Marple Lime Works, Mineral Mill & Brick Works

Cheshire

Samuel Oldknow (1756-1828) founded his lime-burning business at Marple in the early 1790s and it was certainly operational by August 1796 when the Peak Forest Tramway and the Upper Peak Forest Canal opened for trade. There were five kilns in the battery, which were probably all built between 1796 and 1799. Oldknow had the battery designed in such a way that it resembled a Gothic church in order not to spoil the view from his home at nearby Mellor Lodge. The structure incorporated a number of dwellings, ostensibly for the use of workers operating the kilns, but census returns show that this was by no means the case. People with a range of occupations lived there, such as colliers, boatmen and cotton mill operatives. The 1881 census records nine dwellings and some inhabitants were buried in the graveyard of All Saints, Marple. It is uncertain as to whether Oldknow had the dwellings included in the original construction or whether they were added at a later stage.

Marple Lime Works, early 20th century.
Credit: The late Jack Brady.

Nonetheless, Oldknow quickly lost his enthusiasm for burning (calcining) lime and in 1798 he leased the battery to a consortium of four businessmen, Joseph Heathcote Senior, Joseph Heathcote Junior, William Fletcher and Anthony Ashmore. Later, Oldknow was still not satisfied with the circumstances he was in, blaming the situation on the effects of the Napoleonic War, and as a result he leased the battery again in 1811 to Messrs Wright and Brown (Nathaniel Wright and Thomas Brown, the latter being the surveyor and resident engineer for the construction of the Peak Forest Canal). It is not know for how long these two business partners operated the kilns but by 1834, six years after Oldknow's death, it was being run by John Clayton & Company, John Clayton being Oldknow's half brother and successor. When Oldknow died in 1828 he was in substantial debt to the Arkwright family of Cromford and in reality they owned the lime works as well as all the surrounding land.

Supplies of limestone and coal destined for the kilns were brought along the Upper Peak Forest Canal. Limestone came from the quarries at Dove Holes via the Peak Forest Tramway and Bugsworth Basin while coal came from several pits alongside the canal. The kiln heads were accessed by the Higher Private Branch, which opened into a small basin known today as Marple Basin. Here there were two short canal arms, the most westerly of which enabled boats to come close to four of the kilns, while the easterly arm came close to the isolated fifth kiln.

At the foot of the kilns there was an arrangement of tramway sidings that enabled burnt lime (quicklime) to be transported a short distance to two lime sheds where the contents of the waggons could be transhipped undercover. One of these sheds spanned the head of the Lower Private Branch to enable two boats at a time to be loaded. Once full and sheeted over with tarpaulin, boats made their way along the branch to join the main line of the canal at Posset Bridge below lock 13. The other shed enabled carts to be loaded undercover and, similarly, these were then sheeted over with tarpaulin before they left by road.

The burnt lime had many uses, typically by farmers as a soil conditioner, the construction industry, the chemical industry and the textile industry.

By 1858, the lime works was being run by George Swain who described himself as the successor to John Clayton & Co. George Swain ran the works until c.1864 when he relinquished the lease to become the landlord of the nearby Navigation Inn. Between c.1864 and 1875 it is uncertain as to who ran the works but it will be seen later that Jesse Tymm was becoming increasingly influential during this period. Certainly by 1875 he was in control of the business, possibly with the assistance of his brother, Wright, who seemed to a junior partner in the business.

Swain Ticket, 27 April 1859.

In contrast to the lime works, even less is known about the adjoining mineral mill. Samuel Oldknow built it for use as a corn mill and a tithe map for 1850 shows that by then all the surrounding land, including that on which the lime works stood, was owned by Peter Arkwright of Cromford. The mill was described as a 'corn mill and house' without an occupier but the adjoining house was occupied by Henry Harris. It is recorded that at this time many corn mills were going out of business, a nearby example being Arden Mill in Bredbury. It may be that by 1850 the mill was on the verge of becoming a mineral mill but it is not known when this conversion happened nor is it know who operated it when it reopened as a mineral mill. To add to the uncertainty, Joseph Tymm gave his address as the mineral mill in the 1881 census but he gave his occupation as a farmer. It is possible that he was living in the house, which was an integral part of the mill, while someone else was operating it as a business.

Marple Mineral Mill, early 20th century.
Credit: The late Jack Brady.

