Some contemporary views of Arkwright
“Arkwright by his conduct (behaviour) appears to be a man of great understanding
and to know the way of making his people do their best. He gives two Balls at the
‘Greyhound’ to the workmen and their families with a week’s jubilee at the time of
each Ball. This makes them industrious and sober all the rest of the year.”
(Sylas Neville, 1781)
“He has been productive of greater commercial advantages to this country, and
contributed more to the general benefit of mankind in so short a period of time than
any other single effort of human ingenuity.”
(Derby Mercury, reporting on Arkwright’s death, 1792)
“The landlord has under his care a grand assortment of prizes, from Sir Richard
Arkwright, to be given at the year’s end, to such bakers, butchers etc, who shall have
best furnished the market. They bespeak Sir Richard’s prudence and cunning; for
without ready provisions his colony could not prosper.”
(Viscount Torrington, 1790)
“Having gratuitous (free) medical assistance, they apply for it at the very
commencement of their diseases, and receiving half pay through the illness, as well as
food and wine et al from Messrs. Arkwright as their medical attendance may think
necessary, their cases are more manageable and the recoveries more rapid.”
(Thomas Poyser, Surgeon of Wirksworth, date unknown but from this time)
“That he might not waste a moment Arkwright generally travelled with four horses,
and at a very rapid speed.
His businesses in Derbyshire, Lancashire and Scotland were so extensive and
numerous as to show at once his astonishing power of doing business and his all
grasping spirit.
So unbounded was his confidence in the success of his machinery, and in the national
wealth to be produced by it, that he would say he would pay off the government’s
debt.”
(Edward Baines, “History of Cotton Manufacture in Great Britain” published 1835)
“In the evening I walked to Cromford and saw the children coming from their work
… I was glad to see them look in general very healthy, many with fine, rosy
complexions.
These children have been at work from six or seven o’clock this morning and it was
now near seven in the evening. The time for resting allowed them is twelve o’ clock
40 minutes during which time they dine.
One boy of ten or eleven years of age told me his wages were 3s 6d a week – and a
little girl told me her wages were 2s 3d a week …
These children are employed in Mr Arkwright’s works in the weekdays, and on
Sundays attend a school where they receive education. They came to chapel in regular
order and looked healthy and well and were decently clothed and clean …”
(Joseph Farrington, a painter, extracts from his diary, 1801)