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During the early years of the 19th century the Industrial Revolution mushroomed and by 1832 the factory spindleage of the United Kingdom was 9 million; while the whole of Europe's factory spindleage count was only 2.8 million. Britain led the world in the number of spindles working in factories, easily outstripping their nearest rivals. By 1860 the UK's spindleage count was 30 million to Europe's 10 million; and by 1895 this had risen to 45.4 million to Europe's 28.2 million and the USA's 16.1 million. The UK cotton industry reached the zenith of its production and trading around the middle of the 19th century; and again briefly in 1912. By 1850 Britain had a 98.92% share of the main world markets for volume of cotton piece goods exports and a 98.66% share of the value cotton manufactures exports (The English Cotton Industry and the World Market 1815-1896. Farnie.D.A. 1979). In 1851 a triumphal exhibition of 13,000 exhibits from all over the world was staged at the Crystal Palace, a fairytale building with a million feet of glass supported on an iron frame, to demonstrate Britain's industrial and economic superiority and the 6,200,000 visitors came from far and wide. Britain was trading with almost every continent on earth (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America). Cunard had begun a transatlantic steamship service in 1840; and many cotton manufacturers, like Leeches of Stalybridge, aware of the need for fast and efficient transport of goods, were having their own cargo ships built. Unfortunately, the old adage of 'what goes up must come down' came true for the UK cotton industry. 1860 was a year of over production and unsold stocks. In 1861 the American Civil War began and raged for four years, decimating supplies of raw cotton and causing the 'Cotton Famine'. Manufacturing and trade suffered badly. 'Lancashire's pride became Lancashire's humiliation.' Although the situation improved in 1865 when the War ended, it was followed by a depression in the cotton trade which lasted from 1873-1896. The depression was partly caused by the after effects of the Cotton Famine; partly by over production due to too many cotton entrepreneurs 'jumping on the band wagon'; partly by increased competition; and partly to the complacency of the textile machine manufacturers who had sold their wares indiscriminately to competitors and then failed to keep up with technological developments. From 1897-1914 the UK cotton industry enjoyed a brief 'Indian Summer'. In 1912 the UK produced 8,000,000,000 (8 billion) yards of cloth, most of which was exported. However, during the chaos and destruction caused by the Great War (1914-1918) and, later, World War II (1939-1945) all the cotton manufacturers could think about was trying to keep prices up; even of the 'grey wartime utility cloth' (c1941-1945). They failed to spot the signs and implications of healthily increasing competition with the resulting decline in home trade; or the significance of the development of artificial fibres from which cheaper fabrics could be made. Despite cotton trade promotions by the Cotton Queens of the 1930s and the Cotton Board in the 1940s and 1950s, the UK cotton industry finally became just a part of history. GG View the UK collection to find out more > |
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