Westhoughton Mill

Skilled weavers lost their livelihoods when production moved from a domestic system to new manufactories causing severe hardship and unrest among the workers.

[1] On Friday 28 April, a large crowd of weavers and mechanics gathered in Westhoughton with the intention of destroying the power looms in Rowe and Dunscough's Mill.

The Scots Greys, deployed in Bolton by the government to quell unrest, were sent for but all was quiet when the contingent arrived and they returned to their quarters.

Soon after they left, the factory and its contents were set alight and when the military returned the premises were destroyed and the culprits had disappeared.

Some rioters gathered in the village in the evening demanding food and drink or money and the military was recalled and the Riot Act was read.

Blue plaque on White Lion public house near site of mill
Stained glass window representing the burning of the mill in the Waggon & Horses public house, Westhoughton