The provisional committee consisted of James Gandy of Dockray Hall woollen and dye-wood mill, Kendal; J. Wakefield of old Sedgwick and Bassing Ghyll gunpowder mills; John Ireland of Low Mills woollen mill and iron foundry; J. H. Wilson; John Whitwell also of Dockray Hall mill; Cornelius Nicholson of Cowan Head and Burneside paper mills; J. Philipson of Ullthwaite corn mill, Kentmere; B. Turton of Staveley bobbin mill; George Suart of Scroggs bobbin mill, near Staveley; and J. J. Wilson who bought Castle Mill from Kendal Corporation in 1853. They considered Bateman's report, and introduced a private bill into parliament in 1845 to get permission for the scheme.