Paton's Mill or Chapel Works, Montrose, Angus

Image: © Adrian Diack Taken: 1 Jul 2023

The accompanying photo shows construction work taking place at the front of what remains of Paton’s Mill or Chapel Works in Montrose. The factory is situated on flat land between Paton’s Lane and Marine Avenue which is toward the eastern side of the town. This flax spinning mill became the largest mill in Angus excepting Dundee. This flax works and linen mill, which also made rope, was founded in 1795 by the identical twin brothers of John and George Paton. The twin brothers were born in Craig where their father, Rev. James Paton, D.D., was the minister of Craig Parish Church at Kirkton of Craig. The twins were born on the 9th of June 1776 with John being the first born. Paton’s Mill became one of the largest employers in Montrose. In 1745, Thomas Pennant observed that there was not a single manufacturer in Montrose. However, when he visited the town in 1776, he stated that “considerable business was being done in the manufacture of sail-cloth, fine linen, lawns and cambric.” He added that “the men pride themselves in the beauty of their linen, both wearing and household and with great reason, as it is the effect of the skill and industry of their spouses, who fully emulate the character of the good wife so admirably described by the wisest man.” Pennant continued to comment that “By 1851, there were 4 firms engaged in flax spinning in Montrose …. with a total of 27,500 spindles and giving employment to 1,850 people. The yarn spun in Montrose had long had an enviable reputation, both for the superiority of the material and the excellence of spin. Messrs Paton have spun as high as 30 lea dry tow, and 50 lea dry flax. Part of the yarn spun, and not manufactured by the spinners, is sold to manufacturers throughout the country and part of it is exported to Germany, Spain and other countries. The firms in the trade are of long standing and high respectability.” After serving in the Dundee office of the firm J & G Paton, flax spinners, W.M. Paton joined the family business in Montrose. In time, he became a partner and the running of the firm devolved to him. He was greatly interested in the mechanical plant and, as a result of his sound judgement and shrewd business acumen, the factory was always kept thoroughly up to date. W. M. Jamieson Paton took great interest in the welfare of Montrose and he made a significant contribution to the development of the Mid Links area. In 1905, for example, he created the Jamieson Paton Park, with a large fountain called the Jamieson Paton Fountain. W. M. Jamieson Paton was a keen and able golfer who was three times the Captain of the Royal Albert Club between 1893 and 1906. He recognised that a first class golf course was an absolute necessity for the wellbeing and prosperity of the town and, to that purpose, he gifted a clubhouse to the Mercantile Golf Club at a cost of about £1,600. The enterprising founders of Paton’s Mill, John and George Paton both lived in Montrose. John lived in what is now the Links Hotel, on Provost Scott’s Road and within easy reach of Chapel Mill. John’s daughter, Hope Paton, also lived at that address and she was renowned for her charitable work including her donation of a bronze bust of Dr James Brown, the famous Montrose botanist, to the town on the 18th October 1895. George Paton, the slightly younger twin, was a three times Provost of the Burgh. Both John and George, together with their parents, and other family members are buried in a family enclosure at Rossie Island Cemetery (Inchbrayock) which is the traditional burial place of inhabitants of Craig parish. A story is recounted by D.H. Edwards of how, in 1846, a Ferryden woman on meeting John Paton addressed him by saying “Is’t you ‘at’s deid or is it your brither? For ye’re sae like ane anither, I dinna ken the tane fae the tither.” Flax was possibly introduced to Scotland by the Romans and it has been grown for hundreds of years. It was particularly grown in the east of Scotland in the Tayside region of Angus, Fife and Perthshire but production was greatly reduced in the 1950’s in favour of other more commercially profitable crops. As an industry, the Scottish linen trade has generally dwindled from the 19th century onwards with only a brief revival during the First and Second World Wars. Although flax is still grown in Britain, the crop is predominately used for the production of linseed oil. Chapel Works continued production until 1967 when it was taken on as a whisky bond for George Morton and Sons. The building was placed on the Buildings at Risk Register for a number of years and was scheduled for demolition in 1991 but the order was overturned. It ceased to be a working building in 1999 and became increasingly derelict. Today, most of the B Listed Paton’s Mill has been demolished. The remaining part, as seen in the photo, is being converted into 26 new homes through a partnership between the Scottish Government, Hillcrest Homes and George Martin Builders.

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