Jon Welch lived at Whaley Hall and managed the Whaley Bridge Print Works.
Here are John Warren’s recollections of the time:
1845 May 16 John Welch and his colour maker differed and parted over the work at Furness Print Works and they had a very good fight before they parted.
1847 May 26 Partnership dissolved between Buchan, Welch and Pine at Furness Print Works.
1853 Jan 29 John Welch flitted to? Horwich Hall.
1853 The long chimney built; 69 yards of brick work and 1 yard of stone work.
1853 Dec 31 The first two pieces of calico printed (by steam.) Printed by William Gould, machine printer. Two pieces 5/4, 44 yards, printed black and purple blotch on 8 colour machine, made by Mather & Platt, Salford Iron Works, machine numbered 154.
1854 Jan 1 Thomas Gould bound apprentice to machine printing at Whaley Bridge Print Works.
1854 Mar 30 John Warren commenced working at Print Works.
1854 Mar 31 The first load of printed calico sent to Manchester.
1854 Jun 10 John Welch took his work hands on a trip to Chatsworth.
1854 Oct 6 John Warren steamed the first pr of calico.
1855 Jan 20 John Welch gave his work hands a supper at the Jodrell Arms.
1857 Aug 15 The first four bales of calico sent to Manchester on the Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway.
1857 Dec 2 Short time worked for the first time; until 26 Jan 1858.
1858 Mar John Welch moved to his new house in Whaley Bridge.
1858 May 5 William Gould discharged.
1858 Jul 17 John Wright began work.
1858 Aug 10 William Gould taken on again.
1858 Aug 12 A new 3-colour machine brought into operation. Made by Mather & Platt and numbered 184.
1858 Aug 18 A new boiler brought into operation.
1858 Nov 2 A new length of water pipes led to reservoir at Print Works.
1859 Jan 18 Water run through new pipes.
1859 Mar 4 Water pipes bursted.
1859 Mar 19 A turning lathe bought at sale of Williams and Roberts, Iron Works, Stockport, and fitted up by Thomas Arnfield, mechanic.
1859 Aug 22 James Hibbert left for employment on railway.
1859 Oct 14 Nathaniel Wright left Print works.
1859 Nov 22 A strike for more wages by the lade in the Dye House.
1860 Feb 1 Mr Mather came to take dimensions for fitting bleaching machinery.
1860 Feb 11 Joseph Gould discharged.
1860 Mar 31 William Gould and George Johnson left.
1860 Apr 5 Thomas Arnfield and Richard Roberts began altering the Fly dong? at night.
1860 May 2 Two bleaching kiers arrived by the waggons of Thomas Hill, boiler maker.
1860 May 21 Alice Wilson burnt.
1860 Jun 4 Jonathan Garlick got drunk and did not get steam up in boilers for commencement of work at 6 a.m.
1860 Jun 8 Henry Atkin and John Warren Snr began singeing the first calico. They began at 1 p.m. and during that afternoon they singed 120 pr 9/8 50 yards VV 174 of Mr Welch’s cloth.
1860 Jun 13 The remainder of the bleaching machinery arived.
1860 Jun 15 Fortnightly payment of wages to work hands commenced.
1860 Jun 23 A sewing machine purchased from the Franklin Furnace and Machine Company, 19 & 21 Blackfriars Street, Manchester. Dean & Davis agents.
1860 Jul 30 A very narrow escape from having a steam boiler blown up. John Beresford was
the watchman at the time and he saw the danger about 5 a.m.
1860 Aug 9 First trial of 4 new engines in bleaching department.
1860 Aug 16 First lot of pieces washed in new bleaching machines.
1860 Aug 17 A new expanding machine fitted in the finishing room.
1860 Aug 18 Singeing for bleaching begun. On the same day the new drying machine in the bleach croft used for the first time for drying greys.
1860 Aug 22 Night. Boiling calico commenced in the new bleaching kiers.
1860 Aug 25 The first three pieces of 9/8 50 yards whites cloth marked VV 181 Mr Welch’s cloth bleached by John Warren Snr and printed by James Pickup.
1861 Jan 22 William Welch recommenced working for his father at the Print Works.
1861 Feb 16 A second-hand boiler bought from John Fernihough and Sons, Boiler & Gasometer Makers, Ironfounders &c, Victoria Works, Dukinfield.
1861 May 28 Joseph Slater began machine printing.
1861 Oct 16 Gas piping fitted.
1861 Oct 18 Andrew Welch discharged by his father.
1861 Oct 22 Gas burnt for the first time in the machine room. Gas meter called 10 lighted meter.
1861 Nov 3 Alfred Welch left his father’s service.
1861 Nov 28 Some person threw a stone at John Welch, about two pound weight, whilst he was sitting in his house at about 8 p.m. £10 reward offered by John Welch.
1861 Dec 24 Due to poor trade in England, work stopped at Print Works until 2nd January 1862.
1862 Feb 14 Joseph Slater, a machine printing apprentice, discharged by John Pickup.
1862 Feb 17 Joseph Slater reinstated.
1862 Mar 15 James Pickup left.
1862 Mar 21 Night. John Pickup, manager at Print Works, left. He had been in John Welch’s service for 16 years and ten months, as colour maker and later as manager.
1862 Mar 22 Alfred Welch, son of John Welch, took over as manager.
1862 Apr 7 The flues under two boilers were cleaned by William Sleigh and John Warren Jnr. This was the first time the boilers were cleaned without 6 quarts of ale being provided from John Welch’s house.
