Beehive & Milton Mills - Spen Valley

Beehive & Milton Mills

I found this envelope for sale on ebay and as Beehive Mills are only a few hundred yards from our house it set me off thinking about what I know of Beehive Mills.

I do remember that in the 1950’s it must have had something to do with Shoddy Manufacture because along with Robert Gale and David Winyard we used to dig in the piles of rubbish, against all parental instructions (valid instructions because the rubbish was filthy and probably flea ridden). We were looking for silver threepenny bits and metal military buttons I expect a lot of military uniforms were converted to Shoddy in the 50’s.

I also recall being told that Beehive Mills was the only part of Heckmondwike South of the Spen Beck as a previous owner had some influence with the Boundary Commission and that Business Rates were cheaper in Heckmondwike than they were in Liversedge. Milton Mills were in Norristhorpe, part of Liversedge.

I’m not sure if I have remembered right but I think my Grandma’s sister, Christania , was the secretary to Mr Clarke for about 30 years, she never married until Mr Clarks wife died then she married Mr Clark. I do recall a photograph, that I no longer have, of my Grandma, Lilly Pollit as she was then, sitting, as a teenager, with a group of workers outside Milton Mills so perhaps her sister got her a job.

I remember playing in Milton Mills before it was pulled down, pushing big baskets on wheels around the floors. We used to sail our boats in the Mill Pond. I remember the Milton Mills being pulled down now the site of Houses.

Beehive Mills are now a trading estate just on Smithies Lane developed by Howard Cook after Goxhill Tileries pulled out The name lives on in the Housing Development.