Historic Book

Extract from “William Hall’s vindication of the Chorley spinners” by William Hall (of Chorley)

Published in 1825

Page 19

“Yet : far be it from me to say that , in their
eagerness to get rid of me , whom they have by name , both in public
journals and secret circulars , denounced and stigmatised , either Har
rison or Lightoller way – laid me with intent to assassinate , or that they
suborned any one to send a bullet through my head ; but , after Harrison
and Lightoller had sent four poor men to prison whose constancy they
could not subdue , I was shot at , as I was going home late at night , in the
vicinity of Chorley, and the bullet cut off a part of the top of my hat .

I repeat , I do not accuse those persons of this attempt on my life , but
I cannot help imputing it to the animosity excited by those masters
who turned the spinners out of their factories ? This turn out by
the masters , of the spinners , caused many persons to suffer bitter dis
tress , and Harrison and Lightoller , affecting to commiserate the wretch
edness they had created or aggravated , artfully laid the whole of the
blame upon the spinners , and of the 36 whom they cast off , they singled
me out as the peculiar object of their hatred .

Perhaps some misguid
ed person , unjustly incensed against me , and cursing me as the author
of his misery , might cherish an enmity so dire as to make this diaboli
cal attempt to murder me ? From whatever quarter the bullet came ,
such acts ought to deter every master from risking the public tranquil
lity by wanton oppression .

Why I did not take any public steps is
known to very responsible characters at Chorley and Preston . Since
that period , a spinner , at Preston , has been committed to Lancaster
Castle , to take his trial at the next assizes , charged with an attempt to
murder . Of the innocence or guilt of the party , I have no comment
to make , but , most certainly , transactions like these are blots on the
national character .

Yet , every day’s experience shows that the most
stern and callous masters labour incessantly to create dissension be
tween one trade and another ; per example , betwixt the cotton spin
ners and the weavers , and , with equal earnestness , between one part of
the same trade and another , with the design the easier to reduce the
wages of the whole .

Page 30

“It was stated to the magistrates by Mr. Lightoller , that every person in their
employ had half an hour to breakfast , and an hour at dinner ; and it was their own
fault if they remained in the mills , as the engine stopped the whole of that time .
It was the practice in this , as well as other mills in the country , to allow the hands
to have their meals sent into the works by their friends ; many of whom prefer
that mode rather than aflow their children to come home , and particularly at this
season of the year , when many of them are without shoes or stockings , and in
other respects but indifferently clothed . “”

With regard to the time of working , the hours were the same as at other mills
72 hours per week ‘ ; and in order that the hands might leave earlier on the Satur
day , and attend to their domestic duties , they worked half an hour longer on
the other days , and for this they have been singled out to be fined , to gratify
feelings and passions not creditable to gentlemen in the commission of the peace .”