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Jan 2025
 
David Scott – The Weavers’ Uprising 1826.
Tue 14 th Jan 2025

The Weaver Uprising was one of the first collective actions in England. It came at a time of extreme poverty and economic depression. The handloom weavers had enjoyed a good living before the factory system and introduction of the powerloom.
in 1792 a yard of cloth earned a man three shillings. In 1826 the same work brought a mere 3 ˝ p. Meanwhile, the price of foodstuffs had climbed drastically. In addition came the stock market crash of 1825. People were starving and something had to be done.

David Scott.

David Scott.
 
The Weaver Uprising was one of the first collective actions in England. It came at a time of extreme poverty and economic depression. The handloom weavers had enjoyed a good living before the factory system and introduction of the powerloom.
in 1792 a yard of cloth earned a man three shillings. In 1826 the same work brought a mere 3 ˝ p. Meanwhile, the price of foodstuffs had climbed drastically. In addition came the stock market crash of 1825. People were starving and something had to be done.

Chorley uprising Thu 27 April 1826
from Jim Heyes - History of Chorley.
On Monday April 24th 1826 a crowd of around 1,000 gathered on Whinney Hill, near Accrington. They split into two groups, one marching to Sykes Higher Grange Mill, where they smashed 60 looms, the other making for Oswaldtwistle where two mills were attacked and a total of 154 looms destroyed.
On day 2 they marched on Darwen smashing looms. On day 3 they moved to Haslingden.
On day 3, Wed 26th Apr 1826, the crowd had swelled to over 3,000 when they arrived at Chatterton Mill by the River Irwell near Ramsbottom. The local Magistrate read the Riot Act and the British Soldiers fired on the crowd killing at least 6 people, even an innocent bystander. The inquest on the deaths was held in private, probably a cover up.

Water Street Mill 1848. 

National Tyre and Autocare showrooms.
On day 4, Thu 27 April 1826 the crowd marched along the edge of the moors to Chorley and Water Street Mill. This was seven years after Peterloo and the magistrate who read the Riot Act in Chorley, was John Silvester, of Chorcliffe House, who had also read the Riot Act at Peterloo. Manchester. The constables were unable to prevent the mill being entered but when names of rioters were taken they gave false names.
The end result was little change for the weavers. The mill-owners did very well as a result of the riots. Compensation (levied on the rates) enabled them to re-stock their mills with new machinery, and as the money came from public funds the weavers continued to starve.
Water Street Mill is clearly shown on the 1848 map but by 1890 all that is shown on the map is the chimney for the Phoenix Foundry. Even the adjacent Foundry had gone. The site is now the National Tyre and Autocare showrooms.

Site of the Water Street Mill today
National Tyre and Autocare showrooms.

God help the poor, who in lone vallies dwell,
Or by far hills, where whin and heather grow!
Theirs is a story sad indeed to tell;
Yet little cares the world, nor seeks to know
The toil and want poor weavers undergo.
The irksome loom must have them up at morn;
They work till worn-out nature will have sleep;
They taste, but are not fed. Cold snow drifts deep.

Samuel Bamford (1788-1872)
BH.
..
 
 
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