Cotton and the Community: Exploring Changing Concepts of Identity and Community on Lancashire’s Cotton Frontier c.1890-1950 By Jack Southern A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment for the requirements for the degree of a PhD, at the University of Central Lancashire April 2016 1 i University of Central Lancashire STUDENT DECLARATION FORM I declare that whilst being registered as a candidate of the research degree, I have not been a registered candidate or enrolled student for another aware of the University or other academic or professional institution. I declare that no material contained in this thesis has been used for any other submission for an academic award and is solely my own work. Signature of Candidate ________________________________________________ Type of Award: Doctor of Philosophy School: Education and Social Sciences ii ABSTRACT This thesis explores the evolution of identity and community within north east Lancashire during a period when the area gained regional and national prominence through its involvement in the cotton industry. It examines how the overarching shared culture of the area could evolve under altering economic conditions, and how expressions of identity fluctuated through the cotton industry’s peak and decline. In effect, it explores how local populations could shape and be shaped by the cotton industry. By focusing on a compact area with diverse settlements, this thesis contributes to the wider understanding of what it was to live in an area dominated by a single industry. The complex legacy that the cotton industry’s decline has had is explored through a range of settlement types, from large town to small village. A key focus is therefore on the role of the locality in ordinary life. By utilizing a case study approach to highlight how conceptions of community and identity varied, this thesis draws together empirical sources with the voices of the people involved, bridging the gap between academic and local histories. It shifts the focus of many previous studies from economic and technical aspects of the cotton industry to one on the communities it dominated. It gives context to the role of the mill within people’s lives, allowing for the distinctive story of certain sites to be studied within the context of the wider region. The thesis considers how a dynamic industry generated a confidence amongst operatives, and how this manifested itself through the area’s development, both in terms of urbanisation and a blossoming of social and leisure opportunities. It then contrasts these developments with how in a declining industry, the very same people reacted in the face of social upheaval, as settlements actively tried to banish the image of ‘cotton towns’. iii ABSTRACT iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii ABBREVIATIONS viii INTRODUCTION 3 The approach and scope of the thesis 4 Conceptualising community 5 The subject area 7 Thesis overview 11 Sources and methods 12 Cultural signifiers and recurring characteristics 17 1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURE IN NORTH EAST LANCASHIRE 26 The early development of north east Lancashire 27 Administrative changes and urban growth 30 Developing a ‘local’ economy 32 The relationship between religion, politics and culture 35 The development of worker’s organisations 38 Conclusion 41 2. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NORTH EAST LANCASHIRE WEAVING VILLAGE 44 The reputation of Briercliffe and the development of Harle Syke 45 Stability and continuity 50 A muted class structure? 54 Local networks 57 House ownership and investment opportunity 61 The perceptions of local culture 65 Conclusion 69 3. THE FORMATION OF THE CLITHEROE CONSITUENCY 73 Labour politics and north east Lancashire 77 The 1902 by-election 81 Shuttleworth, Shackleton and Snowden: a departure or evolution? 83 Conclusion 89 4. EXPLORING TRADE UNIONISM IN COUNTRY AND URBAN SETTLEMENTS C.1875-1914 91 The desire for standardisation 92 The growth of trade unionism in north east Lancashire 93 The 1911 lockout and the role of the locality 97 The impact of the lockout across localities 100 The character of ‘country’ trade unionism 101 A country culture 104 The country strikes 105 Conclusion 114 5. ‘ORPHANS OF THE STORM’? THE IMPACT OF THE INTERWAR PERIOD ON THE CHARACTER OF NORTH EAST LANCASHIRE 117 The impact of the speculative boom 118 The changing attitudes of operatives 122 The decline of trade unionism and the attitudes of operatives 123 Assessing the impact of the interwar years on communities 126 The reactions of ordinary people 129 The continued decline of trade union strength 132 The different perceptions of settlements 134 Conclusion 136 6. ‘NOT EXPERIMENTING FOR FUN’: EXPLORING EXPRESSIONS OF IDENTITY DURING THE MORE LOOMS DISPUTE 139 Explaining the more looms dispute 140 The solution(s) to a problem? 