1826

I was looking through some second hand books which I bought last month, this book opened on a particular page which I thought was relevant. We are going back to the time of Joseph Cooper. In 1826 he was about 17. In 1831 when he married he was a weaver but in the census he was a labourer. (Note for Sheila -Christopher Steele was born in 1811 in Salford but by 1841 was living in Blackburn so he was living through this too).

The book is "The Skilled Labourer 1760 - 1832" by J.L. Hammond and Barbara Hammond published in 1919.
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The Destruction of Power-Looms in 1826

The year 1826 was a year of unprecedented financial panic and disorder with an epidemic of bankruptcies. The weavers suffered acutely in the general distress, and by this time they were very sensible of the competition of the power-loom. In the misery of starvation the populace in April vented its anger on the new machinery, destroying in three days over one thousand power-looms, and doing more than £16,000 worth of damage in the districts round Blackburn and Bury. How far the attack was arranged beforehand is doubtful ; Mr. Fletcher's informant 'Alpha' sent him news of meetings where delegates discussed the repeal of the Corn Laws, the destruction of public granaries, the destruction of power-looms, and the destruction of yarn packed for export : it was further recommended at one of these meetings 'that those who had relatives serving in the Army should sound their Inclination, as to injuring the People, in case of any Tumult.'

The actual outburst seems to have been unexpected, for the poor appeared to be bearing the prospects of starvation with laudable equanimity. '....It is certainly very different now (for the better), ' wrote Major Eckersley from Manchester, 'from 1819 and 1820, when Politics were mixed up with the distresses of the People.' The increase in Poor Rates, he mentions, is 50 per cent., and in addition some thousand pounds a week were distributed in voluntary contributions. At Blackburn, 14 thousand persons out of a population of 26 thousand were kept from sheer starvation by provisions bought out of public subscriptions, but from the inadequacy of the relief grave fears of dysentery were entertained. 'The demeanour of the afflicted poor,' wrote the Vicar of Blackburn in an appeal published in the Blackburn Mail, April 5, 'at this time of unparalleled distress has been such as to recommend them effectually to our respectful consideration, and continued bounty. With very few exceptions none of them have transgressed the bounds of propriety, or shewn a spirit of insubordination to the laws of their country. To their praise be it spoken, there have been no symptom of discontent, disaffection, or sedition....They have trusted in Providence ; and God's servants will not desert them.' Their trust in Providence gave way before the end of the month and, as we shall see, they transgressed the bounds of propriety in a serious fashion.

On Monday, April 24, a mob met at Henfield at the crossroads to Blackburn, Burnley, Whalley, and Haslingden. They first destroyed the power-looms at the different factories round Accrington and then went on to Blackburn. By the evening not a single power-loom was left standing within six miles of Blackburn. In conflicts with small bodies of soldiers sent to protect the mills two or three men were killed and several seriously wounded.

On Tuesday little was done beyond an attack on some powerlooms at Haslingden. On Wednesday, April 26, the work of destruction spread along the banks of the Irwell down to Bury. At Rawthenstall, Long Holme, Edenfield, Chadderton, Summerseat, mills were entered and power-looms destroyed. At Chadderton in an affray with the soldiers seven rioters were killed and many wounded. With the destruction of Mr. Hutchinson's factory in Bury the activities of the rioters in this part ceased. The excitement, however, had spread to Manchester, and on Thursday, April 27, a mob, after attacking several power-loom factories which were successfully defended, managed to set fire to Mr. Beaver's factory in Jersey Street and refused to allow the firemen to extinguish the fire. On Friday Manchester was the scene of a carnival of disorder in which shops were sacked 'and the number of street robberies committed was such, as, in broad day, and in the centre of a great town, was never before heard of.' It was not surprising that Sir John Byng wrote to say that the alarm among the owners of factories was greater than any he had ever known ; arms were distributed to them for self-defence, and an attack on Messrs. Johnson and Brooke's factory in Manchester on May 3 was successfully repelled.

Things quieted down, mot because trade improved - on July 9 Sir J. Byng reported that the two last Tuesdays had been the worst markets since the Exchange was built - but because the appetite for disorder in an English crowd is soon sated. The punishments appointed by law for the offences committed in April were inflicted at the August Assizes at Lancaster. Compared with the punishments inflicted on the Luddites they were mild. 66 persons were charged with offences varying from rioting to the destruction of machinery. 10 persons received the death sentence but none were executed, all being transported for life instead. 33 others were imprisoned for terms varying from 3 to 18 months.

The cotton weavers never recovered. Those who wish to follow the melancholy history of the evening of their trade can find the conditions described in the Poor Law Commission Report of 1834, where it is pointed out that whereas under the Speenhamland system of parish allowances the agricultural labourer, knowing existence at any rate assured, fails to exert himself, the weaver whose parish relief is calculated on what he could earn by piece-work, if industrious, is stimulated beyond his powers, and hence is noted for his 'lean and hungry look.' In the Reports of the Select Committee on the Handloom Weavers' Petitions in 1834 and 1835 can be read the account of their last dying efforts, aided by Fielden, to obtain from Parliament a minimum wage. Their miserable plight in 1840 is described by the Commission on Hand-loom Weavers.