History of the cotton manufacture in Great Britain: with a notice of its early history in the East, and in all the quarters of the globe ... and a view of the present state of the manufacture / By Edward Baines, jun.

  • Baines, Edward, Sir, 1800-1890.
Date:
[1835]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History of the cotton manufacture in Great Britain: with a notice of its early history in the East, and in all the quarters of the globe ... and a view of the present state of the manufacture / By Edward Baines, jun. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    112/606 (page 92)
    nature of the manufactures of Manchester at this period, is contained in the statute of 33 Henry VIII. c. xv. for removing the privilege of sanctuary; from which it appears that the inhabitants carried on a considerable manufacture both of linens and woollens, by which they were acquiring wealth; that many strangers from other parts of England, and from Ireland, resorted thither with linen yarn and wool, to have them made into cloth ; and that a system of credit was established : on all which accounts it was found desirable to transfer the mis- chievous privilege of “ sanctuary,” which was a power- ful attraction for thieves, from Manchester to a place where there was less property to be stolen. This act mentions so many particulars concerning the trade of Manchester at that time, that the introductory part ought not to be omitted :— Whereas, the saide towne of Manchester is and hath of long tyrne been a towne well inhabited, and the kinges subiectes inhabit- auntes of the same towne are well set a worke in makings of clothes, as well of lynnen as of woollen, whereby the inhabitauntes of the saide towne haue obteyned gotten and come vnto riches and welthy lyuings, and haue kepte and set manye artificers and poore folkes to worke within the said towne, and by reason of the great occupienge good order strayte and true dealing of the inhabitantes of the said towne, many strangers, as wel of Ireland as of other places within this realme, haue resorted to the saide towne with lynnen yarne, woolles, and other necessary wares for makinge of clothes, to be solde there, and haue vsed to credit & truste the poore inhabitantes of the same towne, which were not able and had not redy money to paye in hande for the saide yarnes wolles and wares vnto such time the saide creclites with their industry labour and peynes myght make clothes of the said wolles yarns and other necessary wares, and solde the same, to contente and paye their creditours, wherein hath consisted much of the common welth of the said towne, and many poore folkes had lyuynge, and children and seruants there vertuously brought up in honest and