Doughty's Oil Mill, Lincoln

The Doughty family firm of seed merchants, bone crushers, and oil cake manufacturers, began trading from a site on Newport in about 1791, in the northern part of the city. The firm was engaged in the manufacture of products for the agricultural industry, which in the late 18th century and particularly in the early and mid 19th century was eager to increase its output of both cereals and meat through the use of new fertilisers and feedstuffs. Doughty's were involved in the crushing (originally by hand) of bones, used as a manure, and in the production of oil and oilcake from linseed and other materials. The oilseed industry was well established in Lincolnshire by the late 18th century, for wind-powered crushing mills were known in the mid 17th century, and the first linseed, rather than rapeseed, mill in the county was built in Gainsborough in 1709. Doughty's, therefore, were operating within an
established industry, but nevertheless enjoyed early success. In 1843 the firm,
then managed by J G Doughty, merged with, or absorbed, the business of

Michael Drury, clover, seed and cake merchants, taking over their premises in Sincil Street. Some accounts suggest that J G Doughty demolished the old county hospital on Waterside South to build the new oil and cake mill. The site was developed and enlarged until 1891 when many of the existing buildings were completed.  William Wright Richardson became a partner in Doughty, Son  & Richardson  together  with  the  executors of Charles Doughty's estate, Rachael Emma Walker and Anselm Odling.  The partnership was dissolved in 1899, Richardson continued the business.  The company purchased the business of Jekyll, Glasier & Co in 1920. The business was sold, following the death of Richardson to a new company, Barkers & Lee Smith, in 1922, but the former Jekyll company was not part of the takeover.  The mill closed in 1990. The mill buildings, which have 'Listed Building' status, have now been converted into flats.