Printer’s Row
THE PRINTERS' SOCIETY, HOLCOMBE
Author: Andrew Todd, first published in the June 1990 issue of the Ramsbottom Heritage Society magazine
On 9 April 1823, at the Halmot Court of the Manor of Tottington, held at Holcombe, Robert Kay of Holcombe Brook leased
a small plot of land in Holcombe Village from John Rostron of Barwood Lee, and his wife Mary.
Kay (referred to as `Gent' in the court book) was presumably the corn dealer of that name at Holcombe Brook (in
Rogerson’s trades
directory of 1818), but in the 1823 transaction was acting in the capacity of trustee for the members of the Friendly
Society of Printers.
This little-known body was presumably a terminating building society. These were common in Lancashire in the early years
of the 19th Century, and responsible for building many single terraces of workers' housing. Club Row in Tottington and the
Female Union Society in
Holcombe Brook are local examples.
The society, through Robert Kay, paid five shillings to John and Mary Rostron for the plot, together with an annual rent of
£2 4s 12d.
The following summary description of the plot, taken originally from the Tottington court book, indicates that the society
had started building just before 1823:
All that plot of land situated within Holcome (sic) taken from a certain meadow called Privy Meadow parcel of Higher
House Estate containing in length of the North and South sides thereof 34 yards or thereabouts in breadth on the East 21
yards and 8 inches on the West 10 yards and 4 inches containing in the whole 532112 yards.
Bounded on the North side by the Turnpike Road leading from Bury to Blackburn on the East by part of thePrivy
Meadowand on the South by the Road called the Chapel Lane leading from Holcome to Ramsbottom and on the West by
dwelling houses the property of the said John
Rostron and those stone built messuages lately erected by the members of a certain Society in Holcome called the
Friendly Society of Printers holden at the sign of the house of Ann Buckley known by the sign of the Shoulder of Mutton in
Holcome and enjoy in common with John Rostron the well or stream of water known by the name of the Bowling Green
Well situate in Holcome.
To the use and behoof of Robert Kay in trust for the members for the time being of the said Society and be considered as
part of the funds and effects of the Society.
Taking advantage of the record good weather in early May, I paced out the housing on Chapel Lane/Helmshore Road in
Holcombe village, and came to the conclusion that the plot outlined in heavier black on the accompanying sketch map is
the 53212 square yards leased in 1823 by the Terminating building societies, or club houses, are usually associated with
handloom weavers.
No. 16 of the terrace currently sports the name Caxton End but I suspect that it was not that kind of printing in which the
original owner was engaged!. More likely, these owner/occupiers were calico printers (or even engravers to calico
printers) at a nearby works.
a small plot of land in Holcombe Village from John Rostron of Barwood Lee, and his wife Mary.
Kay (referred to as `Gent' in the court book) was presumably the corn dealer of that name at Holcombe Brook (in
Rogerson’s trades
directory of 1818), but in the 1823 transaction was acting in the capacity of trustee for the members of the Friendly
Society of Printers.
This little-known body was presumably a terminating building society. These were common in Lancashire in the early years
of the 19th Century, and responsible for building many single terraces of workers' housing. Club Row in Tottington and the
Female Union Society in
Holcombe Brook are local examples.
The society, through Robert Kay, paid five shillings to John and Mary Rostron for the plot, together with an annual rent of
£2 4s 12d.
The following summary description of the plot, taken originally from the Tottington court book, indicates that the society
had started building just before 1823:
All that plot of land situated within Holcome (sic) taken from a certain meadow called Privy Meadow parcel of Higher
House Estate containing in length of the North and South sides thereof 34 yards or thereabouts in breadth on the East 21
yards and 8 inches on the West 10 yards and 4 inches containing in the whole 532112 yards.
Bounded on the North side by the Turnpike Road leading from Bury to Blackburn on the East by part of thePrivy
Meadowand on the South by the Road called the Chapel Lane leading from Holcome to Ramsbottom and on the West by
dwelling houses the property of the said John
Rostron and those stone built messuages lately erected by the members of a certain Society in Holcome called the
Friendly Society of Printers holden at the sign of the house of Ann Buckley known by the sign of the Shoulder of Mutton in
Holcome and enjoy in common with John Rostron the well or stream of water known by the name of the Bowling Green
Well situate in Holcome.
To the use and behoof of Robert Kay in trust for the members for the time being of the said Society and be considered as
part of the funds and effects of the Society.
Taking advantage of the record good weather in early May, I paced out the housing on Chapel Lane/Helmshore Road in
Holcombe village, and came to the conclusion that the plot outlined in heavier black on the accompanying sketch map is
the 53212 square yards leased in 1823 by the Terminating building societies, or club houses, are usually associated with
handloom weavers.
No. 16 of the terrace currently sports the name Caxton End but I suspect that it was not that kind of printing in which the
original owner was engaged!. More likely, these owner/occupiers were calico printers (or even engravers to calico
printers) at a nearby works.
