Heywood & Hopwood Feb 2020

NORDEN
Greenbooth
& DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
THE FIRST GENERATION
How many times have you taken a
walk around Greenbooth Reservoir just
taking in the peace and tranquillity of
the beautiful surroundings? Some may
even contemplate the history of what
had laid there before, or for the few
that still remember what life was like
there, they may even hear the echoes
of village life still resonating in their
minds eye.
My interest in Greenbooth was piqued
when I took a walk around the reservoir
and tried to imagine just what it had been
like as a living and thriving community.
Most of what I’d read, starts in 1848 with
James Butterworth as owner of Messrs
James Butterworth & Sons, Woollen
Manufacturer, Greenbooth and his
development of the surrounding village
to accommodate his workers. As I
continued my research I learnt that this
was not exactly the start of the story.
The origins of the ‘Butterworth’s Woollen
Manufacturing empire dated back to his
father, William Butterworth and Sons who
began manufacturing in the early 1800s
in premises known as ‘The Oil Mill’ in
Rochdale. They also had warehouses and
handlooms at Lowfield, Milnrow, later
moving on to premises on Oldham Road
whilst also running a finishing mill at
Greenbooth. Unfortunately, the Oldham
Road mill was destroyed by fire and
rebuilt at considerable expense. After a
second fire, the family were forced to
rethink their location and it was decided
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