Dangers of town mill life explored in new exhibition

THE dangers and perils of working in mills will be explored in a new exhibition.

‘Danger Death and Disease in Ramsbottom Mills’ is the graphic title of the new long-running exhibition in the Heritage Gallery at Ramsbottom Library.

Visitors will be able to see accounts of the fires and accidents which were common in mills in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The exhibition was opened on July 18 by the Ramsbottom Heritage Society team, and councillors Rob Hodkinson ●● The team from the Ramsbottom Heritage Society with councillors Rob Hodkinson and Ian Schofield at the opening of the new exhibition and Ian Schofield.

Kate Slingsby, society chairperson, said: “Some of the team had themselves worked in local mills and there are still people living in Ramsbottom today who wore clogs until the 1970s or had bare feet in the spinning rooms until the 1960s, and the exhibition explains why they did so. Horrific accidents were common before health and safety legislation and there are several accounts of people getting caught in machine belting and having an arm torn off or even losing their lives.”

The Ramsbottom Heritage Society hosts local historical talks on the third Wednesday of every month and leads guided walks over the summer.

More information can be gained from www. ramsbottomheritage. org,uk or 01706 281998.