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Along with Preston, Blackburn was North Lancashire's centre of cotton production. At the height of the cotton industry, the town's 120,000 inhabitants work to maintain the output of 1.2 million spindles and around 75,000 looms, producing almost every type of cotton known. Nearby Darwen and Accrington also played their part in the cotton industry. DARWEN Darwen is named after the river, which runs through the valley from the south. Darwen is famous for both its paper and cotton industries, the later of which maintained employed some 400,000 spindles and around 27,000 looms by the end of the 19th century. Darwen became a Borough in 1877, which remained in place until 1974 when the town was incorporated into the Borough of Blackburn. By the time the cotton industry had reached its peak around 1911-13, Darwen's population stood at over 40,000 and numerous cotton mills had been constructed. Modern Darwen is now home to around 33,000 people and in 1998 became part of Blackburn with Darwen Unitary Authority. ACCRINGTON Accrington in 1801 was a growing village with a population of 3,000; by 1911 it was an industrial town of 45,000. In the 17th and 18th centuries the staple industry was the spinning and hand loom weaving of woollen cloth. Factories were built from 1760, Broad Oak Printworks was established in 1792. The coal industry developed in the 19th century when it occupied a key position in the economy of the area. The marriage of coal and the factory system gave birth to modern Accrington. James Hargreaves of Stanhill, invented the "Spinning Jenny" in 1767 and in 1772 John Hacking of Huncoat invented the first carding machine. Accrington concentrated on the production of coarse cloth, such as "dhooties" and the majority of it was exported. By 1911 the cotton industry reached its peak with 14,000 looms and 166,000 spindles in operation. 18,000 mill hands, weavers and finishers were employed. The textile engineering industry developed alongside the cotton industry. Howard and Bullough were established and manufactured looms, printing machinery and the "Rabbeth" spindle. They were major employers in the town, employing 3,500 people by 1902. In 1942 a team of research scientists at Broad Oak invented "Terylene"; heralding the age of man-made fibres. NR View the collection to find out more > |
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