John Birchenough

John Birchenough was the son of Ralph Birchenough and Mary Oakes. Birchenough started his career working with his elder brother Thomas Birchenough in the 1840s at Henderson Street Mill. Several years later he joining John Taylor, (the father of his wife,) in the business carried on at the Prestbury road Mills which became known as Taylor and Birchenough. When Taylor died, Birchenough retained the business and traded in his own name.

The next stage in his business career was the purchase of the Chester-road Mills, from the Manchester silk firm of Taylor, Harrop, and Pearce and the construction of a large shed to house power looms. During this period Mr. Birchenough also had a silk throwster business in partnership with Joseph Arnold, which they carried out at the Prestbury road mills. After his partner’s death Birchenough kept the business.

In the 1870s Birchenough purchased the extensive Park lane mills from Henry Wardle. At this time the Chester-road mill and the Prestbury-road mill were both being worked by Mr. Birchenough. About fifteen years before his death he took his sons into partnership, and the firm became to the world as that of John Birchenough & Sons.established the firm of John Birchenough & Son,Macclesfield,Silk Weavers. By 1871 he had achieved considerable success in his endeavours* and now lived at 'The Elms', Byrons Lane,Sutton,Macclesfield where he continued to reside in 1891. He died at Macclesfield in 1897.

• https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/111895/1/WP330.pdf (1300 employees)