Historian Gordon Cox, who is currently researching the history of the silk industry in Watford, is appealing for details about the Rookery Mill and surrounding area, known as the Rookery Village, which stood by the River Colne.

Gordon explains: "The photograph is of the Rookery Village, with the silk mill in the background. The date of the photograph must be post 1917, by which time the mill had been reduced to three floors once more, following a fire.

"I would like some help from readers who may be able to identify other features of the photo, which will help to establish the date more precisely. It would also be really great if any readers have other photographs of the Rookery Village or the mill itself.

"It is unlikely that anyone will have a picture of it while it was still producing silk, which ceased in 1880/81 when it was owned by James Hart & Son. Most people may remember it as a piano factory. It is unlikely there would be many people alive today who would remember the mill becoming a steam laundry, which was a fate shared by another of Thomas Rock Shute's former silk mills in Chesham.

"Pictures of the mill taken from Wiggenhall would be particularly welcome, similar to the line drawing of it in the 1951 Book of Watford produced for the Festival of Britain.

"I have lists of the people who were living in the Rookery Village at various times, from 1841, 1851, 1854, 1861, 1861, 1871 and 1873, and I am presently extracting from the parish registers of St Mary's those people who are recorded as silk thowsters' back to 1813. I also have similar lists of silk workers in Chesham and Rickmansworth, some of whom originally came from Watford. In turn, some of the Watford silk workers were brought in from further afield, including at least one from Congleton.

Gordon is also keen to hear from anyone who possesses title deeds to houses on the Rookery land and is also hunting for a photograph of North End House, which stood on the site of the Artichoke pub in The Parade, until about 1915.

If any reader can help with these queries, please send details to the Nostalgia Section, Watford Observer, Observer House, Caxton Way, Watford Business Park, WD18 8RJ for forwarding.

Do any readers have recollections of the mill as a piano factory or laundry?