142 Questions of extremism and challenging trade unionism 146 The frustrations with the AWA and possible alternatives 149 Alternative models: the renaissance of self-help? 151 ‘The breaches of agreements’ and the role of country districts 153 The aftermath of the disputes and the impact upon trade unionism 158 Conclusion 159 7. ‘THE ROMANCE OF COTTON’: THE CHANGING IMAGE OF THE LANCASHIRE COTTON INDUSTRY 162 The introduction of propaganda 163 The past and the future 166 Adding prestige to Lancashire 172 iv The post Second World War campaign 175 The Textile Prosperity Queen 179 Conclusion 182 8. RE-DEFINING A ‘COTTON COMMUNITY’ 185 Local and regional attempts at regeneration 186 Greater political centralisation 192 Becoming a Development Area 195 Regional identity and scheduling 197 Assessing the Development Area’s impact 202 The impact of the decline of cotton 205 Conclusion 206 CONCLUSIONS 209 APPENDIX MATERIAL 216 Figure 27: Local Government designations in Lancashire c.1914 217 Figure 28: The Parish of Whalley 218 Figure 29: The North East Lancashire Development Area 219 Figure 30: Average rainfall in north east Lancashire 220 Figure 31: Parishes and Municipal designations 221 Table 23: Positions of main political figures in north east Lancashire. 222 BIBLIOGRAPHY 225 v Figure 1: The Location of the Subject Area 2 Figure 2: The settlements in north east Lancashire 9 Figure 3: An example of the 'family wage' 11 Figure 4: 'Fashions For The Factory' 22 Figure 5: An attempt to re-define the area 24 Figure 6. Administrative changes between 1868 and 1914 33 Figure 7: Map of Harle Syke c.1911 50 Figure 8: A postcard of an elderly operative 52 Figure 9: Mill manager’s homes, c.1911 57 Figure 10: Percentage of houses being self owned in Harle Syke c.1898 61 Figure 11: The Briercliffe Reading Rooms, c.1900 69 Figure 12: North East Lancashire, 1885 76 Figure 13: 'The Great Sham Manufacturer' 95 Figure 14: Years of Mill Construction in Burnley 102 Figure 15: Main settlements containing at least one unfederated mill 103 Figure 16: Average costs for an operative 130 Figure 17: Cotton Queen Press Book 170 Figure 18: Historical scenes from the Cotton Pageant 170 Figure 19: The crowning of the Cotton Queen 171 Figure 20: Marjorie Knowles laying a wreath in Nelson, 1932 171 Figure 21: The Queen visiting a mill in Nelson 174 Figure 22: An example of a travelling cotton exhibition 176 Figure 23: Perhaps the most famous propaganda poster 178 Figure 24: Muriel Wilcock press photo 182 Figure 25: The factory for Platers & Stampers 191 Figure 26: 'Burnley Means Business' 191 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 1 Weaving employment of males in selected towns, 1901 10 Table 2: Population Figures across the subject area 29 Table 3: Principal interests given by Burnley councillors, c.1930s 36 Table 4: Years of mill construction in Briercliffe 49 Table 5: Years of road construction in Briercliffe 49 Table 6: Population of Briercliffe 1311-1911 48 Table 7: Birth locations of heads of household born outside of Lancashire, 1911 53 Table 8: Concentration of those born outside of Lancashire and living on the same road/ street, 1911 54 Table 9: Frequency of surnames in Briercliffe, 1891, 1901, 1911 55 Table 10: Managers and Salesman of Harle Syke cotton concerns, 1956 56 Table 11: Managers and Salesman of Harle Syke cotton concerns, 1965 56 Table 12: House ownership in Harle Syke c.1910, 63 Table 13: Distribution of voters in Clitheroe's Petty Divisions, 1885. 74 Table 14: Total electorate and election results of the Clitheroe Division 87 Table 15: Membership of the AWA 93 Table 16: World trade in cotton textilles (Millions sq. Yards/000 quintals) 120 Table 17: Decline in British exports of piece goods in linear yards, 1913-1919 121 Table 18: Movement of workers, 1921 122 Table 19: Deaths by infectious diseases in Burnley 127 Table 20 Population changes amongst the weaving districts, 1921-1951 136 Table 21: Mill closure within a year 141 Table 22 Initial employment generated by new plants 192 vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank a number of people for their help and support throughout the process of writing this thesis. My supervisors Dr Stephen Caunce and Dr Máirtín Ó Catháin have offered countless hours of knowledge and advice whilst dealing with (countless) drafts. Any errors, deficiencies or misconceptions are entirely of my own doing. My thanks also to the rest of the staff in the School of Education and Social Sciences at UCLan for the help and guidance I have received over the last few years, especially Dr Billy Frank and Dr Martin O’Brien. I must also express an especial degree of thanks to Lewis Darwen and Alan Hughes, who as well as offering lively discussion, have made the whole experience much more enjoyable than it could have been. To the staff at the archives I have visited, especially the Lancashire Record Office in Preston, and the Burnley Library I express sincere gratitude. Their patience in dealing with requests and helpful suggestions have been greatly appreciated.