Quarry Bank cares for thousands of objects that tell the story of an early Industrial Revolution community, reflecting both the Greg family and generations of mill workers. The collection includes items left when production ended in 1959, family papers, and objects from mills across the Northwest. Only a small portion is displayed, while many items are carefully preserved in storage.
The Archive
The Archive at Quarry Bank is a significant collection that documents the history of a factory community from the start of the Industrial Revolution through to the decline of the British textile industry. Although a substantial amount of material has survived, there are gaps in the records, and some are held at Manchester Central Library. Details of these holdings can be found via the Library’s own online catalogue.
Business records from the mid-19th to the 20th centuries, and include ledgers documenting financial accounts and transactions, stock, orders and production, three weavers’ and one mechanics’ wage books and extensive correspondence.
Indentures for the apprentices between 1785-1796.
Some records of the other Greg family’s businesses such as mills in Lancashire and Cheshire, Albert Mill in Reddish, Stockport, landholdings in New York and sugar plantations in the Caribbean.
The private papers of the Greg family spanning five generations, include correspondence, journals, books and other personal ephemera. The papers include a small amount of correspondence belonging to Samuel Greg and his wife, Hannah Lightbody.
Estate records, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, comprise accounts, estate labourers’ wage books, rent books, tenancy and lease agreements, some records relating to the school, chapels and Styal Village Clubroom, including the significant Workers’ Library collection. This collection contains 360 volumes of books read by the workers and the borrowing books.
Photographs of the Greg family, their homes and estate, the mill’s workforce and Styal.
Maps and plans of the mill and estate (post-1820s), drawings of machinery, steam engines and the turbines and safety notices and signage from the mill.
A sound archive featuring oral histories of people who lived in Styal and worked at the mill in the early part of the 20th century.
This is not a complete list of what we hold, and we recommend you contact Quarry Bank to discuss your research.
The Collections Team is currently cataloguing the collection and making records available to view on the National Trust Collections website. This takes time; however you can see some of the records already catalogued here.
Some of the records require conservation before we can handle and catalogue them. Through generous donations from the public and National Trust supporter groups we are conserving this collection so that it can be enjoyed and researched in future. This involves specialist expertise to carefully flatten tightly rolled bundles of documents, surface clean and repair tears and finally place them in new conservation-grade boxes.
Book a reading room research visit
Whether you are carrying out research for university or interested in exploring family connections to those who lived and worked here, you can book an appointment to access our special collections.
We are a small team so we ask researchers to make an appointment at least 7 days in advance of their visit so that material can be made available.
Send an email to quarrybank@nationaltrust.org.uk and we will be in touch to discuss items held on-site and arrange appointments to view the records.
Please note that some items less than 100 years old may not be accessible due to GDPR restrictions and you will be advised whether they can be viewed.
Bookings are made for the whole day, and we would appreciate if you tell us whether you are hoping to come in the morning or afternoon.
Booking times: Tuesday to Friday 10.30am – 4pm
Please bring your own paper and pencils. We do not allow pens, food or drink in the Reading Room.
You can bring your laptop, phone (on silent mode) and camera to take photographs. Flash photography, tripods, stands and scanners are not permitted.
Self-service photographs are for research, non-commercial purposes only. If you require a high-quality image for publication, please discuss this with a member of the Collections team.
The Reading Room is fully accessible.
There is free public Wi-Fi in the Reading Room.
Toilet facilities are in the Mill Yard.
When you arrive at Quarry Bank the team at Visitor Reception will welcome you and direct you to the Reading Room.
We will also ask you to make sure your hands have been washed and are completely dry before handling any items.
Many of our collections are fragile so please handle items carefully and slowly. Depending on the type of items you will be viewing and their condition a member of staff will guide you in the correct handling of these. Book supports, weights and magnifying glasses are provided.
Quarry Bank cares for an extensive collection of working textile machinery demonstrating the stages involved in processing cotton from its raw state to its finished product through spinning and weaving. These machines were collected from different mills in the Northwest, whilst some have come from Albert Mill, the Greg family’s mill in Reddish, Stockport.
Testing equipment and everyday mill items
The testing of incoming and outgoing yarn and cloth was important to all mills. It helped to identify irregularities, minimise potential losses and ensure that yarn bought in or sold was of the required quality. Quarry Bank had its own testing room demonstrating the importance of maintaining a reputation for high quality products within the Lancashire cotton industry. Some of this apparatus was used in the testing room such as microscopes, wrap wheels, twist and strength testers, yarn balances, twist calculators and slide rules, whilst workers had their own equipment on the machine floors such as thread counters, reed picks and automatic knotters. Other everyday objects found in the mill include wage cups and clocking-in clocks to record workers attendance and wages, tools and equipment to keep the machinery, waterwheel and steam engines clean and working and safety posters and signs.
Textile collection
We also hold a small collection of textiles including samples of cloth made at Quarry Bank Mill and fancy yarn bobbins produced at Albert Mill in Reddish, one of the Greg family’s other mills. Fancy dress costume of the Greg family showing their fun side and a small amount of workers’ clothing.
Quarry Bank's collections
Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Quarry Bank on the National Trust Collections website.
See the breadth of our collection of works of art, furniture and more: we care for around a million objects at over 200 historic places, there’s a surprise discovery around every corner.
Discover the stories behind some of the greatest artworks and artefacts looked after by the National Trust, as told in a dedicated book, 125 Treasures from the Collections of the National Trust.
The art and heritage collections we care for rival the world’s greatest museums. Learn more about the collection of paintings, decorative art, costume, books, household and other objects at historic places.
