BACK in the heyday, every East Lancastrian would have known someone who worked in a mill.

Mums, dads, sisters, brothers, generations going back would have been involved in the great production industry that gave this part of the county its character and image.

Despite several towns already being established, it was the textile industry that gave them a real growth spurt during the 1800s.

This growth saw towns’ population figures jump up dramatically, almost doubling in some towns within decades.

In the mid section of the 19th century, the use of the steam engine became the most common type of engine used in mills.

During this time period Britain had become a textile super giant, providing roughly a third of the world’s cotton goods.

In these pictures we can see the Hollins Grove Mill in Darwen, the Irwell Springs Mill in Bacup, Albert Mill in Whitewell Bottom, another Albert Mill in Lower Darwen, Billington Mill and The Maltings Mill in Burnley.

With mills brought the changes in urban landscapes.

Terraced housing became a common sight around the mills with larger homes, often owned by the mill owners and their associates, on the fringes of the towns.