John Horrocks (cotton manufacturer)
Encyclopedia
John Horrocks was a British
cotton
manufacturer and Member of Parliament
.
was then in its infancy, but Horrocks was greatly impressed with its future possibilities, and he managed to obtain a few spinning-frames which he erected in a corner of his father's offices. For a time he combined cotton-spinning on a very small scale with stone-working, but finally devoted himself entirely to cotton-spinning, working the frames with his own hands, and travelling through the Lancashire manufacturing districts to sell the yarn.
His goods obtained a reputation for quality, and his customers increased so rapidly that about 1791 he moved to Preston, where he began to manufacture cotton shirtings and long-cloths in addition to spinning the cotton yarn. He took full advantage of the machinery invented for manufacturing textiles. By rigidly maintaining the quality of his goods and rapidly developed his business. He was aided by a local banker, who became a partner. Within a year of his arrival in Preston he built his first large mill. Shortly after he obtained a monopoly of the manufacture of cottons and muslin
s for the India
n market from the British East India Company
. Demand for Horrocks's goods continued to increase, and to cope with the additional work he took first an elder brother and in 1801 a Mr Whitehead and a Mr Miller into partnership, the title of the firm being altered to Horrockses, Miller, & Co.
In 1794, Horrocks was chosen as a burgess and served as Town Bailiff in 1794-5. He was elected as a council member in 1796 and became an Alderman
in 1799. In 1802, he entered parliament as Tory
member for Preston
, having stood unsuccessfully in 1796. He died of brain fever
reportedly resulting from over-work. During his 13 years in Preston he amassed a personal fortune of at least £150,000, and set the foundations for a mill owning dynasty that dominated Preston into the early twentieth century.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
manufacturer and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
Early life
He was the youngest of two surviving sons in a family of eighteen children. His father, a Quaker, was a relatively prosperous manufacturer of high-quality stone printing tables for textiles in Edgworth.Career
David Hunt in his 1992 History of Preston reports that many details of his early life are confused. The Lancashire cotton industryTextile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution changed the nature of work and society. Opinion varies as to the exact date, but it is estimated that the First Industrial Revolution took place between 1750 and 1850, and the second phase or Second Industrial Revolution between 1860 and 1900. The three key drivers in...
was then in its infancy, but Horrocks was greatly impressed with its future possibilities, and he managed to obtain a few spinning-frames which he erected in a corner of his father's offices. For a time he combined cotton-spinning on a very small scale with stone-working, but finally devoted himself entirely to cotton-spinning, working the frames with his own hands, and travelling through the Lancashire manufacturing districts to sell the yarn.
His goods obtained a reputation for quality, and his customers increased so rapidly that about 1791 he moved to Preston, where he began to manufacture cotton shirtings and long-cloths in addition to spinning the cotton yarn. He took full advantage of the machinery invented for manufacturing textiles. By rigidly maintaining the quality of his goods and rapidly developed his business. He was aided by a local banker, who became a partner. Within a year of his arrival in Preston he built his first large mill. Shortly after he obtained a monopoly of the manufacture of cottons and muslin
Muslin
Muslin |sewing patterns]], such as for clothing, curtains, or upholstery. Because air moves easily through muslin, muslin clothing is suitable for hot, dry climates.- Etymology and history :...
s for the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n market from the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. Demand for Horrocks's goods continued to increase, and to cope with the additional work he took first an elder brother and in 1801 a Mr Whitehead and a Mr Miller into partnership, the title of the firm being altered to Horrockses, Miller, & Co.
In 1794, Horrocks was chosen as a burgess and served as Town Bailiff in 1794-5. He was elected as a council member in 1796 and became an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in 1799. In 1802, he entered parliament as Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
member for Preston
Preston (UK Parliament constituency)
Preston is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, having stood unsuccessfully in 1796. He died of brain fever
Brain fever
Brain fever describes a medical condition where a part of the brain becomes inflamed and causes symptoms that present as fever. The terminology is dated, and is encountered most often in Victorian literature...
reportedly resulting from over-work. During his 13 years in Preston he amassed a personal fortune of at least £150,000, and set the foundations for a mill owning dynasty that dominated Preston into the early twentieth century.