[2] The family established a carrier business at Hart Common, Westhoughton and Hargreaves's father had expanded it until it had become a substantial enterprise with "wagons to be seen on highways all over the North of England".
His inheritance was therefore held in trust until his coming of age, the trustee was Elizabeth's husband John Pennington.
[7] The business was primarily packhorse based, using strings of animals who could pick their way over difficult terrain that was often impassable to horse drawn wagons.
[11] Hargreaves also operated from canal warehouse in Preston and advertised similar services including to London.
[17] Hargreaves died at the age of eighty in 1860 leaving nine surviving children, he was buried at All Saints' Chapel, Hindley, where he had been a trustee.