CRICH PARISH

which consists of the villages of Crich, Fritchley and Whatstandwell

Magna Britannia: volume 5: Derbyshire
Daniel and Samuel Lysons
1817

Cotton & Linen Manufacture

Transcribed by Peter Patilla

The manufacture of cotton, except what was used in making stockings, does not appear to have been introduced into Derbyshire before the year 1771, when Sir Richard Arkwright established one of the first cotton-mills on the improved principles at Cromford. In 1773, those two eminent benefactors to their country, whose industry and talents contributed so largely to the extension of its manufactures, the late Mr. Jedidiah Strutt and Sir Richard Arkwright, in conjunction with Mr. Samuel Need, made at Derby the first successful attempt, to establish the manufacture of calicoes in this kingdom. This county, therefore, as having been the cradle of some of the most important branches of the cotton manufacture, stands in the highest rank in point of interest, and may be reckoned almost the first with respect to the extent of its concerns. In 1787, the number of cotton-mills in England, Wales, and Scotland, are said to have been 143; in England only, 119: of these, 41 were in Lancashire, and 22 in Derbyshire. (fn. 34) The number of cotton-mills in Derbyshire alone are now 112, of which one half are in the parish of Glossop; there are several others in the Peak, (at Castleton, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Tideswell, &c.) There are cotton-mills also at Matlock, Crich, Pleasley, Sawley, Measham, &c. (fn. 35)

The linen manufacture is not of great extent in Derbyshire. Flax spinning is carried on, and there are linen-yarn mills in the parishes of Ashover, Matlock, Glossop, Brampton, and Crich; linen weaving in Ashover, Brampton, Belper, Turndich, &c.; tape weaving and cambric weaving in Glossop, and lace weaving in Derby and Melbourne.

Footnotes:
(34) Rees's Cyclopaedia.
(35) They are all enumerated in Farcy's third volume.

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