With the establishment of overseas colonies, the British Empire at the end of the 17th century/beginning of the 18th century had a vast source of raw materials and a vast market for goods. The manufacture of goods was performed on a limited scale by individual workers – usually on their own premises (such as weavers' cottages) – and was transported around the country by horse and cart, or by river boat. Power was supplied by draught animals for agriculture and haulage. In politics and in history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a geographically-distant state. ... The British Empire was, at one time, the foremost global power, and the most extensive empire in the history of the world. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 nugget The horse (Equus caballus or Equus ferus caballus) is a sizeable ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... A simple wooden cart in Australia A cart transporting watermelons in Harbin, China. ... The Murray River in Australia. ... Lobster boat A boat is a watercraft, usually smaller than most ships. ... In physics, power (symbol: P) is the amount of work done per unit of time. ... A draught animal is a (semi-)domesticated animal used for transport and haulage (the heavy labour of pulling carts, hauling timber and ploughing fields are examples). ... Haulage, also called cartage or drayage, is the horizontal transport of ore, coal, supplies, and waste. ...

There was a marketplace to service, but the scale of industry; the sources of energy; and the lack of an inland communications infrastructure were the unseen hurdles to overcome. Communications is the process of exchanging information, usually via a common protocol. ...

In this context, the scene was set for Great Britain to develop the industry of textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution.

Background

The key British industry at the beginning of the 18th century was the production of textiles made with wool from the large sheep-farming areas in the Midlands and across the country (created as a result of land-clearance and inclosure). Handlooms and spinning wheels were the tools of the trade of the weavers in their cottages, and this was a labour-intensive activity providing employment throughout Britain, with major centres being the West Country; Norwich and environs; and the West Riding of Yorkshire. The export trade in woolen goods accounted for more than a quarter of British exports during most of the 18th century, doubling between 1701 and 1770 [1]. Exports of the cotton industry – centred in Lancashire – had grown ten-fold during this time, but still accounted for only a tenth of the value of the woollen trade. It has been suggested that Textile manufacturing be merged into this article or section. ... Wool in a shearing shed Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, AR Wool sheep, Royal Melbourne Show Wool is the fibre derived from the hair of animals of the Caprinae family, principally sheep and goats, but the hair of other mammals... Species See text. ... In general, the midlands of a territory are its central regions. ... Inclosure (also commonly enclosure), refers to the process of subdivision of common lands for individual ownership. ... A Turkish woman in Konya works at a traditional loom. ... A spinning wheel is a device for making thread or yarn from fibrous material such as wool or cotton. ... Tweed loom, Harris, 2004 Weaving is an ancient textile art and craft that involves placing two sets of threads or yarn made of fiber called the warp and weft of the loom and turning them into cloth. ... Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. ... Norwich (pronounced variously Norritch, Norridge) is a city in East Anglia, in Eastern England, and the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. ... The West Riding as an administrative county prior to its abolition in 1974. ... Cotton plant as imagined and drawn by John Mandeville in the 14th century Cotton is a soft fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant (Gossypium spp. ... Red Lancashire rose Lancashire is a county in the North of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ...

Industry and invention

In 1733 in Bury, Lancashire, John Kay invented the flying shuttle — one of the first of a series of inventions that was to propel Britain to being the dominant industrial power of the 18th and 19th centuries. The flying shuttle increased the width of cotton cloth and speed of production of a single weaver at a loom. Resistance by workers to the perceived threat to jobs delayed the widespread introduction of this technology, even though the higher rate of production generated an increased demand for spun cotton. Events February 12 - British colonist James Oglethorpe founds Savannah, Georgia. ... Location within the British Isles Bury is a town on the northern side of Greater Manchester in North West England, between Rochdale and Bolton and just west of the M66. ... The Memorial to John Kay in Bury, Lancashire, England John Kay (June 17, 1704 – 1780) was the inventor of the flying shuttle, which was a key contribution to the Industrial Revolution. ... The flying shuttle was developed by John Kay in 1733, and was one of the key developments in weaving that helped fuel the Industrial Revolution. ... invention: something that you invent In general terms, an invention is an object, process or technique which displays an element of novelty. ... A Turkish woman in Konya works at a traditional loom. ... Cones of yarn for industrial use Spinning is the process of creating yarn (or thread, rope, cable) from various raw fiber materials. ...

In 1738, Louis Paul – one of the community of Huguenot weavers that had been driven out of France in a wave of religious persecution – developed the drawing roller method to twist and spin yarn. Events February 4 - Court Jew Joseph Suss Oppenheimer is executed in Württenberg April 15 - Premiere in London of Serse, an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, or historically as the French Calvinists. ... Rolling is a fabricating process in which the metal, plastic, paper, glass, etc. ... Twisting, for textile manufacture, is synonymous with plying. ... Yarn. ...