Marple Mineral Mill, early 20th century.

Another unresolved mystery is how was the mill powered when it was first opened as a corn mill? Most mills of this type were water powered but where was the water supply? It is inconceivable to think that it was supplied with water from the Upper Peak Forest Canal and yet maps do not show any streams in the vicinity that could have been utilised.

Regrettably, records of the mineral mill between 1850 and the late 1880s seem to be absent but it is understood that in 1887 the Tymm family, who were by this time operating the lime works next door, purchased the mineral mill. At an unknown date, possibly in c.1891, the Tymm family also established their Klondike brick works at Rose Hill, Marple, adjoining Rose Hill railway station. An Ordnance Survey map of c.1875 shows that the land upon which the brick works was built was still a field at this time. Concurrent with the opening of the brick works the Tymm family set up their head office there and also opened a depot on Store Street, off London Road, Manchester. The Tymms were the last to operate Marple lime works and mineral mill and perhaps they were the most successful at running the enterprise.

Map of the Klondike Brick Works at Rose Hill, 1909.

Klondike Brick Works at Rose Hill viewed looking south from Stockport Road, early 20th century.

The brick works is in the background on the right, identified by the square chimney.

Rose Hill Station is in the foreground and the two sidings into the station goods yard can be seen beyond the platforms.

By 1891 the intense competition between lime firms, all of whom were dependent upon the limestone quarries at Dove Holes, had come to a head. The effect of this was to force prices down to a level that was uneconomic and as a result of this thirteen independent companies, of which the Tymm business was on, amalgamated to form Buxton Lime Firms Company Ltd (BLF). This enabled trading to continue into the 20th century. It was probably around this time that the name of the company became J & M Tymm. The 'M' stands for 'Montagu'. The third son of Jesse Tymm was registered as Ellis Tymm but 'Montagu' was added as a middle name after registration. Apart from the record of his marriage, no other details of Ellis Montagu Tymm have been discovered and his name does not appear in trade directories either. Despite this, the 1901 census shows that Wright Tymm was still actively involved in the business because he described himself as Brickmaker Employer.

The formation of BLF extended the life of the Tymm lime-burning business for a while but in c.1902 Marple lime works and mineral mill closed. An Ordnance Survey map of 1910 marks both the lime works and mineral mill as being disused. Notwithstanding this, families continued to use the dwellings in the kilns for a while afterwards. The last known inhabitant was Albert Aldred, a cotton mill labourer, and his family in 1931.

The demise of Marple lime works and mineral mill did not spell the end for brick works at Rose Hill. This continued in business until the 1920s when it too closed.

In 1918, the Cheshire chemical firm of Brunner Mond & Co, based at Northwich, bought a controlling interest in BLF and this was converted to total ownership in 1926. Following this, the businesses merged to form Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd (I.C.I.)

Products
The billhead of J & M Tymm shows that the firm was principally involved in trading lime and coal as well as the manufacture of machine-made bricks and a range of minerals. The minerals listed included Gypsum, Plaster of Paris, Ochres, Barytes, Venetian Red and Mineral White. In addition to this, they were dealers in hair, laths, glazed sanitary tubes, firebricks, chimney pots and fire clay. Barytes (barium sulphate) was available from Derbyshire, particularly in association with veins of lead ore, while Venetian Red (ferric oxide) was made by calcining copperas (ferrous sulphate) in the presence of lime. Plaster of Paris was produced by calcining gypsum. Mineral White was believed to be a form of gypsum, also known as selenite. In connection with these products, there were kilns at the mineral mill where the various minerals were calcined or burnt.

J & M Tymm Billhead. There is a record of this billhead being in use in 1892.
Credit: The late Jack Brady.

Some uses of the Minerals
Gypsum is a naturally occurring mineral (calcium sulphate). Its principal use was in the manufacture of Plaster of Paris. Blackboard chalk is also made of gypsum. Modern uses include the manufacture of shampoos, other hair products and foot creams.

Plaster of Paris is a building material produced by calcining gypsum at temperatures up to 250°C. It was once a common building material used for rendering ceilings and walls, the former process being known as 'lath and plaster'. This explains why the company sold laths, which were slender strips of wood attached to the underside of joists. Hair was also added to Plaster of Paris while it was being mixed with water in order to improve its strength.

