Queensland Cotton Manufacturing Company Ltd.

Despite the demise in 1889 of Ipswich Cotton Company Ltd and its operations in the Booval area,  talk immediately turned to raising money to erect a mill for cotton manufacture. The Qld Cotton Manufacturing Co. Ltd was registered on 31 July 1890. W. Haigh was the first Managing Director.

The industry seemed to revive in 1892 when Qld Cotton Manufacturing Company constructed Australia's only cotton mill at East Ipswich,  installing cotton machinery from Oldham in England. The mill was a large brick structure started in March of that year. George Brockwell Gill designed it and, Worley and Whitehead were the building contractors. Included in the grounds of about 17.5 acres were other outbuildings and a manager's cottage. When at capacity it was expected that the mill would employ 200.

In December 1892 calico was produced, then in 1893 twill was manufactured for the first time. Later production included broad sheeting, narrow cloth, cellular cloth, cheese and butter cloth, Turkish and honeycomb towels all from cotton grown by local farmers.

After trying and failing to secure government finance, in 1897 the mill property  was offered for sale by auction. There were no bids. After some ups and downs, Joyce Brothers purchased the mill in June 1907, installing new equipment and re-opening in 1908. The mill was now known as Joyce Cotton Mill. Two years later in 1910 Joyce Bros. employed 60 hands and were manufacturing a particular fabric named Joycenette.

The cotton mill closed for the final time in 1913 and soon after the site was bought by Ipswich Woollen Mills for wool treatment and woollen fabric manufacture.