In 1764, James Hargreaves is credited as inventor of the spinning jenny which multiplied the spun thread production capacity of a single worker — initially eight-fold and subsequently much further. Sources [2] credit the original invention to Thomas Highs, who had a daughter named Jenny for whom the invention might have been named. Industrial unrest and a failure to patent the invention until 1770 forced Hargreaves from Blackburn, but his lack of protection of the idea allowed the concept to be exploited by others. As a result, there were over 20,000 Spinning Jennies in use by the time of his death. 1764 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... James Hargreaves (1720 – April 22, 1778) was a weaver and carpenter in Lancashire, England. ... Model of the spinning jenny in a museum in Wuppertal, Germany The spinning jenny is a multi-spool spinning wheel. ... Industrial unrest is the term used to describe activities undertaken by the workforce when they protest against pay or conditions of their employment. ... invention: something that you invent In general terms, an invention is an object, process or technique which displays an element of novelty. ... 1770 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

In 1771, Richard Arkwright used waterwheels to power looms for the production of cotton cloth, his invention becoming known as the water frame. (Frame is another name for the machinery for spinning or weaving.) The water frame was developed from the spinning frame that Arkwright had developed with (a different) John Kay, from Warrington. (The original design was probably by Thomas Highs, again.) This he had patented in 1769 (see [3]: Press the 'Ingenious' button and use search key '10302171' for the patent). Initial attempts at driving the frame had used horse power, but the innovation of using a waterwheel demanded a location with a ready supply of water. This first cotton mill (at Cromford, Derbyshire; preserved as part of the Derwent Valley Mills) was a factory in the vein of the Soho Manufactory. Arkwright protected his investment (from industrial rivals and potentially disruptive workers), and generated jobs for which workers' accommodations were constructed, leading to a sizeable industrial community. Arkwright expanded his operations to other areas of the country. 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Richard Arkwright Sir Richard Arkwright ( the last of 13 children December 23, 1732, August 3, 1792) was an Englishman credited with the spinning frame — later renamed the water frame following the transition to water power. ... The water frame is an extension of the spinning frame; both of which are credited to Richard Arkwright. ... The spinning frame was an invention developed during the 18th century British Industrial Revolution. ... John Kay was a homo in the 1790s he created the man dildo. ... A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a person for a fixed period of time in exchange for the regulated, public disclosure of certain details of a device, method, process or composition of matter (substance) (known as an invention) which is new, inventive, and... 1769 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The cotton mill is a type of factory that was created to house spinning and weaving machinery. ... Cromford, in Derbyshire, England, is a village that is one of the significant sites in the development of the Industrial Revolution. ... Derbyshire (pronounced Dar-bee-shur) is a county in the East Midlands of England, which boasts some of Englands most attractive scenery. ... Derwent Valley Mills is a World Heritage Site along the River Derwent in Derbyshire, England, designated in December 2001. ... A factory (previously manufactory) or manufacturing plant is a large industrial building where workers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. ... The Soho Manufactory was an early factory, opening in Soho, Birmingham, England by Matthew Boulton in 1761. ...

In 1779, Samuel Crompton of Bolton combined elements of the spinning jenny and water frame to create the spinning mule. This produced a stronger thread, and was suitable for mechanisation on a grand scale. As with Kay and Hargreaves, Crompton was not able to exploit his invention for his own profit, and died a pauper. 1779 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Samuel Crompton (December 3, 1753 – June 26, 1827), English inventor, was born at Firwood near Bolton, Lancashire. ... Location within the British Isles Arms of Bolton, the motto is Latin for Overcome your hinderance Bolton is a town in the Greater Manchester urban area in England, although most Boltonians regard it as still part of Lancashire. ... The spinning mule was created by Samuel Crompton. ...

In 1784, Edmund Cartwright invented the power loom, and produced a prototype in the following year. His initial venture to exploit this technology failed, although his advances were recognised by others in the industry. Others – such as Robert Grimshaw (whose factory was destroyed in 1790 as part of the growing reaction against the mechanization of the industry) and Austin [4] – developed the ideas further. 1784 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Edmund Cartwright Edmund Cartwright (April 24, 1743 – October 30, 1823) was a British clergyman and inventor of the power loom. ... The power loom was designed in 1787 by Edmund Cartwright and first built in 1785. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

In 1803, Thomas Johnson invented the dressing frame which enabled power looms to operate continuously, and this fueled the take-off of steam-powered weaving such that by 1823 there were estimated to be 10,000 power looms in operation in Great Britain. 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

