THE 133-year history of the factory everyone knew as Star Paper Mill at Feniscowles has been compiled on a DVD following its closure.

It takes former employees through the good times and the bad, the fires and floods, the changes in technology and production and the thousands of people who worked there over a century and a half.

Lastly owned by Sappi, the mill was first registered in 1875.

Making paper then involved boiling rotten rags, ropes, straw and clay — and treating the stinking mess with chemicals.

The mill was a mish mash of rubble stone buildings, while the effluent — turbid water with a crust of scum and froth, often a foot thick, which killed all the fish in the rivers — added to its bad name.

In the early 1880s, the mill made news, printings and long elephants (wallpaper base) from rags, straw and esparto grass. By the end of the decade wood pulp appeared, with electricity in 1890.

From early times, horse drawn lorries and carts sufficed its needs, but roads were primitive and often ankle deep in mud during wet weather.

It is recorded that one day, when the regular driver was laid off ill, another was called to take the directors to Blackburn station in the firm’s landau.

When they arrived at the Feildens Arms, the horse drew in, to the embarrassment of the directors. This was good humouredly understood, but when the same thing happened at the Bee Hive at Cherry Tree and again at the Witton Inn they considered a severe reprimand was owing to the regular driver. From 1893 to 1896 the mill prospered and two up-to-date traction engines were purchased to transport finished paper to the railway goods yards at Feniscowles.

During the First World War production of one of the firm’s specialties, known as Hercules, a strong, greaseproof imitation parchment, ceased because of the shortage of pulp.

When it ended, improvements began and the mill grounds were fenced and walled. The name of the company was changed to “The Star Paper Mill Co. (1920) Ltd.

1927 saw the beginning of new and most important changes, as new machine tools and plant was installed in the mechanics shop.

There were concerts and celebrations on the opening of the new Salle at the old town hall in Blackburn where all employees and their partners were invited.

John Downham, started his 39 years with Star as a papermaking apprentice in 1961, one of the 1000 strong workforce at the time.

By this time Finnish owned, Mr E V Olander was managing director and he was determined to steer the mill to the top. New technology was introduced which saw jobs reduce from 160 girls in 1965 processing 500 tonnes per week to 30 girls eventually processing 1200 tonnes.

But by the latter half of the sixties, however, Star Paper Mills had become the market leader in coated papers.

The production departments were backed by well staffed technical and ancillary services — the canteen alone employed 22 staff.

The surgery offered modern facilities and was staffed by a full time nursing sister.

Among the workers were Arnold Jepson, Sammy Hamer, Frank Patton, Fred Kenyon, Tony Horgan Dick Fogartyss and mill manager Harold Garnett.