<p>This  item is in the collection<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Street_Mill" class="extiw" title="w:Queen Street Mill">Queen Street Mill</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harle_Syke" class="extiw" title="w:Harle Syke">Harle Syke</a>, a suburb to the north-east of Burnley, Lancashire. The mill was built in 1894 for the Queen Street Manufacturing Company. It closed on 12 March 1982 and was mothballed, but was subsequently taken over by Burnley Borough Council and used as a museum. In the 1990s ownership passed to Lancashire Museums. Unique in being the world's only surviving steam-driven <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/weaving_shed" class="extiw" title="w:weaving shed">weaving shed</a>.
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This was one of 55 looms made in 1912 to the order of E Hartley and Sons of North Valley Shed, Colne, Lancashire, which worked for 84 years until closure in 1996. It is a left handed John Pilling and Sons 6 shuttle circular box side twill crossrod loose reed loom, prepared for 4 shafts with cross border handkerchief motion. This is the simplest machine that will weave the fine twill coloured goods for which Nelson and Colne were noted. The loom was mainly used to weave twill tartan shirtings, kilt and dress fabrics, gingham check cloths, coloured handkerchiefs / square scarves with borders on all 4 sides, and for producing military gun cloth, stripes, uniform, denim or plain calico as required.
Clem Rutter, Rochester, Kent.
CC BY 3.0
<span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>