skin
15-04-2009, 12:01 AM
The historic Paton’s Mill is an A-listed building. The Old Mill section of the huge factory dates back to 1782 and is thought to be the first machine factory in the world. The mill was opened originally as a cotton-spinning factory but was later used for lace manufacture.
Built by the Corse and Burns Company, it predates by four years the New Lanark cotton-mill which was founded by David Dale, the Stewarton-born industrialist who was apprenticed to a weaver in Paisley. Paton's took over the mill in 1896 when their first factory in Clark Street was destroyed by fire.
This industrial complex was acquired by Patons in 1896 and they operated a successful business for nearly ninety years, manufacturing many millions of pairs of boot and shoe laces, dominating the British market, supplying the then huge shoe manufacturing industry in England.
At its height Patons produced about 25 million pairs of boot and shoe laces each year, plus tapes, braids and cord.
In 1990 the Irish company Punch Industries bought the site and, despite substantial investment in equipment and the expansion of the workforce, finally closed their operation in 2003, moving production elsewhere.
From the front an impressive building
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3442364921_443d40b140_o.jpg
From the back, tranquil and scenic
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3600/3443181630_2764dc508e.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3616/3442365375_8174465b8d.jpg?v=0
This was through the wall to the right of the weir in the above picture - place was full of a strange white powder
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/3442365559_bfa6a2a696.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3442366035_9e0310a233.jpg?v=0
To my uneducated eye these looked like large ovens
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/3442366385_36bd43ed53.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3442370079_dbe7ecbd80_o.jpg
A colourful stairwell - no guessing what team these fellas supported
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3601/3443187528_08f30288ef.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3660/3442367097_28745321d6_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3443183528_246b45f02f.jpg?v=0
Shamefully parts have already been torched.....
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3442368945_ac51110059.jpg?v=0
so these fellas couldnt have been doing much of a job!!!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3443185882_aaa32e59a0.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3381/3442371199_8df0567678.jpg?v=0
Pink walls !!!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3561/3443186354_a67db7ebc4_o.jpg
Courtyard
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3340/3443188310_eaff355a44.jpg?v=0
A sad end
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/3442371885_9a1eef7afc.jpg?v=0
Built by the Corse and Burns Company, it predates by four years the New Lanark cotton-mill which was founded by David Dale, the Stewarton-born industrialist who was apprenticed to a weaver in Paisley. Paton's took over the mill in 1896 when their first factory in Clark Street was destroyed by fire.
This industrial complex was acquired by Patons in 1896 and they operated a successful business for nearly ninety years, manufacturing many millions of pairs of boot and shoe laces, dominating the British market, supplying the then huge shoe manufacturing industry in England.
At its height Patons produced about 25 million pairs of boot and shoe laces each year, plus tapes, braids and cord.
In 1990 the Irish company Punch Industries bought the site and, despite substantial investment in equipment and the expansion of the workforce, finally closed their operation in 2003, moving production elsewhere.
From the front an impressive building
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3442364921_443d40b140_o.jpg
From the back, tranquil and scenic
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3600/3443181630_2764dc508e.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3616/3442365375_8174465b8d.jpg?v=0
This was through the wall to the right of the weir in the above picture - place was full of a strange white powder
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/3442365559_bfa6a2a696.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3442366035_9e0310a233.jpg?v=0
To my uneducated eye these looked like large ovens
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/3442366385_36bd43ed53.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3442370079_dbe7ecbd80_o.jpg
A colourful stairwell - no guessing what team these fellas supported
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3601/3443187528_08f30288ef.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3660/3442367097_28745321d6_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3443183528_246b45f02f.jpg?v=0
Shamefully parts have already been torched.....
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3346/3442368945_ac51110059.jpg?v=0
so these fellas couldnt have been doing much of a job!!!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3443185882_aaa32e59a0.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3381/3442371199_8df0567678.jpg?v=0
Pink walls !!!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3561/3443186354_a67db7ebc4_o.jpg
Courtyard
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3340/3443188310_eaff355a44.jpg?v=0
A sad end
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/3442371885_9a1eef7afc.jpg?v=0