Local industries in Greater Manchester

Horizontal condensing engine, Manchester warehouses, Museum of Science & Industry © Richard Weltman

Lancashire used at Pennington Mill, Manchester Royal Exchange, Museum of Science & Industry © Richard Weltman Crompton’s Mule, 1802 Museum and Archive Service developed he became a local hero in Bolton, his first mule in 1779. and nationally known as the It was called a mule because it inventor of the mule. combined two previous cotton Crompton’s invention meant large spinning machines, the water scale employment, especially in frame and the . Greater Manchester, and the cotton Crompton’s Mule, 1802 It produced large quantities of fine, industry generated a huge amount © Bolton Museum and Archive Service strong cotton . From 1781- of wealth for Britain. 1791, the first decade of the mule’s The mule in the photograph ended use, the amount of raw cotton up in the firm Dobson and Barlow of supplied to Britain more than tripled. Bolton which manufactured cotton The mule helped to revolutionise machinery. The mule was lent to the British cotton industry. It massively Bolton museum to teach the history increased the amount of cotton of the cotton industry. It became yarn manufacturers could produce, a permanent part of the museum which meant more demand for raw collections when the last Dobson cotton to supply the mills. family member retired from the Despite the success of the mule, firm in the early 1900s. Samuel Crompton was unable The mule is probably one of the most to patent his design and made important objects in any museum in very little money from it. He the north west of England because eventually died in poverty in of the impact the cotton spinning 1827. However, after his death industry had in the region.

Souvenir cotton bale, 1884 Gallery Oldham

Throughout the 1800s most of Slave-grown cotton from the Oldham’s cotton came from southern states of America provided the southern states of America. 70% of the raw material fuelling Raw cotton was processed and Britain’s at packed in large bales for shipping. its height. This cotton bale is from the World Manchester’s cotton mills produced Exposition Trade Fair held in New ‘coarse checks’ (cloth or fabric with Orleans in 1884-85. Cotton was Souvenir cotton bale, 1884 a pattern of crossed lines) and silk © Gallery Oldham one of America’s most important handkerchiefs. These were sent to and well recognised export Africa and traded for enslaved products. The cotton bale Africans, completing the triangle is labelled ‘A souvenir of the of trade between Britain, Africa sunny south’. and the Americas. Slavery was abolished in the USA This cotton bale was donated at the end of the American Civil to Gallery Oldham in 1942, by War in 1865 but cotton continued Councillor E Henthorn, whose to be exported, grown by the grandfather Thomas Henthorn descendants of enslaved Africans. was a cotton dealer in the 1880s, With the mechanisation of the and later the manager of a group cotton spinning industry in and of Oldham cotton mills. around Manchester throughout the 1700s and 1800s, more raw cotton was needed from the plantations. Manchester Royal Exchange, 1877 Manchester Art Gallery

Manchester was the world’s first The original Manchester Exchange industrial city. It was an important was built in 1729. A new larger centre for the spinning of cotton exchange was completed in during the Industrial Revolution 1809 at the corner of Market Street as well as the commercial centre and Exchange Street. As the cotton of the industry. The Exchange was industry continued to expand a Interior of the Royal Exchange, 1877 where the business took place. much larger building again was © Manchester Art Gallery In 1874 it was called ‘the largest needed. This was completed in trading room in the world’. 1849. When Queen Victoria visited Manchester in 1851 she was The painting by HL Saunders and welcomed in the new exchange Frederick Sargent is an important not the town hall. After her visit historical document as it names key the building was called the individuals involved in Manchester’s Manchester Royal Exchange, cotton trade at that time. and a large royal coat of arms The Manchester Exchange had a was added to the exterior. membership of up to 11,000 cotton Since 1973 the building has been merchants who met every Tuesday the Royal Exchange Theatre. This and Friday to trade their goods. painting was given to Manchester These merchants represented 280 Art Gallery in 1968 by the Royal cotton towns and villages in and Exchange committee but is around the north west of England. currently in Manchester Town Hall.

Questions

1 How important were machines to the cotton industry? 2 How did Greater Manchester benefit from cotton? 3 Why was there so much money to be made from the cotton trade? 4 Can you compare conditions for cotton workers in Greater Manchester and enslaved Africans on America’s cotton plantations? 5 Was Manchester ‘built’ on slavery?