1862 Apr 30 John Welch, calico printer, reported bankrupt.
1862 May 5 John Welch had to meet his creditors in Manchester.
1862 May 7 Mr Fisher from Manchester came to value the Print Works.
1862 May 12 John Welch had to meet his creditors in Manchester.
1862 May 15 John Welch put into Bankruptcy Court in Manchester.
1862 May 17 Whaley Bridge Print Works stopped working.
1862 May 27 The first meeting of creditors at Manchester Court.
1862 May 29 By Order of the Assigners of the estate and effects of John Welch, a Bankrupt. The commodious and excellent printing and bleaching works situated at Whaley Bridge in the County of Derby, with the Steam Engine, Steam Boilers, Shafting and Machinery complete. The buildings are judiciously laid out and the Machinery for Printing consists of two 9/8 six-colour, one 9/8 eight-colour, one 9/8 three-colour, one 9/8 single cylinder Printing Machine with Blanket framing and each machine is driven by independent engines. The Bleaching Works are on Barlows high pressure principle, fitted up recently by Mather and Platt. The Machinery for Dyeing and Finishing is complete. For eight machines there are four Cylindrical Steam Boilers and a pair of horizontal Steam Engines by Ormerod. There is a never failing supply of water of great purity. There are two large reservoirs with the necessary pipes, taps and valves. The land upon which the works are erected is Freehold of inheritance and contains 19,360 square yards of land, subject to a perpetual yearly rent of £80. 13. 4.
Also an excellent Dwelling House situated near the Works, together with about 20,000 square yards of land. The property is leasehold for the term of 999 years from the 26th March 1853, subject to a yearly rent of £120. For permission to view the premises and to obtain further particulars, application to be made to Messrs Higson and Robinson, Solicitors to the Assignees, 44 Cross Street, Manchester.
1862 Jun 18 Meetings of the creditors at the Manchester Court Athenaeum, George Street, Manchester before Mr Commissioner Jemmett. John Welch, Calico Printer, Whaley Bridge and Manchester. Last examination and discharge. This meeting was postponed.
1862 Jun 25 To be sold by auction. Farming stock,. horses, cows, carts &c by T.M. Fisher and Sons at the farm of Mr John Welch, Whaley Bridge by order of the assignees of Mr John Welch, Calico Printer, Whaley Bridge.
1862 Jul 3 44 Copper Rollers sent to John Grave & Co., Manchester, from Whaley Bridge Print Works.
1862 Jul 29 John Welch moved from his own house to Hadfield Fold Farm.
1862 Aug 8 Whaley Bridge Print Works offered for sale at Clarence Hall, Spring Gardens, Manchester. Nobody was inclined to bid £8500 so there was no sale that night, but the second lot was sold for £5000.
1862 Nov 5/6 Whaley Bridge Print Works, Calico Printers, Bleachers and Dyers. Copper Rollers, valuable drugs and other effects. T.M. Fisher and Son have received instructions from the assignees of John Welch to Sell by Auction on the premises at Whaley Bridge Print Works near Buxton, on Wednesday and Thursday, November 5th & 6th 1862. Sale to commence at eleven in the forenoon. 332 Copper Rollers, fair average weight; valuable assortment of drugs in gums, ditto Substitute ash Copperus arsenic, Sugar of Lead, Oxalic Acid, 22 Carboys, Spirits of Salts, large quantity of Colour Mugs and tubs and contents piece, waggons, trucks on wheels, step ladders, deal tables, benches, open and box stillages, sewing machine, large Beam Scale and weights, three strong Hanging Stages on wheels and machine blanketing and other effects.
1862 Nov 10 About 8.30 a.m. a very heavy thunder storm. Lightning struck the top of the long chimney and broke a portion off the top and damaged the conductor.
1863 Feb 3 Campbell & Co. came to repair the chimney. They had their kite line over the chimney 6 times before they got the block rope up.
1863 Feb 5 William Lamb managed to get to the top of the chimney.
1863 Feb 17 Print Works to be sold at Manchester with two mortgages on it. £7500 Edmund Buckley Esq., and James Woodwis. A bid was offered by Alfred Welch of £7100.
1863 Feb 23 John Welch and Company bought Whaley Bridge Print Works.
1863 Mar 2 William Lamb finished the top of the chimney. There is a copper rope of 49 wires down it; the length of the rope is 68 yards 2 feet, with 5 yards termination - total 73 yards 2 feet.
1863 Mar 25 John Welch and Son commenced on rent at the Print Works.
1863 Jun 23 John Welch & Co., the Whaley Bridge Printing Company, began bleaching calico.
1863 Jun 26 They began bleaching calico with John Wright as machine printer.
1863 Nov 21 Thomas Welch and John Welch discharged from colour mixing. Thomas Welch was the colour mixer, and master dyer and was assisted by John. Henry Rodgers was reinstated as colour mixer.
1864 Jan 27 Night. About 6.30 p.m. fire broke out at the Print Works and by 7.0 p.m. the roofs of both ageing had been burned down. There were a large number of men carrying water in tubs and cans, otherwise far more damage would have been done. When the water engine arrived the fire was nearly extinguished. The fire insurance only gave the men 2/- each for their part in putting the fire out. Damage £2000.
1864 Jan 28 John Carner, a bailiff, came to the Print Works.
