Quarry Bank Mill

As part of their study of Willy Russell's 'Blood Brothers', 82 Year 9 pupils accompanied English staff to the Quarry Bank Mill. Established by Samuel Greg in 1784, this cotton mill is considered to be the heart of the Industrial Revolution and the beginning of Greg's colossal cotton empire.

Throughout the day, pupils were given the opportunity to discover two completely different worlds; the life of the owner and the plight of the workers who lived and worked at the mill. We were taken on a guided tour of the Apprentice House to step into the lives of the pauper children who lived and toiled at the mill for 10 hours a day. Pupils then strolled through the Styal Village along the paths used by the Mill's workforce to see how the workers lived on a daily basis. Remaining a working community today, pupils were invited to compare their current lives with those living 150 years ago.

Drawing parallels between worker and factory owner, we believe this unique experience will allow pupils to better understand the characterisation and context from which Russell had been writing.

Quarry Mill Bank