Ochres are naturally occurring minerals, such as yellow ochre, red ochre, purple ochre and brown ochre. They were used in the manufacture of paint.

Barytes is a naturally occurring non-toxic mineral (barium sulphate), also known as heavy spar. Nowadays it has a wide range of uses but its principal use is as an additive to drilling fluids for oil and gas exploration. It is used in the manufacture of paint, paper, glass ceramics, rubber, electronic components and TV screens.

Venetian Red is a red pigment used in paint, which is derived from ferric oxide (rust). It is manufactured by calcining copperas (ferrous sulphate) in the presence of lime.

Mineral White. The correct identity of mineral white is uncertain but one possibility is that it was Zinc oxide (ZnO), also known as Zinc White or Calamine. This compound has a wide range of applications and a special grade, known as Chinese White, is used as a pigment in paint.

Kelly's Derbyshire Directory for 1891
Blacksmiths: Richard Jinks, Top Lock.
Cement & Plaster of Paris Manufacturers: J & M Tymm, Marple Mills Wharf, Mill Street, Ancoats, Manchester.
Coal Owners & Merchants: J & M Tymm, Marple Colliery, Marple, and William Jinks, Top Lock.
Lime Burners: J & M Tymm, Marple, office, Mill Street, Ancoats, Manchester.
Miscellaneous: Richard Jinks, Boat Builder, Top Lock.

Kelly's Cheshire Directories for 1896 and 1902
1896: Jesse Tymm was living at Mineral Mill House, Strines Road, Marple, and he was a councillor on Marple Urban District Council. Wright Tymm was living at Roselegh, Rose Hill.
1902: Mrs Tymm nee Middleton (widow of Jesse Tymm) was living at Mineral Mill House, Strines Road, Marple, and Wright Tymm was living at Roselegh, Rose Hill.

J & M Tymm were listed as brick manufacturers, builders' merchants, coal merchants and mineral manufacturers of Rose Hill, Marple.

In 1896 it was also listed that they were mineral water manufacturers. Mineral water, as the name implies, contains minerals that are considered to be therapeutic and it can either occur naturally or it can be manufactured. It can also be carbonated to make it effervescent.

1896: Buxton Lime Firms Co Ltd (Henry Alfred Hubbersty, general manager), lime burners, Lime Kilns, Strines Road, Marple.
1902: Buxton Lime Firms Co Ltd (Henry Alfred Hubbersty, general manager), lime burners, Rose Hill, Marple.

The above two entries suggest that Marple Lime Works was still operative in 1896 and that by 1902 it had closed down. Henry Alfred Hubbersty (1840/41-1922) was born at Wirksworth, Derbyshire, and in 1901 he was living at Burbage Hall, Burbage, Buxton, Derbyshire.

The Tymm Family
Early references to the Tymm family occur at Ludworth, which was a hamlet in the Mellor Parish of the Glossop Union. Ludworth was included with Glossop Dale, Padfield, Hadfield, Dinting, Whitfield, Chunal, Simmondley, Charlesworth and Chisworth for the purpose of collecting Window Tax in the 18th century. A Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in 1875 and there were quarries that produced wall stones and paving setts. Kelly's Trade Directory for 1891 lists no prominent members of the family living in Ludworth at this time but there was a Joseph Tymm who was a farmer living at Mellor. Nowadays, the name of the hamlet is remembered in the name of two schools, Ludworth Primary School and Ludworth School in the Lower Fold area of Marple Bridge.

The 1861 census returns for Ludworth record the following:
Windsor Castle, Glossop Road, Ludworth, Derbyshire.

Lower Fold, Ludworth, Derbyshire
Mathew Tymm, aged 70 years, is recorded at Lower Fold. He was an agricultural labourer born in Cheshire who was living with his son-in-law, William Ward, aged 35 years, a Railway Labourer. Mathew Tymm and Joseph Tymm were living in close proximity to each other and it is likely that they were related, possibly father and son, but no corroborative evidence has been found.

The occupations of Wright and Jesse Tymm show that they were working in the mineral trade. Wright was already working at Marple Lime Works and Jesse was working at a coal mine.

The 1871 census returns for Marple show that by this time two sons of Joseph Tymm had married and were living in the Lime Kilns at Marple Lime Works.

Lime Kilns, Marple, Cheshire.

Lime Kilns, Marple, Cheshire.

