THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

For many centuries the pace of life was set by the speed at which a man could walk or run, or by the speed at which a domesticated animal, say, a horse or an ox, could walk, trot or run, together with the strength of man or beast to carry, pull or turn objects.

The only other sources of power were water and wind. Water could be `harnessed` to axles or paddles in order to transfer power to another place, e.g. in a corn mill, from the waterwheel to the grindstone. Similarly with wind power, from the vanes to the grindstone or to a pump.

By the 1750s a number of small hand-operated mechanisms were in use, mainly for repetitive operations, e.g. a printing press. Then, after Thomas Newcomen and James Watt had worked out how to use steam power, dramatic changes took place. Most noticeably when it was realised that, different from cornmills and windmills, any new machine relying on steam power could be placed anywhere that it was wanted. Beyond that came the new wonder: the steam powered engine that could be put on wheels and move itself!

The second great change was when the new machines did work formerly done by hand(e.g. lifting, shovelling, sawing). A man could now achieve far more “output” or “product”. This could lead to lower prices. Another gain was that greater production could lead to fewer men being required for the work. Although workers at first thought they would be put out of work, it soon became evident that many new industries would arise,e.g. building railways and trains to go on them.
Some of these machines were for farming purposes,e.g. pulping, crushing, mowing and threshing, but were not seen in the Nantwich area which was mainly given up to milk and cheese production.

The changes came in the textile industries. From 1790 onwards, when steam power arrived, all kinds of machine were invented. Factories and mills were built. Some might require a light railway to move materials about. So grew the idea that a new form of transport was possible: the long distance railway for goods - and then for people.

In 1785 cotton spinning began in a mill - of four storeys - on the river Weaver in Nantwich. By 1800 steam machines had been introduced.

From 1837 the first steam powered railway trains were running from Manchester and Liverpool to the new junction to be called `Crewe` and on to Birmingham. Machines were needed in Crewe and the Crewe Locomotive Works was built in 1843 for the repair and building of locomotives.

While the horse reigned in the countryside, he was gradually superseded by the internal combustion engine powered by steam, oil, gas or electricity(trams).

Factories sprang up in the towns and cities. Waves of human migration from the country into the towns took place. The changeover can be seen in these figures. Of the total population in England in 1750 25% were living in urban surroundings; in 1801 33%; in 1841 48.3%; in 1861 59%; in 1881 70%; and 1901 78%.

So these trades died out: makers of: buttons, chains, clogs, clothespegs, gloves.hats, nails, rope, stays and umbrellas, and also the calenderer, cotton spinner, flax dresser, groom, maltster, mangler, omnibus(horse)driver, saw sharpener, weaver.

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