Oldham Historical Research Group

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

Historical Sketches of Oldham by Edwin Butterworth

power. On the 24th of August, the operatives at Abion mill, Radcliffe street, having resumed their employment, a large crowd attempted to prevent the hands continuing at work, and a contest betwixt the populace and the police was the consequence, in which the former succeeded in their object for a time. The turnouts subsequently visited Greenbank mill, to prevent the hands continuing at work; but here they were driven away by the operatives, who had resumed their labour. A similar unsuccessful attempt was made to stop the hands of Hartford iron works the same day. In a few hours, a body of horse soldiery reached the town, and the riot act being read, order was restored. In the course of the evening, several parties connected with the movement were apprehended and committed for trial at the assizes and sessions. On the 26th of August, the greater part of the turnouts resumed their employment, at the same rate of wages as they received previous to the strike, the entire affair being productive of a great diminution in the amount of production, as well as a serious pecuniary loss to both the employers and employed. A number of individuals suffered various terms of imprisonment for the part they took in this most singular commotion.

The most seriouly fatal disaster ever known to have occurred at Oldham, took place on Thursday afternoon, October 31st, 1844, at the cotton mill of Messrs. Radcliffe, brothers, Lower house, Greenacres moor. At half-past three o'clock in the afternoon of the above day, a cast iron beam, supporting an arch in the sixth story of a new portion of the mill then just on the point of entire completion, accidentally gave way, and the ponderous materials in their descent, burst through the corresponding compartment in each floor, from the top to the bottom of that part of the factory, by which fatal disaster, twenty persons were killed, and seven individuals maimed and otherwise injured. The persons who were unfortunately deprived of life by this

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