Water Driven! An Exhibition
01 October 2011 to 29 January 2012
An exhibition is currently running in conjunction with The Borders Textile Towerhouse looking at water power and its part in driving local mill machinery. The Hub’s exhibition theme is William Elliot’s Mill on the Slitrig in Hawick, the current Tower Mill premises, which is believed to be the only mill built on a bridge in Scotland. This successful hosiery business harnessed the increased flow of the river following the replacement of the Auld Brig and the introduction of a new dam and larger water wheel. These improvements were not without controversy, however, as it was claimed that other local businesses suffered as a result of the power of the river being re-directed to the mill. Nevertheless, the mill thrived and even when water power was overtaken by other more modern methods of power, the Elliot Mill’s wheel went on to generate electricity at the family’s home, the first generator of its kind in Hawick.
