Oldham Historical Research Group

Scan and page transcript from:
Historical Sketches of Oldham by Edwin Butterworth
Pub. 1856
Page 101

Historical Sketches of Oldham by Edwin Butterworth

Royton; Richard Wallwork, Royton; Travis, Hey side; Cocker, Birch, Shaw; Smith, Shaw side; James Wild, Beal hey ; James Milne, Rush croft; Charles Howard, Rush croft ; James Kershaw, Crornpton fold.

Four of the Crompton clothiers manufactured white cloths; and one family of the Royton clothiers, the Travises, of Hey side, manufactured coloured cloths. The remainder were chiefly makers and dealers
in friezes.

During the early part of the last century, the cotton-linen fustian manufacture was slowly making progress, but as compared with the present extent of the cotton trade, it was in a mere infant state. There were, however, a number of master manufacturers, as well as many weavers who worked for manufacturers, and at the same time were holders of land or farmers. The number of fustian weavers who were cottagers working for manufacturers, without holding land, were few ; but there were a considerable number of weavers who worked on their own account, and held at the same time small pieces of land.

The principal resident cotton-linen manufacturers who carried on business here during the first half of the last century, were Benjamin Dawson, Oldham; James W'ylde, Joshua Winterbottom, Greenacres moor; John Lees, Mumps; Richard Waring, Waterhead mill ; . Mark Neild, Bent; George Hall, Priest hill; John Lees, Acre; James Lees, Glodwick; James Walker, Broadway lane ; John Hilton, Hathershaw; and Samuel Smethurst, Bent. Great numbers of weavers were then employed, however, by Manchester traders, to whom they conveyed their pieces of fustian and other cotton goods on market days. Each weaver procured yarn or cotton as he could, which subjected the business to great inconvenience. The warp threads of the cloth were linen-yarn, imported in the hank

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