Quarry Bank Mill and Industrial Revolution

Study Notes

Foreign workers in the early 19th century worked in cotton mills for over 70-80 hours a week.
Wealthy mill owners aimed to maximize profits by improving the lives of their employees and managing their finances effectively.
Quarry Bank in Cheshire, built by industrialist Samuel Greg in the 1780s, showcased varying experiences during the Industrial Revolution based on wealth and social status.
Child laborers at Quarry Bank lived in an accommodation block as indentured apprentices, bound to serve until the end of their contracts.
Children underwent health checks and physical tests upon arrival at the mill, such as determining age by reaching earlobes over the head.
Living conditions for child laborers included shared bedrooms with two children per bed, limited sleep due to long working hours, and no indoor toilets at night.
Meals for child laborers consisted of basic, staple foods like porridge and vegetables grown in the mill's gardens.
Leeches were used to alleviate eye irritation caused by cotton fiber in the air from spinning machines.
Education for child laborers was minimal, with boys receiving one hour of basic reading, writing, and math lessons per week while girls were not taught math.
Apprentices signed indentures binding them to the mill for around 10 years, with consequences such as fines for attempting to run away.
The Greg family at Quarry Bank House, despite their wealth from cotton exports, lived close to the mill, with Samuel Greg being among the prominent northern cotton industry figures.- Hannah and Samuel Greg met at a social dance in Manchester with a significant age gap, and Hannah had a dowry of £10,000 due to her father's passing when she was young.
Samuel Greg was adopted by an uncle in Belfast, also had a dowry, and pursued Hannah despite her initial lack of interest.
The couple had 13 children and lived in Quarry Bank House, where they entertained both family members and business associates in the dining room set up for Georgian meals.
They also owned a slavery plantation which caused tension with Hannah, who focused on providing the best education for their children, fostering discussions through the Dudesimo Society.
The Gregs became wealthy from child labor but took steps to improve workers' welfare, developing a factory colony near Quarry Bank Mill called Styal Village.
Styal Village provided decent accommodation for workers, contrasting the poor conditions in cities like Manchester where diseases like typhus and cholera were rampant due to overcrowding.
Norcliffe Chapel, built by the Gregs, was used by Baptists and Unitarians, reflecting religious diversity during a time of change in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The cottages in Styal were considered comfortable for the time period, housing around seven people each, offering better living conditions compared to cramped city slums.
The village had around 300 tenants employed by the Gregs, with various occupations recorded, including farmers, bookkeepers, and shoemakers.
Life in Styal included deductions from workers' salaries for rent and purchases, access to personal privies reducing the spread of diseases, and shared spaces like cellars being utilized for different purposes over time.
The Gregs' estate at Quarry Bank had 400 acres of woodland and countryside, featuring ornamental bridges, gorges, caves, cliffs, and diverse trees, eventually donated to the National Trust.
Quarry Bank Mill operated until 1959 amid changes in the working class due to the Industrial Revolution, facing opposition from workers like Luddite Weavers and Chartists advocating for better working conditions.

Description

Test your knowledge on Quarry Bank Mill, industrialist Samuel Greg, child labor during the Industrial Revolution, living conditions of workers, and efforts to improve welfare. Learn about the Greg family's impact, Styal Village, and the legacy of Quarry Bank Mill.