Oldknow, Samuel 1756-1828

Epithet: of Melior

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000357.0x00026d

Samuel Oldknow was an English industrialist, the first successful maker of British muslin.

He was born in Anderton, Lancashire in 1756. After serving an apprenticeship, he set up as manufacturer of cotton goods and fustians in Anderton. In 1781, as the cotton industry became mechanized, Oldknow began producing muslin products. In 1784, he erected a factory at Stockport and became recognized as the foremost muslin manufacturer in Great Britain. In 1790, Oldknow built a mill at Mellor and acquired land for his personal estate. He used the latest technology in his cotton spinning factories at Stockport and Mellor, including the Arkwright spinning jenny and the Watt steam engine. His enterprises resulted in the growth of the community in Derbyshire. He became a scientific and experimental agriculturist and planned for roads, bridges, and canals.

From the description of Papers, 1782-1924 1782-1815. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 122309014