There were several mills in this vicinity, one of which was called the
White Mill, and there was a very curious story once commonly current
about it, in the town to the effect that the owner of it had been
murdered by a friend of his who kept a mill lower down the hill.
Whitemill-street is called after this White Mill. The lower mill stood
where Hotham-street is now, which formerly was called Duncan-street. The
mill occupied the site of the Quaker's school, which was pulled down to
make room for the railway yard. When this mill was razed to the ground,
a grave was discovered in the foundation, in which was a skeleton, and it
was freely said that this was the White Mill miller, who had so
mysteriously disappeared some years previously. It was the talk of the
town at the time, and crowds of persons went to the spot to look at the
grave. When the mill in Duncan-street was taken down it was so rotten
that it was razed to the ground in one day. Where St. George's Hall now
stands was the Infirmary. It faced Islington Triangle, afterwards
converted into a market-place, being built round with small shops, having
a pump in the middle. When this market was discontinued in 1848, the
tenants were removed to Gill-street, on its opening in September of that
year. The Infirmary consisted of two wings and a centre; at the back was
a spacious garden or airing ground. On Shaw's Brow lived the potters.
There were upwards of 2,000 persons engaged in this trade, which was
carried on to a very great extent. Pottery in Liverpool was a
considerable manufacture, and it is said that it was Mr. Sadler, a potter
who lived in Harrington-street, that first discovered the art of printing
upon earthenware, through seeing his children stick pieces of printed
cotton fabric on some damaged plates they were playing with. There were
many other large potteries in Liverpool at one period, besides those on
Shaw's Brow. There was one at the corner of Fontenoy-street, of which
Alderman Shaw was proprietor. There was one at the bottom of
Duke-street. This was kept by Mr. Drinkwater, who married Captain
Leece's daughter, after whom Leece-street is named. Pothouse-lane is a
reminder of the old trade. There were other potteries on Copperas-hill.
I do not recollect much about these potteries; but I have heard my father
and mother talk about them amongst their "Recollections." This trade
seems to have departed from this town most strangely. The last remnant
of it was in the works that were in operation down by the river-side near
the present Toxteth Docks. Watch-making has always been a great trade in
Liverpool. The first introducer of it was Mr. Wyke, who lived in
Dale-street, on the site of the present public offices. Mr. Wyke came
from Prescot, and carried on a large trade in watches about the year
1758. Mr. Litherland, the inventor of the chronometer, died in
Church-street. On Mr. Wyke's premises and garden the Gas Works were
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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