Henry Ashworth (4 September 1794 – 17 May 1880) was an English

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

manufacturer, friend of

Richard Cobden Richard Cobden (3 June 1804 – 2 April 1865) was an English Radical and Liberal politician, manufacturer, and a campaigner for free trade and peace. He was associated with the Anti-Corn Law League and the Cobden–Chevalier Treaty. As a young ...

, and founding member of the

Anti-Corn Law League The Anti-Corn Law League was a successful political movement in Great Britain aimed at the abolition of the unpopular Corn Laws, which protected landowners’ interests by levying taxes on imported wheat, thus raising the price of bread at a time ...

Early life and business career

Henry Ashworth was born on 4 September 1794 into a prominent Quaker farming family at Birtenshaw, then an outlying hamlet to the north of Bolton, Lancashire. His father was John Ashworth, who supplemented his income by buying cotton and selling it to local cottage weavers, buying back the finished cloth to sell in Manchester and who in 1793 had built the water powered New Eagley cotton spinning mill on the banks of the Eagley brook. He was sent to

Ackworth School Ackworth School is an independent day and boarding school located in the village of High Ackworth, near Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England. It is one of seven Quaker schools in England. The school (or more accurately its Head) is a member ...

run by the

Society of Friends Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...

and in 1808 became involved at the New Eagley mill, taking over its management in 1818. He was joined by his younger brother Edmund in 1821. The partnership of the two brothers expanded both the mill and the business and by 1831 they had 260 employees. In 1832 they bought the partially completed Egerton Mill which had been built upstream at Egerton. Benevolent employers, they established schools, a library and a reading room. Ashworth was a staunch nonconformist, and refused to pay

church rates The church rate was a tax formerly levied in each parish in England and Ireland for the benefit of the Church of England parish church, parish church. The rates were used to meet the costs of carrying on divine service, repairing the fabric of the ...

. He supported the schemes of

Edwin Chadwick Sir Edwin Chadwick KCB (24 January 18006 July 1890) was an English social reformer who is noted for his leadership in reforming the Poor Laws in England and instituting major reforms in urban sanitation and public health. A disciple of Uti ...

to implement the

Poor Law In English and British history, poor relief refers to government and ecclesiastical action to relieve poverty. Over the centuries, various authorities have needed to decide whose poverty deserves relief and also who should bear the cost of hel ...

of 1834; but was a tough opponent of

trades union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

s. In a dispute with Edmund, the business was split in 1854, with Henry taking the New Eagley Mill and Edmund the Egerton Mill. By this time sons of both brothers had taken over much of the management responsibility. In 1880 Henry Ashworth retired, handing over New Eagley to his eldest son, George Binns Ashworth.

Anti-Corn Law activity

He was a founder of the Anti-Corn Law League, and was one of its major supporters. He had met Richard Cobden in 1837, and became a firm friend. In 1840 he was one of a deputation that waited upon

Lord Melbourne William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, (15 March 177924 November 1848), in some sources called Henry William Lamb, was a British Whig politician who served as Home Secretary (1830–1834) and Prime Minister (1834 and 1835–1841). His first pre ...

to urge the

repeal of the corn laws The Corn Laws were tariffs and other trade restrictions on imported food and corn enforced in the United Kingdom between 1815 and 1846. The word ''corn'' in British English denotes all cereal grains, including wheat, oats and barley. They were ...

. 'You know,' said the premier, 'that to be impracticable.'

Sir Robert Peel Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850) was a British Conservative statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835 and 1841–1846) simultaneously serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer ...

was equally unhelpful. In answer to Ashworth's plea that the import of food should not be restricted in order to maintain rents. Sir James Graham called out, 'Why, you are a

leveller The Levellers were a political movement active during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms who were committed to popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law and religious tolerance. The hallmark of Leveller thought was its popul ...

!' and asked whether he was to infer that the labouring classes had some claim to the landlords' estates. Ashworth protested; in dismissing the deputation Sir James told them that if the corn laws were repealed great disasters would fall upon the country, the land would go out of cultivation, church and state could not be upheld, the national institutions would be reduced to their elements, and the houses of the leaguers would be pulled about their ears by the people they were trying to excite. In 1843, in company with

John Bright John Bright (16 November 1811 – 27 March 1889) was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, one of the greatest orators of his generation and a promoter of free trade policies. A Quaker, Bright is most famous for battling the Corn Laws ...

and Cobden, he visited

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Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land on ...

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

, and

East Lothian East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In 1975, the histo ...

, to survey agriculture—they were sometimes mentioned as the ABC of the League. At the large meeting held in Manchester 23 December 1845, Ashworth proposed that £250,000 should be raised for the purpose of the agitation. The corn laws were repealed, and the final meeting of the League was held in the Manchester Town Hall on 2 July 1846. Ashworth defended Cobden at the meeting held in Manchester after the incident in the House of Commons, when Peel charged the leader of the League with connivance at

assassination Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...

. He also assisted Cobden in the negotiation of the

Cobden–Chevalier Treaty The Cobden–Chevalier Treaty was an Anglo-French free trade agreement signed between Great Britain and France on 23 January 1860. After Britain began free trade policies in 1846, there remained tariffs with France. The 1860 treaty ended tariffs o ...

Later life

During a long life he was an advocate of peace, retrenchment, and reform; and enjoyed shooting. He made several continental tours, and in February 1880 left his house, ''The Oaks'', Turton, to winter in Italy, as he had usually done for some years. Whilst travelling from Rome he caught a chill, and at Florence was laid up with

Roman fever "Roman Fever" is a short story by American writer Edith Wharton. It was first published in ''Liberty'' magazine on November 10, 1934. A revised and expanded version of the story was published in Wharton's 1936 short story collection ''The World ...

. After about two weeks' illness, he died at Florence, 17 May 1880 and is buried in the Protestant cemetery there.

Family

Henry married Letitia Binns of Liverpool and with her had 11 children, 6 sons and 5 daughters. Of his sons George Binns, John and Henry were involved in the New Eagley business; two others died in childhood.

Works

His major work is ''Recollections of Richard Cobden and the Anti-Corn Law League'' (two editions, London 1876 and 1881), written with John Watts. He also wrote: *''Statistical Illustrations of Lancaster'', 1842. *''A Tour in the United States and Canada'', 1861. * An account of the

Preston strike of 1853–1854 The Preston strike of 1853–1854 was a strike of English weavers which took place between 1853 and 1854 in Preston, Lancashire. The strike lasted seven months and paralyzed the cotton industry in the city of Preston. The primary leaders were Geo ...

; and some pamphlets.

References