Richard Arkwright

Sir Richard Arkwright ( born December 23, 1732 in Preston, Lancashire; † August 3, 1792 in Cromford ) was a wealthy textile industrialist and inventor who owned numerous patents in the field of spinning. He is considered the founder of the large textile industry.

Life

Richard Arkwright was the youngest of 13 children of a tailor. He first worked as a barber and wig maker in Bolton.

In March 1767, he met the watchmaker John Kay know (not to be confused with the inventor of the Quick Shot loom ) and developed together with it a spinning machine with automatic yarn feeder, the water frame, which he entered in 1769 as a patent. Given the immense demand for yarn in the cotton industry ( with its center in Manchester and Lancashire ), which could be satisfied by the traditional work at home any longer, he decided (after the model of the Lombe brothers ) to build a factory. He only lacked capital. In Nottingham, so he went into a partnership with the stocking makers Jedediah Strutt ( had a knitting ) a, who was impressed by the skills of Arkwright's spinning machine.

In 1771, two years after the invention of the water frame spinning machine, Richard Arkwright was able with the help of the shareholders ( Jedediah Strutt, Samuel Need and various bankers ) build a large mill in Cromford to Derby. It is driven by water wheels. In addition, he also had homes for the Weber, a school and a church built, thus establishing an industrial community at the expense of the traditional social structure ( that is, the small craftsmen and workers were undercut in price, had to give up their independence and wage workers in the factories ). The demand for yarn was so great that he was able to establish in 1776 a second mill at Cromford. The second factory was forty feet long and seven stories high. More factories Quick were added in Manchester, Lancashire, Staffordshire and Scotland, with the factory in Chorley ( Lancashire ) was in 1779 destroyed by Luddites.

In violation of its patent rights then arose early 1780s rival spinners 1781 he sued because of nine companies. All factories had more or less poor working conditions: mostly child labor from 5-6 years, 12 to 16 hours working day, unhealthy air due to the cotton fluffs, dangerous machines.

1786 Arkwright was knighted and was allowed henceforth call " Sir ". He built a mansion that was to be finished until after his death and bequeathed to his descendants, including his son, Richard Arkwright junior (1755-1843) the then enormous sum of 500,000 pounds. Richard Arkwright Junior continued the business activities of his father as successful.

1790 Arkwright 's spinning machine operation in Nottingham with steam power.

Patents and Inventions

Arkwright did not invent his machine alone. The water frame he invented together with John Kay. In other inventions also his employee Coniah Wood worked with or was even the original author. The problems of authorship between Thomas Highs, James Hargreaves, John Kay and then led him into the legal dispute from 1785 to the fact that his patents expired final.

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