In the roaring year of 1870, Barrow-in-Furness was booming. The clang of hammers on steel echoed across the bustling docks, and the air, thick with coal smoke and the cries of gulls, vibrated with the energy of a town on the rise. Fuelled by the mighty docks and hungry shipyards, the town craved a reliable source of flour. Enter a group of ambitious businessmen, with a grand vision and a sack full of cash. They built a magnificent structure – the Barrow Steam Corn Mill! #BarrowHistory #FlourPower #IndustrialRevolution
Imagine its imposing brick façade, blackened by soot, rising high above the surrounding buildings, its windows gleaming in the weak northern sun. This wasn’t your average flour mill, mind you. It was a marvel of modern technology! In 1885, the mill became the talk of the town when it became the first building in Barrow to be lit by the dazzling glow of electric lights. Imagine the townsfolk, their faces illuminated by the new-fangled bulbs, gazing in wonder at the mill bathed in a warm, inviting glow, a beacon in the encroaching darkness. No more fumbling around with flickering candles! #BeTheLight
But the real innovation came in 1880 when the new owners, Walmsley and Smith, a pair with a nose for the finest flour (and perhaps a dusting of it on their coats!), brought in a revolutionary new technique: the Hungarian roller method. Picture this: gleaming metal rollers, whirring and spinning, gently crushing the grain with a rhythmic whoosh and clack, replacing the traditional, thunderous grinding of millstones. This fancy contraption produced a lighter, fluffier flour that sent local bakers into a frenzy. Imagine the aroma of freshly baked bread, warm and yeasty, wafting from the bakery windows, made with the mill’s superior flour. #BakingInnovation #HungarianRollers
The mill thrived for nearly a century. Ships docked, bringing in exotic grains from faraway lands – the spicy scent of Indian turmeric, the earthy aroma of Russian rye mingling with the salty tang of the sea air. The mighty rollers churned day and night, transforming the grains into mountains of flour that fed the town and beyond. The air was thick with the sweet smell of success… literally! A minor mishap in 1925 saw a batch of flour accidentally seasoned with a bit too much salt, leaving a trail of very disgruntled bakers (and some very salty loaves!) in its wake. But even salty setbacks couldn’t stop the mill’s momentum. #GreatFlourUp #SaltedDoughDisaster
Sadly, the good times couldn’t last forever. By the 1960s, the winds of change were blowing cold. New technologies and larger mills began to dominate the flour market. The grand old Barrow Steam Corn Mill, once a symbol of progress, its brickwork now crumbling and machinery groaning, became a dusty relic of a bygone era. In 1967, the final sack of flour rolled out of its doors with a mournful thud, and the mill fell silent. The rhythmic hum of the rollers, the clatter of sacks, and the shouts of the workers were replaced by an eerie quiet, broken only by the scuttling of rats and the whistling wind.
But fate had a fiery finale in store. In 1972, a blaze erupted within the mill’s walls. Imagine the intense heat, the crackling flames licking at the aged timber, the acrid smoke billowing into the sky, turning day into night. The once-proud structure, that had stood tall for over a century, was reduced to a smouldering ruin, a skeleton of ash and twisted metal. The fire marked the final chapter in the story of the Barrow Steam Corn Mill, leaving behind only memories, the whisper of the past, and a lingering scent of flour in the air, mingling with the smell of charred wood and smoke. #BarrowLandmarkLost #HistoryInAshes
So there you have it, the rise and roll (pun intended!) of the Barrow Steam Corn Mill. A story of innovation, floury mishaps, and a fiery farewell. Though the mill itself is gone, its legacy lives on in the memories of the town and the delicious loaves of bread it once made possible. Perhaps, even today, when the wind blows just right across the docks, you can catch a faint whiff of flour and the ghosts of bustling activity, a reminder of the mill that once stood proud.
A huge thank you to Cumbria Archives for providing the captivating photos used in this blog post and for their dedication to preserving Cumbria’s heritage. With their kind permission, these images help bring the story of Corn Mill to life. Image courtesy of Cumbria Archives #CumbriaArchivesPhotos #CumbriaHistory