Galashiels, Low Buckholmside, Ladhope Mill

NT43NE 119 centred 4895 3656 and 4888 3656 to 4903 3651

Ladhope Mill was sold by Messrs. William Sanderson and Co to Messrs Laidlaw and Fairgrieve, the former of whom was for a while Provost of the burgh.

Information taken from Craig Brown, 1886

The mill was begun in 1793 by Robert Walker. The site at the time, being in the hands of Mr Pringle of Torwoodlee was called the Boglehole Park. In 1811 the firm of Robert Walker and Sons fell into financial difficulties, with the result that the mill, machinery and dwelling house were sold to George Lindsay of Earlston for £650.

Following the death of Mr Lindsay, in 1834, the property was sold to John Sanderson and William Peterson, builders. They were, in turn, succeeded by their sons William Sanderson and Adam Paterson.

During the time the mill was in the ownership of Mr. Lindsay and then Sanderson and Paterson, it was rented to a number of small manufacturers whose business concerns didn't have need for a building of their very own. Among these were Ballantyne and Tait, Inglis and Paterson, Inglis and Brown, Brown and Dalziel, Robert Paterson, Waddel and Turnbull, Thomas Davidson and Joshua Wood and Sons.

Following a flood of 1831, the consequent seeping away of a dam head at Plumtreehall Bridge, a new and higher dam was built. This reduced the quantity of water flowing down the Buckholmside dam. Thus in 1836, Sanderson and Paterson procured an engine of 25hp, the first in the town used for driving woolen machinery. Another first for this mill was the erection of the first wool-scouring, drying, burring, milling and tentering machines of modern construction to be used in Galashiels.

In 1847 William Sanderson purchased the whole property, where he continued the business of spinning until 1864. From this point Laidlaw and Fairgrieve became tenants, and remained so until 1868, when they bought the property and continued their business, as yarn spinners, under the name of Laidlaw and Fairgrieve.

In 1880 Mr Laidlaw died. In 1885 the works were purchased by Mr Fairgrieve, who with his two sons, Thomas and Andrew, continued their business under the old name of Laidlaw and Fairgrieve.

Information taken from Hall, 1898

In 1928, Laidlaw and Fairgrieves' Low Buckholmside factory was destroyed by fire.

Information taken from Lawson, 199?

During March 1999 RCAHMS conducted a photographic survey of the standing textile related industrial heritage remaining in Galashiels. The purpose of this survey was to enhance and augment the existing holdings of the National Monuments Record Scotland.

Visited RCAHMS (MKO), March 1999, and August 2003, at which time the final phase of demolition of the 1912 reinforced-concrete mill at the SE end of the site was nearing completion.

Almost entirely demolished by July 2003.

Information from RCAHMS (MKO) 25 November 2003