Thomas Ashton (cotton spinner)

During this time, he attended evening classes in a wide variety of subjects, with a particular focus on statistics, and when he was 27, he left the cotton industry to set up a school.

[2] In 1868, Ashton was invited to stand for the general secretaryship of the Oldham Operative Cotton Spinners' Association, beating five other candidates in an election.

[1] Ashton was a founder member of the Amalgamated Association of Operative Cotton Spinners, and was elected as its president in 1878.

He also served as treasurer of the United Textile Factory Workers' Association, and secretary of the Oldham Trades and Labour Council.

[2][4] Ashton resigned from his trade union posts in 1913, due to poor health.