Charles and Henry Walker were the sons of John Walker, Owen's wealthy and much respected Quaker partner. Like Robert Owen, the Walkers were humanitarian employers. As members of the Society of Friends or 'Quakers', they held the view that decent working and social conditions were worth investing in. The Walkers did not possess Owen's flair for self-promotion or Dale's extensive connections with the Scottish establishment, and as such, less is now about New Lanark under their ownership. We do know that New Lanark was one of the first  of several Scottish country spinning mills to be visited by the new Factory Inspectorate in 1833. The inspectors were suitably impressed, reporting that the mills were 'under the same excellent management with a view to health, education and general comfort of the workers, which prevailed during the proprietorship of the late philanthropic Mr. Dale and his son-in-law the well known Mr Robert Owen.’

By the 1850s, the Walkers seem to have lost interest in the Mills and unsuccessfully attempted to sell them in 1851. It wasn’t until 30 years later they eventually sold the Mills to Birkmyre and Somerville.