Sawston Paper Mill

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  • 5th August 2016 at 11:13 #406
    Chris Bennett
    Keymaster

    Mill Sawston Paper Mill
    Address Sawston, Cambridgeshire,
    Nat Grid Location TL 471499
    Companies Towgood; Edward & Sons; Reed P&B; Spicers
    English Mill Excise No 25
    Status Shut during 1970 to 2015
    Est. Papermaking Start Date 1664
    Links
    Link1 en.wikipedia.org/
    Link2 The Cambridge Region By H. C. Darby 1938 Cambridge U Press pp160,161
    Link3 http://www.gracesguide.co.uk
    Link4 The Cambridge Region; H. C. Darby; Cambs Uni Press; 1938; pp160-1
    Britain from Above http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk

    • This topic was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Chris Bennett. Reason: Formatting
    19th December 2016 at 09:39 #608
    Chris Bennett
    Keymaster

    I have not been able to find a closing date for Sawston. After 1978 when I worked on possible disposal of mill sludge into Polyfilla.
    Some sources have three mills in the village Durnford, Borough and Sawston, however, I believe last two may be the same one.

    8th February 2021 at 21:46 #1097
    Chris Bennett
    Keymaster

    We have received this from the Hon Sec of Sawston Village History Society

    Sawston Paper Mill, known as Edward Towgood & Sons Ltd, closed in March 1974.  It was a phased closure with the team packing reams of paper and office staff being the last to leave.  The mill had been sold to Messrs Spicer Ltd in 1917 but they retained the name Towgood.  It is likely cheap imported paper from China killed off the quality paper produced by British paper mills.

    Towgood’s mill was renowned for producing top quality paper made from rags for the Lloyds Registers, as well as cheaper paper made from wood pulp.

    They also owned a farm with prize pigs of the Large White and Large Black breeds.   Brochure dated 1922.

    The paper mill had its own railway branch line to the factory from the London to Cambridge line with sidings and a signal box nearer to the Spicers factory.

    The Mill House, a large double fronted house, stood to the west of the factory and in earlier years an annual fête and sports day for children and adults was held in the grounds.  I remember going one year out of curiosity, possibly 1952 or 53.

    Spicers gave the land for the first Village College and also the Sports Field with Bowls Green.

    I’ve some more technical information collected by my late husband but I guess you know the basic principles of paper making.

    I hope this helps.

    http://www.sawstonhistory.org.uk/

    25th November 2022 at 09:26 #1526
    Chris Bennett
    Keymaster

    Mill archives are at: Cambridgeshire Archives

    http://Edward Towgood & Sons Ltd, paper manufacturers, Sawston

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