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Buckland Paper Mill
About the year 1777, a man called Ingram Horne took over or
established a paper mill at Buckland. Within the next 20 years
the mill was burnt down and rebuilt, and Edward Hasted, writing
in 1790, reported that the mill had been recently much
enlarged. The mill had a number of different owners until 1846,
when it was closed down.
In 1849, Charles Ashdown bought and re-opened the mill. With
his two sons, Charles and Henry, he carried on the business
until September 1879, when ownership passed to a partnership
of Charles Ashdown Jnr and Henry Hobday. The new partners
greatly improved the machinery but in September 1887, the
mill was totally destroyed by fire. The rebuilding that followed
altered the character of the mill greatly. The early days of the
mill were on a comparatively small scale, and prior 1879 the
output never exceeded two tons per week but within a year of
the fire the mill was producing twelve tons per week.
To help the mill get back on its feet after the fire, Henry Hobday
secured the order to make ‘Conqueror’, watermarked business
stationery, from London paper merchants Wiggins Teape, in
1888. ‘Conqueror’ was an immediate success, being perceived
as much superior to existing business stationery. So, to ensure
continuity of supply, Wiggins Teape bought Buckland Mill in
1890. Henry Hobday became the manager of the factory.
Almost immediately the new owners started to invest in the
mill’s expansion. No.2 paper machine, capable of making paper
up to 70 inches wide, was installed in 1893 and increased
weekly capacity to around 40 tons. By 1895 the mill’s annual
output was 800 tons and rose steadily to 2,300 tons in 1910.
The demand for ‘Conqueror’ papers was increasing and in 1910
No.3 machine was built, bringing production up to around 70
tons per week. 90 years later No3 machine was producing
paper at the rate of over 2 tons per hour.
Between the two World Wars was a period of consolidation and
improvement, No. 2 machine was rebuilt and the mill was
completely electrified. In 1940, during the Battle of Britain, an
RAF Spitfire crashed into the roof of no. 3 Machine House
causing considerable damage. This, and the ever present
danger from shelling, forced the temporary closure of the mill
until 1945.
After the Second World War, the demand for ‘Conqueror’ paper
remained high and the investment in Buckland Mill continued.
Click here for a picture of the mill in the 1960s. By the time the
mill celebrated the 100th Anniversary of ‘Conqueror’ in 1988,
the mill’s two fine paper machines had a capacity of over
20,000 tonnes per year and operated 24 hours a day seven
days a week. 10 years later, the story was different, Arjo
Wiggins Appleton announced that the mill was to cease
continuous operation and move to semi-continuous running,
with the loss 46 jobs from the workforce of 196. The company
blamed a number of external factors including the strong
pound, weakening of orders in the UK and the economic crisis in
the Far East. In June 1999 the company gave one years notice
of closure, stating that a business analysis of production
requirements showed over capacity and that there was no
alternative. On 30th June 2000 Buckland Mill finally closed with
the loss of the remaining 109 jobs, some employees having
already been made redundant in March 2000.
The site was cleared for redevelopment shortly after closure,
leaving only the historic mill buildings. In November 2004 it
was announced in the local press that the contract for the
redevelopment had been awarded. The redevelopment which
will include both residential and business use finally started its
first stage in 2013.
established a paper mill at Buckland. Within the next 20 years
the mill was burnt down and rebuilt, and Edward Hasted, writing
in 1790, reported that the mill had been recently much
enlarged. The mill had a number of different owners until 1846,
when it was closed down.
In 1849, Charles Ashdown bought and re-opened the mill. With
his two sons, Charles and Henry, he carried on the business
until September 1879, when ownership passed to a partnership
of Charles Ashdown Jnr and Henry Hobday. The new partners
greatly improved the machinery but in September 1887, the
mill was totally destroyed by fire. The rebuilding that followed
altered the character of the mill greatly. The early days of the
mill were on a comparatively small scale, and prior 1879 the
output never exceeded two tons per week but within a year of
the fire the mill was producing twelve tons per week.
To help the mill get back on its feet after the fire, Henry Hobday
secured the order to make ‘Conqueror’, watermarked business
stationery, from London paper merchants Wiggins Teape, in
1888. ‘Conqueror’ was an immediate success, being perceived
as much superior to existing business stationery. So, to ensure
continuity of supply, Wiggins Teape bought Buckland Mill in
1890. Henry Hobday became the manager of the factory.
Almost immediately the new owners started to invest in the
mill’s expansion. No.2 paper machine, capable of making paper
up to 70 inches wide, was installed in 1893 and increased
weekly capacity to around 40 tons. By 1895 the mill’s annual
output was 800 tons and rose steadily to 2,300 tons in 1910.
The demand for ‘Conqueror’ papers was increasing and in 1910
No.3 machine was built, bringing production up to around 70
tons per week. 90 years later No3 machine was producing
paper at the rate of over 2 tons per hour.
Between the two World Wars was a period of consolidation and
improvement, No. 2 machine was rebuilt and the mill was
completely electrified. In 1940, during the Battle of Britain, an
RAF Spitfire crashed into the roof of no. 3 Machine House
causing considerable damage. This, and the ever present
danger from shelling, forced the temporary closure of the mill
until 1945.
After the Second World War, the demand for ‘Conqueror’ paper
remained high and the investment in Buckland Mill continued.
Click here for a picture of the mill in the 1960s. By the time the
mill celebrated the 100th Anniversary of ‘Conqueror’ in 1988,
the mill’s two fine paper machines had a capacity of over
20,000 tonnes per year and operated 24 hours a day seven
days a week. 10 years later, the story was different, Arjo
Wiggins Appleton announced that the mill was to cease
continuous operation and move to semi-continuous running,
with the loss 46 jobs from the workforce of 196. The company
blamed a number of external factors including the strong
pound, weakening of orders in the UK and the economic crisis in
the Far East. In June 1999 the company gave one years notice
of closure, stating that a business analysis of production
requirements showed over capacity and that there was no
alternative. On 30th June 2000 Buckland Mill finally closed with
the loss of the remaining 109 jobs, some employees having
already been made redundant in March 2000.
The site was cleared for redevelopment shortly after closure,
leaving only the historic mill buildings. In November 2004 it
was announced in the local press that the contract for the
redevelopment had been awarded. The redevelopment which
will include both residential and business use finally started its
first stage in 2013.
