Local schoolchildren cheered as Princess Anne made a special visit to an historic museum in Rossendale
They were joined by local dignitaries, including the Lord Lieutenant and the High Sheriff of Lancashire, and by council chiefs. Her Royal Highness toured Helmshore Mills, with museum service staff, Heather Davis, and Louise Jacobsson.In a statement on Facebook, St Veronica’s RC Primary School said:"What an exciting morning we have had welcoming our Royal visitor to Helmshore. St Veronica’s children were cheering and waving their flags when Princess Anne arrived at the museum.
The procession went out onto the banks of the mill pond where the importance of water used to power the machinery and drive the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century was highlighted. The group then descended into the Fulling and Milling Room to see the working 18ft diameter waterwheel which drove all the machinery in Higher Mill.
Here the displays tell the story of textiles manufacture from a totally cottage-based industry to a landscape of factory production for which Lancashire was famous. Richard Arkwright, born in Lancashire, invented the most important spinning machine which came to be called The Water Frame and the Princess Royal saw the only surviving complete Water Frame in the world.