The Midland Bleachworks was established in 1854 by Henry Jackson to replace the Beevor Works, an earlier bleachery at Oakwell as its site had become too polluted for linen bleaching. Jackson was also a linen manufacturer but these activities occurred on other sites. The bleachery was still in use till at least 1897 but had closed by 1904. (Taylor 1993, 42-6). There is good survival of many of the original bleachworks features and the site is now reused as a farm.