Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
The Industrial Revolution in Great Britain
Ottiwells Mill, Marsden (near Huddersfield)
1812

FILE0068 Ottiwells Mill Marsden 1812

Protests against the displacement of laborers caused by the spinning machinery at Richard Arkwright's mill took place. Similarly, the Luddites (followers of "King Lud", or "General Ludd) opposed the use of machinery, specifically the use of jenny spinning frames. "General Ludd (Ned Ludd) followers (the "Army of Redressers") were from cloth manufacturing towns of Lancashire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Cheshire. They were the stockingers or framework knitters, and the shearsmen or croppers. These organized bands broke spinning jennies because specialized, more highly-paid laborers were replaced by low-skilled and low-paid laborers, unapprenticed workers. One such riot took place at Ottiwell's Mill in 1812 (located very near Huddersfield, between Manchester and Yorkshire). As a consequence, the "Frame Breaking Act" of 1812 was specifically designed by the government of Spencer Perceval to stop these violent labour protests. Violation of the "Frame Breaking Act" was made a capital crime. The government had to station 12,000 troops in the North of England to suppress the Luddites, several Luddites being executed, several transported.

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