Richard Arkwright’s genius was to perfect mechanical means of spinning thread, and then to integrate the new technologies for cleaning raw cotton fibre, spinning and weaving into a comprehensive industrial process. In effect he founded the factory system which was to transform all of human life.

Relatively little is known about the humble origins of Richard Arkwright. He was born in Preston on December 23^rd 1732, the son of a tailor. He had very little education, attending only evening school in winter time—not the local Bluecoat School—and was apprenticed to a barber and wig-maker, moving to Bolton in 1750. There he set up as a barber on his own account and married on March 31^st 1755, his w

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First published 21 February 2004 ; revised 01 June 2005

Citation: Clark, Robert. "Sir Richard Arkwright". The Literary Encyclopedia. 21 February 2004.
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=150, accessed 21 November 2009.]