Platt Collection of Textile Machinery

Acquisition of collection of textile machinery including a working Spinning Jenny and an Arkwright carding engine, both made around 1830. Platt Bros. of Oldham were one of Lancashire's largest textile machine makers. Starting in the 1880's, they built up a collection of historic textile machinery which they had on display at their works. In addition they used to take certain machines to Trade Shows to emphasise how much more advanced their then current range of machines was. The Platt Collection had been on load to Higher Mill Museum since 1971, but with the demise of Platt Saco Lowell (as Play Bros. had then become) it was decided that Lancashire County council should seek to purchase the Collection to safeguard it.