Lancashire Cotton Operatives and Work, 1900-1950

In this study, Alan Fowler takes an in-depth look at the Lancashire cotton industry in the first half of the 20th century through the prism of its workers, their families and organizations. It is their experiences above all that illuminate the history of the cotton industry, and how it came to change the face of Britain through the 19th and early 20th centuries. Crucial to the history of the Lancashire cotton operatives were the collective organizations they established which forced employers and government to treat them with respect. By the beginning of the 20th century these organizations had managed to raise wages, improve working conditions, reduce working hours, establish the right to holidays and force the introduction of factory legislation. This book explores how these victories were won and the impact they had on the industry and wider society.