[1] He left school at the age of 8 and went to work in the cotton industry, along with two of his brothers, at George Nadin & Nephews and soon rose to become manager on account of his diligence and growing shrewdness in business.

[1] She died in 1836 having borne him eight children; Elkanah, Benjamin, Samuel, Joseph, John, Rebecca, Jane Ann and Mary Bowers.

The business was so successful that he was able to build a new factory at Pendleton, Salford and eventually employed 200 people making sailcloth, ginghams and checks.

[8][9] In 1857, Armitage stood for Parliament, unsuccessfully opposing William Nathaniel Massey for the seat of Salford and in 1866 he was appointed High Sheriff of Lancashire,[3][10] having represented the same county also as Deputy Lieutenant before.

[8] Armitage died on 26 November 1876 at Hope Hall, Pendleton at the age of 82, his funeral procession was half a mile long and was made up of a hundred carriages.