Sunny Bank Mills, the historic textile complex in Farsley, has been awarded a £243,449 heritage grant to launch a three-year research and digitisation programme.

The project, named Dyevolution, will focus on a "hidden treasure" within the mill’s archive: six hand-bound dye ledgers dating from 1888 to 1908. These volumes contain thousands of dyed wool samples that capture the exact moment British manufacturing transitioned from natural plant-based dyes to synthetic chemistry—a shift that revolutionised the global textile trade.

Rachel Moaby, Heritage Director at Sunny Bank Mills, said: “The dye ledgers are exceptionally fragile, yet they offer an extraordinary snapshot of dyeing practices at a time of huge technological change. This funding represents a vital investment in the preservation of one of West Yorkshire’s most significant textile heritage collections.”

The project will see Sunny Bank Mills collaborate with the British Museum, where scientists will use state-of-the-art facilities to identify dyes at a molecular level.

Dr Diego Tamburini, a scientist at the British Museum, noted: “These ledgers provide a unique window into how dyers experimented with new materials at the dawn of synthetic colour. The work has the potential to significantly advance knowledge in heritage science.”

The investment marks the latest chapter in the regeneration of Sunny Bank Mills. Since ceasing cloth production in 2008, the Gaunt family has transformed the 10-acre site into a premier business destination, now home to a diverse community of creative and commercial tenants.