Gaunts at Springfield near Farsley

Not sure where this quite belongs, but it is really about a place as opposed to a person. People figure highly however.

The Power House

"Evelyn" a steam powered turbine
manufactured by W H Allen of Bedford

was situated in this building and generated electricity
for Springfield and Broom Mills until about 1960.

The building, erected in the the early 1900's was known as 

"the Power House"

Steam to drive the turbine was provided by

three hand fed Lancashire Coal Fired Boilers

in an adjacent building

The turbine was named after Evelyn, the daughter of 

Gerald Rayner Gaunt, known affectionately as "GRG"

who spent his life serving the Company

from 1887 until his death in 1957 aged 84.

This plaque is erected in memory of

Father and Daughter,

by his Grandson, her Son,

John C. Bostock

Reuben & Sarah Gaunt

IN AFFECTIONATE MEMORY OF

REUBEN GAUNT OF "SPRINGWOOD" FARSLEY,

BORN MAY 27th 1824, DIED FEB 15th  1907
A CONSTANT WORSHIPPER IN THIS CHURCH.

A GENEROUS DONOR TO THE COST OF ITS ERECTION, 

AND OF THE SCHOOLS ADJOINING.

A FAITHFUL FRIEND OF THE SICK AND NEEDY,

HELPING THEM DURING HIS LIFE,

AND PROVIDING FOR THEM BY HIS REQUESTS

TO THE BENEVOLENT FUND OF THIS CHURCH.

A SUCCESFUL MAN OF BUSINESS,

KIND AND CONSIDERATE TO HIS WORKPEOPLE,

REMEMBERING THEM ALSO BY HIS REQUESTS,

HUMBLE IN SPIRIT, SIMPLE IN MODE OF LIFE

EVER WILLING TO HELP ANY JUST CAUSE.

ALSO OF

SARAH GAUNT, HIS WIFE,

BORN DEC 1ST 1823, DIED JUNE 30TH 1904,

A DEVOTED WIFE AND MOTHER,

GENEROUS HELPER OF THIS CHURCH AND A 

ZEALOUS WORKER FOR THE BUILDING OF THE SCHOOLS

ERECTED BY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF THE CHURCH AND CONGREGATION

This is the inscription on the bottom of the plaque:

This tablet in honour of Reuben Gaunt was removed from Farsley Baptist Church on its demolition in 1970. In 1875 he founded Reuben Gaunt & Sons which was converted into a limited company in 1896

THIS TABLET 

WAS SET BY THE WORKERS OF 

SPRINGFIELD AND BROOM MILLS

TO

PERCY REGINALD GAUNT
C.B.E.

BORN 1875 DIED 1926

TO RECORD THEIR APPRECIATION OF

HIS STRENUOUS LIFE AND UNGRUDGING SERVICE FOR THE WELFARE OF ALL

WHO WORKED WITH HIM

A BUSINESSMAN

BLESSED WITH THE COMMON TOUCH

A GENTLEMAN

 VIEW OF THE MILLS 2012

THE PLAQUES ARE ON THIS WALL

ANOTHER VIEW

VERY SIMILAR VIEW

The use of the property has changed, we visited a craftshop in the complex, more information can be found here about renting out units. It was quite busy.