The Mike Davies-Shiel Collection includes over 1200 items on the bobbin-making industry. Mike took photos of anything and everything that would help in his research – maps, original documents, newspaper adverts, old photographs etc.. Here is a small selection of photos from the many he took on site in the 1960s and later of the remains of a once thriving industry.
Click on this link to a map of where the wood turning mills were located.
Click on this link to see a drawing of one of them – Stock Force in Ambleside.
Click here to find out more about woodland industries, including bobbin-making.
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- Wood turning products, 1988 (57-29)
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- Staveley, 1988 – products (1-241)
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- Staveley, 1985 – reels (1-239)
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- Stott Park, 1967 – bobbins and birch (1-110)
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- Gatefoot, Staveley, 1971 – door knobs (1-32)
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- Troutbeck Bridge, 1993 – sale of Fell’s machinery (1-20)
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- Troutbeck Bridge, 1993 – sale of Fell’s machinery (1-14)
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- Bobbins, 1973 (57-24)
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- Ambleside, 1977 – 1940 weir (51-75)
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- Flakebridge, Appleby, 1973 – saw mill interior (1-26)
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- Broughton Mills, n.d. (120-226)
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- Sprint Mill, Burneside, 1993 (68-22)
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- Caldbeck Howk, 1982 – timber seasoning shed (23-157)
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- Caldbeck Howk, 1982 (23-159)
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- Caldbeck Howk, 1987 – two seater loo (23-183)
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- Birch Mill, Crook, 1976 (72-40)
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- Coniston High, 1980 (19-249)
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- Coniston Low, 1980 (1-80)
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- Crooklands, 1985 (78-43)
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- Cunsey, 1990 – drying kiln (120-258
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- Cunsey,, 1990 – coppice shed (120-251)
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- Cunsey, 1990 (55-37)
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- Eskdale, 1986 (1-201)
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- Eskdale, 1986 (1-199)
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- Force Forge South, 1967 (55-92)
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- Force Forge South, 1996 (1-188)
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- Force Forge North, 1967 – coppice shed pillars (1-169)
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- Garnett Bridge, 2002 (68-90)
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- Hawkshead Hill, 1967 – 26′ wheel (1-118)
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- Howtown, Ullswater, 1971 (1-37)
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- Keswick, Brigham Forge, 1987 (24-227)
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- Keswick Low Briery, 1971 (47-67)
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- Nibthwaite, 1962 (1-152)
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- Nibthwaite, 1972 (88-186)
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- Holmescales, Old Hutton, 1985 (78-5)
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- Skelwith Bridge, 1967 – headrace to turbine (79-64)
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- Skelwith Bridge, 1967 (79-58)
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- Spark Bridge, 1967 (60-23)
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- Spark Bridge, 1983 (60-51)
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- Spark Bridge, 1983 (60-46)
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- Oakbank, 1964 -drying bobbins (55-14)
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- Oakbank, 1964 – mill dam (55-11)
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- Oakbank, 1964 (1-100)
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- Oakbank, 1964 (1-97)
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- Old Hutton, 1985 (57-17)
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- Santon Bridge, 1970 (1-144)
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- Gatefoot, Staveley, 1975 (69-1)
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- Low Mill, Staveley, 1992 – semi auto reel machine (70-90)
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- Low Mill, Staveley, 1992 – sander (70-78)
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- Low Mill, Staveley, 1990 – sluicegates (70-58)
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- Low Mill, Staveley, 1990 (70-55)
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- Low Mill, Staveley, 1993 – semi auto reel blocker (55-55)
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- Paxton’s Mill, Staveley, 1965 (55-50)
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- Rawes Mill, Staveley, 1966 (69-16)
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- Stocks, Skelsmergh, 1964 (55-27)
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- Stott Park, 1967 (56-61)
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- Stott Park, 1967 – finishing lathe (56-35)
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- Stott Park, 1967 – tools (56-31)
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- Stott Park, 1967 – lathe floor (56-29)
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- Stott Park, 1967 – polishing barrels (55-88)
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- Stott Park, 1967
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- Stott Park, 1967 (43-85)
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- Stott Park, 1967 (43-84)
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- Stott Park, 1989 – saw bench and crane (56-17)
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- Thickholm, 1967
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- Thickholm, 1971 (1-155)
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- Sunnybank, Torver, 1965 (1-164)
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- Troutbeck Bridge, 1967 (91-151)
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- Ulpha, 1973 (1-131)
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- Ulpha, 1994 (1-135)
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- Low Mill, Underbarrow, 1967 (81-65)
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- Low Mill, Underbarrow, 2003 (120-97)
