Kinder Print Works
It is hard to believe that in the 19th ctry a works of such a scale once occupied what is now Hayfield Camp Site, only the 'Lodge' (local name for a man made mill pond) a number of large stone entrance pillars and a set of steps up to Kinder Wood survive. The works occupied a site of earlier industrial activity it's old name was 'Cutlers Green'.
It was on this site that the builders of the 'Earth type Dam' that was under construction a little further up the Kinder valley from 1901-1911 found a source of 'Puddling Clay' which is used to form the impermeable central core of the dam, that is why the area is known locally as the 'Puddle Fields'. The reservoir created still provides Stockport with drinking water.
Wood Print Works Hayfield
view from Hayfield Cemetery, School can be seen ctr right
Birch Vale Print Works
View from Oven Hill road showing Zion Chapel in foreground railway bridge on left taking line on to Hayfield Station
Print Works Equipment
The photograph shows a Mather & Platt 'Kier' dating from the 1920's used for Bleaching fabric prior to Printing and/or Dyeing processes 'trucks' of plaited raw fabric were loaded into the vessel through the opening on the left and then the large wedge shaped door was lowered into place to form a seal note the 'Belt Drive' pulley front right connected to a centrifugal pump, to force the 'liquor' through the heat exchanger then into the 'Kier' under pressure