On a fine Sunday in 1823, Andrew Ryding, a young man of Preston, decided to attack one of the largest mill owners in the town, with a blunted meat cleaver.As Samuel Horrocks was walking home from church he was accosted. Ryder knew that his trial, for attempted murder, would bring publicity to the plight of Preston’s mill workers, who were paid 20 per cent less than workers in Manchester.
By the 1830s labour unrest was increasing and the first fledgling unions were being formed. However, collective action at this time usually involved rioting, as with the Swing Riots of 1830. Ironically the Swing Riots, named after their leader, Captain Swing, were about mechanisation and bad working conditions in agriculture not industry.century, union membership grew, as The Labour Representation Committee morphed into the Labour political party.
Swinglehurst opposed the Masters And Servants Bill, which was unjust and favoured employers. It made the disobedience of workers illegal in law. Therefore, at a meeting, where he spoke to a large number of factory operatives he encouraged them to resist. There was also a prominent speaker from the National United Trades Association present. The speaker urged the operatives to consider joining this national union.
“I knew I should be tried for the crime where… I shall expose the oppression and injustice of these masters… I took out the cleaver not meaning to kill but to cut… it was not sharp”
Must’ve been from Callon.
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