Preston strike of 1853–1854

The strike lasted seven months and paralysed the cotton industry in the city of Preston.

Charles Dickens spent several days in Preston in January 1854.

Although he does not describe a strike in Hard Times, whose publication began in April 1854 in Household Words, he was inspired by Mortimer Grimshaw to create the character of the union leader, Slackbridge; the intransigence of the bosses inspired the character of Bounderby.

[2] Elizabeth Gaskell, in North and South, was inspired by the Preston strike to depict one that takes place in Manchester.

This article related to a strike action or other labor dispute is a stub.