Weaving Shed Rochdale

FALL OF A WEAVING SHED - The Manchester Examiner of Saturday last contains some particulars respecting the fall of a weaving shed, of which our Rochdale correspondent has failed to furnish any account. From the particulars given by our contemporary, it appears that the weaving shed in question was building on land adjoining Balderstone Hall, on the west side of Oldham Road, and about a mile from Rochdale, and that the erection when completed would have been the property of Messrs Joshua Radcliffe and Brothers. The woodwork was contracted for by Mr Thomas Ladyman, builder in Rochdale; the brickwork by Mr Daniel Davies of Salford; the whole being under the direction of Mr Hayley, architect of Cross Street, Manchester. The building was to be constructed of brick walls, with wooden supports for the roofing, resting on iron pillars . The angular roofing on the south (north?) side of each bay was of glass, half an inch thick, on the other side of slate. The area of the building was about 10,000 square yards, being 368 feet long, by 240 feet broad. The beams, which were nearly all placed and fixed, were supported by 285 cast iron pillars, and the whole tied together with iron plates and bolts. The walls, which were two bricks and a half thick, were only in part completed. There were gusts of wind on the night of Thursday last, and shortly after nine o, clock on Friday morning, a strong gust was followed by the fall of the woodwork, pillars and roofing in one mass; and the walls alone remained standing. Several workpeople were engaged on the premises at the time, but fortunately none of them sustained any serious injury, though several experienced very narrow escapes. The loss caused by the accident is said to amount to not less than £2,000. [Manchester Guardian 18 May 1853 page 7]

Reference           Manchester Guardian 18 May 1853 page 7