The Industrial Revolution

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1027928145

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-159926

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Cunningham, William http://d-nb.info/gnd/128907487

Title:: The Industrial Revolution

Place of publication:: Cambridge

Publisher:: The University Press

Year of publication:: 1922

Scope:: xxii S., S. 404-886

Digitisation:: 2021

Collection:: Economics Books

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352 LAISSEZ FAIRE A-D17%6 and of any required length!” With all its advantages, how- ever, it did not immediately become remunerative to the inventor, but its success was sufficient to arouse the antagonism of the hand wool-combers; especially as a machine on a some- what different principle was invented in 1793% by William Toplis® of Mansfield. As nearly fifty thousand men were employed in this trade in different places, the excitement became considerable in many parts of the kingdom, and when a Bill was brought into the House of Commons for suppressing the machine, upwards of forty petitions were presented in its favour. But the eighteenth century legis- lators favoured a policy of non-interference. The Bill was thrown out, and the only relief which was given to the wool- combers was that of relaxing 5 Elizabeth c. 4 in their favour, and allowing them to apply themselves to any trade in any part of the kingdom® without new apprenticeship. One reason, which undoubtedly weighed with the Commons, was the allegation that the wool-combers were wastrels, who would not work more than half their time. Greater security against frauds by the workmen®, and an increased prospect of 1 Burnley, Wool and Wool-combing, 115, quoting Cartwright, 129. 3 There were similar inventions by Popple, 1792 (Bischoff, 1. 316), and by Wright and Hawksley. Burnley, op. cit. 136. 3 He had a power mill for spinning wool at work in 1788, and advertised for woolcombers at 3s. and 3s. 6d. a day to prepare material. Annalsof 4 gricture, x.281. 4 A considerable amount of organisation existed among the wool-combers before these events gave it fresh importance. They had Clubs—the nature of which was thus explained. It is a Contribution levied upon every ‘Woolcomber (who is willing to be Member of any Club) according to the Exigencies of their affairs. “The one End of it is to enable the Woolcomber to travel from Place to Place to seek for employment, when Work is scarce where he resides; and the other End is to have Relief when he is sick, wherever he may be; and if he should die to be buried by the Club; and it is necessary for him, to enable himself to be relieved by these Clubs, to have a Certificate from the Club to which he belongs, that he has behaved well, in and to the Woolcombing Trade, and that he is an honest Man: but if he defrauds any body, be loses his claim to that Certificate, and to the Advantages belonging to it.” Commons Journals, XLIX. 824. § Bischoff, 1. 316. As a matter of fact the machine only managed to compete in certain classes of work; the real contest between hand and machine combing vas delayed till some time after the great strike in 1825. 6 Mr Edward Sheppard said that “in some Instances but not generally the Clothier gladiy gives up the Trouble of Superintendence and the Expences of srecting Buildings when he can get the Work done well otherwise; the principal Motive of those Clothiers who have weaving at Home is to guard themselves from these Fmbezzlements. but he believes they have offered a Reward to those whe roused great antagonism among the wool- combers.

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