Lace mill, c 1880. Mainly 4 storey with other buildings. Swiss Mills lie just S of Anglo Scotian Mills (M466) and has few alterations or extensions due to shortage of space. It juts out into Wollaton Road causing a bottleneck and at the rear is Villa Street Factory (M516). Was a tenement factory, mainly for lace, also hosiery. Tall with belfry on roof. John Pollard owner 1886, Samuel Stevenson 1900 (established lace and hosiery settlement in USA called Zion City - machinery and workers from Beeston). Present condition fair, used by several firms, but at risk (29/03/1966). (1)
Burnt down 1985. (5)
Swiss Mills was completed by the end of 1886. The whole building contained a total of 75 standings (fllor space for lace machines). This brick factory was built from the inside without scaffolding . The clock on the front was bought when the silk mill (M514) went bankrupt. Made in about 1842 in Nottingham by Bosworth, it was known as the "ten minute bell" from its being rung at ten minutes to nine and ten minutes to two. (6)
See M516 for adjacent Pollards Factory.

Data Held (Document). SNT2647.

(3), Ind Arch file

<1> CBA, Industrial Survey (Published document). SNT184.

Other Refs: IA4 7/2

<2> Smith DM, 1965, The Industrial Archaeology of the East Midlands, pp 231-2 (Published document). SNT1304.

<3> Reedman K, 1977, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1180.

<4> Pevsner N, 1979, The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire 2nd ed., p 69 (Monograph). SNT4.

<5> Newton F, 1989, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT956.

<6> NIAS, Oct 1984, NIAS Journal, pp 4-6 (Serial). SNT1748.