Referring to the census return for Jesse and Mary Tymm, the middle name of Ellis M Tymm was Montagu; this being added after registration. In 1892 Ellis Montagu Tymm married Agnes Macgregor in the Chorlton Registration District.

Jesse Tymm (1839-1897) and his wife, Mary Middleton (1840-1911), were married in the Hayfield District in 1862. They had twelve children, these being: Lucy Ann (1862), Joseph Wright (1864-1866), Jesse (1866-1874), Matilda (1868), Ellis Montagu (1869), Mary Esther (1871), Cecil (1873), Henry (1875-1882), Robert Norman (1877), Phoebe (1879), George (1881) and Joseph (1883-1886).

Joseph Tymm Junior seems to have had two children, namely Martha Hannah (1869) and George William (1872).

Over the years, Jesse Tymm described his occupation in a variety of interesting ways:

An examination of the above table shows that Jesse Tymm was a coal proprietor by 1864 and this is corroborated in 1867. In 1875 he stated that he was a lime burner and colliery proprietor and this suggests that by this time he had taken full control of the lime kilns. This is corroborated in subsequent years and by 1883 he had moved into Mineral Mill House adjacent to Marple Mineral Mill. Thus, he operated the collieries that supplied him with coal as well as the manufacturing process to produce burnt lime and as a merchant he was able to distribute the finished produce as well.

In 1881, Wright Tymm was living in Matt Street, Off Pump Street, Marple, where he was described as a lime burner.

Wright Tymm (1837-1904) and his wife, Harriet Ratcliffe, were married in the Hayfield District in 1868. Harriet died in 1870, aged 23 years, and this coincides with the birth of their daughter, Harriet Ann Tymm. Wright never remarried.

In 1881, Joseph Tymm was living at the Mineral Mill, Marple, where he was described as a farmer.

In 1901, Wright Tymm was living at Roselegh, Stockport Road, Marple, where he was described as a brickmaker employer.

At the time that the brick works was founded, the Tymms built two houses by the works entrance. On completion of these, Wright Tymm moved into one of them, which he named Roselegh.

The Tymm family were connected with the Jinks family of Marple boat builders when Mary Tymm, the daughter of Joseph and Mary Tymm married Richard Jinks, son of James Jinks, at All Saints, Marple, in 1870.

The senior members of the family, Joseph and Mary Tymm, along with several members of their family, were laid to rest in the graveyard of All Saints, Marple:

Headstone of the Tymm family grave.

Memorial inscription on the headstone of the Tymm family grave

Sequel
During December 2008, a British Waterways maintenance team were excavating the sidepond of Lock 4 of the Bosley flight of locks on the Macclesfield Canal. The work required the excavation of vertical shaft, of stone construction, and a horizontal culvert, also constructed of stone, but having a brick arch or turn. Among the rubble removed from the shaft there was an unused brick with TYMMS MARPLE incised in the frog.

The importance of the discovery of an unused brick manufactured by J & M Tymm of the Rose Hill Brick Works, Marple, was immediately recognised. Enquiries showed that the archaeological unit at Staircase House, Stockport, have a few examples of bricks manufactured by this company but these are all in a used condition.

Brick manufactured by J & M Tymm. Credit: David Kitching.

Addendum

Map of Marple Lime Works and Mineral Mill, 1898.

The map shows the relative positions of the Lime Works, Mineral Mill, Mineral Mill House and the boat dock and yard belonging to the Jinks family of boatbuilders of Top Lock House.

The tramway sidings from the foot of the kilns connected to a lime shed that spanned the head of the Lower Private Branch, where two boats could be loaded, and the other connected to a lime shed where carts could be loaded. These sidings would once have joined the Marple Tramway that connected the upper and lower levels of the Peak Forest Canal together while Marple Locks were under construction. As a result of severe financial difficulties it was not until the autumn of 1805 that Marple Locks finally opened throughout and Marple Tramway closed in February 1807.

The Peacock Mine (seam) of coal lay a short distance below the surface here and this was worked for a while by sinking the shaft of Peacock Pit in the heart of the lime works.

Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements and thanks are due to the following:
Stockport Heritage Library for sources of information.
Staircase House, Stockport, for information about their collection of Tymm bricks.
British Waterways for discovering the unused Tymm brick and in recognising its archaeological importance.
Manchester Central Library, Manchester Archives and Local Studies Section, for sources of information.