he went into partnership with Mr Benjamin Crapper and they built Olive Mill in 1860 whilst still living quite humbly living at Slack Bottom during the 1861 census. By the time of the 1871 census Joshua and family have moved to Olive House Meadows Mill being added to the partnership in the 1880s.

Joshua and Benjamin ended the partnership when Benjamin retired in 1881 and Joshua bought both mills  renaming the firm has  J&J Hoyle Bros.

 

Jane died in 1872 and Joshua then lives with his daughter Alice and Grandson Frank at Olive House. At the time of the 1891 census Joshua is shown living with a wife called Ann along with daughter Alice ,  grandson Frank and son Henry  attended by  three servants.

By the 1901 census the house is shown as being unoccupied.

 

 

 

Caleb Hoyle  and Henry Maden were in partnership and bought Derdale Mill in Todmorden for the sum of £9,120. Caleb Hoyle was born in 1840 in Bacup, the youngest son of Joshua Hoyle who was the head of the firm J. and J. Hoyle Brothers of Olive and Meadow Mills in Bacup. He was educated at Mount Pleasant Wesleyan Day School in Bacup. Taking up work has his fathers bookeeper along with his brother Joshua in 1851.  In July 1870, Caleb married his partner's niece, Sarah Maden Hodson of Southport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua Hoyle became Mayor of Bacup in 1921 the only Mayor to have office who was not a member of the council. Born in Waterfoot Joshua became the chief clerk of the Hoyle Bros firm he was one of the senior partners Henry had retired  from the partnership in 1881.