Ainsworth Mills

Rylands & Sons acquired Ainsworth Mills in 1839. The Mills were located between Bury and Bolton[1]. With the acquisition of Ainsworth Mills, Rylands adopted a new technique that "brought the firm into the sphere of power - weaving"[2], therefore the mills switched to using power looms rather than the usual hand weaving technique. The Mills supplied Irish markets with home trade production, for example material for making shirts as well as cotton sheets[3]. Moreover, as well as establishing his businesses Rylands had initiated the creation of the chapels, schools and libraries within the village[4].

According to James Clegg, Ainsworth Mills had suffered a fire in 1868, which not only destroyed over £5,000[5] worth of the businesses capital but also lead to the Mills withdrawal from the business[6].

[1]Farnie, D. A., John Rylands of Manchester (Manchester: John Rylands University Library, 1993), p. 11.

[2]Farnie, D. A., John Rylands of Manchester (Manchester: John Rylands University Library, 1993), p. 11.

[3]Farnie, D. A., John Rylands of Manchester (Manchester: John Rylands University Library, 1993), p. 11.

[4]Ibid.

[5]Clegg, James., Annals of Bolton (Bolton, 1888), p. 116.

[6]Farnie, D. A., John Rylands of Manchester (Manchester: John Rylands University Library, 1993), p. 39.