The use of water power to drive mills was quickly adopted by many entrepreneurs, and one example is Samuel Greg. He joined his uncle's firm of textile merchants, and, on taking over the company in 1782, he sought out a site to establish a mill. Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire still exists as a well preserved museum, having been in use from its construction in 1784 until 1959. It illustrates how the mill owners exploited child labour, taking orphans from nearby Manchester, but also shows that these children were housed, clothed, fed and provided with some education. This mill also shows the transition from water power to steam power, with steam engines to drive the looms being installed in 1810. Samuel Greg (March 26, 1758 - June 4, 1834) was a British entrepreneur and pioneer of the factory system at Quarry Bank Mill. ... Quarry Bank Mill is an historic factory in Cheshire, England, one of the best preserved of the Industrial Revolution. ... This article is about the English county. ... 1784 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Manchester is a city in the North West of England. ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Workers

Working conditions in the early British textile factories were brutal. Children, men, and women regularly worked 68-hour work weeks. Factories often were not well ventilated and became very hot in the summer. Worker health and safety regulations were non-existent. Workers who suffered debilitating injuries from work were simply dismissed without any compensation. The best that can be said for these conditions is that other work for unskilled, landless persons was less consistent throughout the year and from year to year, and offered less possibility for earnings growth for those who adapted well to the work.

Textile factories organized workers' lives much differently from craft production. Handloom weavers worked at their own pace, with their own tools, and within their own cottages. Factories set hours of work, and the machinery within them shaped the pace of work. Factories brought workers together within one building to work on machinery that they did not own. Factories also increased the division of labor. They narrowed the number and scope of tasks and included children and women within a common production process. Tweed loom, Harris, 2004 Weaving is an ancient textile art and craft that involves placing two sets of threads or yarn made of fiber called the warp and weft of the loom and turning them into cloth. ...

The early textile factories employed a large share of children, but the share declined over time. In England and Scotland in 1788, two-thirds of the workers in 143 water-powered cotton mills were described as children. By 1835, the share of the workforce under 18 years of age in cotton mills in England and Scotland had fallen to 43%. About half of workers in Manchester and Stockport cotton factories surveyed in 1818 and 1819 began work at under ten years of age. [5] Most of the adult workers in cotton factories in mid-19th century Britain were workers who had begun work as child labourers. The growth of this experienced adult factory workforce helps to account for the shift away from child labour in textile factories. Child labor or labour is the term for the employment of children. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... | Come and take it, slogan of the Texas Revolution 1835 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Manchester is a city in the North West of England. ... Stockports Town Hall Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, in North West England. ... 1818 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1819 common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Export of technology

While profiting from expertise arriving from overseas (e.g. Louis Paul), Britain was very protective of home-grown technology. In particular, engineers with skills in constructing the textile mills and machinery were not permitted to emigrate — particularly to the fledgeling America. Protectionism is the economic policy of protecting a nations manufacturing base from the effects of foreign competition (such as including Dumping) by means of high tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and other means of reducing importation. ... Engineering applies scientific and technical knowledge to solve human problems. ... A memorial statue in Hanko, Finland, commemorating the thousands of emigrants who left the country to start a new life in the United States Emigration is the act and the phenomenon of leaving ones native country to settle abroad. ... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 colonies. ...

Following the creation of the United States, an engineer who had worked as an apprentice to Arkwright's partner Jedediah Strutt evaded the ban. In 1789, Samuel Slater took his skills in designing and constructing factories to New England, and he was soon engaged in reproducing the textile mills that helped America with its own industrial revolution. Jedediah Strutt (1726–1797) was a hosier from Derby, England. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Samuel Slater (June 9, 1768 – April 21, 1835) is known as the father of the American Industrial Revolution. ... The states of New England are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. ...

Local inventions spurred this on, and in 1793 Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, a device that increased the processing of raw cotton by over 50 times. 1793 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Eli Whitney Eli Whitney (December 8, 1765 - January 8, 1825) was an American inventor and manufacturer. ... Cotton gin The cotton gin is a machine invented by American inventor Eli Whitney in 1793 to mechanize the production of cotton fiber. ...

See also

• History of science and technology
• Industrial archaeology
• Textile manufacturing terminology
• Timeline of clothing and textiles technology
• Timeline of invention

The history of science and technology (HST) is a field of history which examines how humanitys understanding of science and technology has changed over the millennia. ... Industrial archaeology, like other branches of archeology, is the study of the past, but with a focus on industry or industrial heritage. ... The manufacture of textiles is one of the oldest of mans technologies. ... Timeline of clothing and textiles technology. ... This is a chronological list of inventions. ...

External links

• Essay and source material on Arkwright and Cartwright
• Development of the cotton industry from the perspecive of the Blackburn area
• The cotton industry during the Industrial Revolution
• Factory Workers in the British Industrial Revolution