After a bit of research, here’s my summary of the two mills.
Old Union Mill
The Birmingham Flour and Bread Company (BFBC) was also known as Union Mills Company. They built this first British steam cooperative mill in 1796/7. It was a three storey mill, 60ft by 30ft with an adjoining bakehouse. It was designed by Boulton and Watt - they also supplied a 16hp engine.
According to the accounts for 1797 the premises consisted of the mill, bakehouse, warehouse, pig sties, cart-house, engine house and dwelling house.
The Mill had four pairs of stones. It operated 20 hours per day and could supply between 18% and 24% of Birmingham’s population at the time.
Shareholders were drawn from the ‘poorer’ classes, not wealthy businessmen with philanthropic ideas. These shareholders were required to take a given amount of bread or flour per week; half a peck of flour or bread per week per share. BFBC wasn’t set up to make profit, but it was so successful that benefits took the form of reduced prices of bread and flour.
New Union Mill
The New Union Mill was built by BFBC in 1813 and was arranged around three sides of a rear courtyard. Only the SE frontage with archway remains today ie 17-23 Grosvenor St West 40mtr frontage. The new mill remained in operation until 1927. Subsequently the mill itself, the NW range and a large part of the SW range were demolished. The remaining building has been vacant for over 15 years. Much of the interior has been changed over time, but the original staircase will be retained.
This building on Grosvenor Street West is frequently referred to today as The Old Union Mill.
Viv.