In the steps of a cotton genius

SAMUEL Crompton is not just a famous son of Bolton -- he is a famous Englishman.

And to commemorate the 250th anniversary of his birth, Bolton Museum has produced a leaflet to guide visitors along "The Crompton Trail".

It starts at the Hall i' th' Wood Museum , built in the 15th Century, where Crompton and his parents lived nearly 300 years later.

It was here, in 1779, that Samuel Crompton -- no mean weaver and spinner himself -- invented the Spinning Mule which revolutionised the cotton industry and helped promote the Industrial Revolution.

Items which belonged to Crompton can be seen in the Hall along with part of a replica spinning mule.

It is a true museum, with plenty on display -- not just to do with Crompton -- and is always well worth a visit.

Crompton designed and built the first Mule himself. He played the fiddle at Bolton Theatre for 1s 6d a performance and it was the money he earned there that bought him the tools and materials he needed to complete his invention.

From the museum, a 10-minute car ride takes the traveller, to Firwood Lane. A flagged path leads to number 10 Firwood Fold where Samuel Crompton was born on December 3, 1753.

A large stone plaque marks the building, although as the row of cottages is now privately owned, the leaflet asks people to respect the owners' privacy and simply look at it from the road.

These cottages are thought to date from the 17th century and to have been in the Crompton family for several generations before Samuel was born.

Fields must have surrounded the area in Crompton's time and his family farmed from Firwood Fold as well as Hall i' th' Wood.

Crompton died, at his home in King Street on June 26 1827 at the age of 74 and was buried in Bolton Parish churchyard which is the third port of call on the Trail.

By the time he died, Crompton was an embittered man having made little or no money from his invention which was unpatented and, therefore, copied by many.

In fact, at one time he smashed a carding machine he had also invented saying "They shall not have this, too".

However, although he did not become rich rom the Mule, by the time of his death his contribution to the industry was acknowledged by many -- and by all accounts the funeral was a big affair, with many local factory owners attending.

We are told that the original gravestone was very simple although a granite top paying tribute to him was paid for by local textile workers in 1861.

The fourth stop on the Trail is Nelson Square, where Crompton's statue was unveiled on September 24, 1862 -- just a short walk from the church.

The statue was paid for by public subscription in honour of his contribution to the cotton industry of the town.

It is an imposing bronze statue with a stone plinth featuring relief bronze plaques of the mule itself.

Busy shoppers walking down Bradshawgate rarely even glance at the statue. Perhaps the museum's leafletleaflet will change that.

A brisk walk through the town centrestreets leads to Bolton Museum -- the final port of call -- where the only surviving Spinning Mule takes pride of place.Crompton's invention led to the creation of the Lancashire Cotton Industry -- but it reresents much more.

Thomas Telford is credited with kick starting the Industrial Revolution by smelting iron on a large scale, but before Crompton and the Spinning Mule, Telford's creation was destined to be used simply as another building material.

It was the massive industry that became King Cotton that needed power, steam and steam boilers, factories and ever more complicated machinery -- and ships, more of them and bigger than ever before, to carry the goods and bring the raw cotton to Britain.

It all started with this one machine -- and a weaver called Crompton,.

CAPTIONS

(PIC 1) Frank Elson at the Hall i' th' Wood Museum

(PIC 2) The Crompton statue on Nelson Square

(PIC 3) Samuel Crompton's grave in Bolton Parish Churchyard.

(PIC 4) Another view of Samuel Crompton's grave.

(PIC 5) Frank Elson looking at the spinning mule in Bolton Museum.

(PIC 6) Frank in front of Crompton's statue in Nelson Square.

(PIC 7) Frank with the Crompton Trail brochure in front of the Hall i' th' Wood Museum.

(PIC 8) Samuel Crompton's birthplace, 10 Firwood Fold.

(PIC 9) Finding out more about the spinning mule at Bolton Museum.

(PIC 10) Samuel Crompton's statue in Nelson Square.

(PIC 11) Crompton's grave in the grounds of Bolton Parish Church.

(PIC 12) Hall i' th' Wood museum.

(PIC 13) Crompton's birthplace, 10 Firwood Fold, is the house standing out from the others in the centre of this photograph.

(PIC 14) Bolton Museum's spinning mule.

SAMUEL Crompton is not just a famous son of Bolton -- he is a famous Englishman.

And to commemorate the 250th anniversary of his birth, Bolton Museum has produced a leaflet to guide visitors along "The Crompton Trail".

It starts at the Hall i'th'Wood Museum, built in the 15th Century, where Crompton and his parents lived nearly 300 years later.

It was here, in 1779, that Samuel Crompton -- no mean weaver and spinner himself -- invented the Spinning Mule which revolutionised the cotton industry and helped promote the Industrial Revolution.

Items which belonged to Crompton can be seen in the Hall along with part of a replica spinning mule.

It is a true museum, with plenty on display -- not just to do with Crompton -- and is always well worth a visit.

Crompton designed and built the first Mule himself. He played the fiddle at Bolton Theatre for 1s 6d a performance and it was the money he earned there that bought him the tools and materials he needed to complete his invention.

From the museum, a 10-minute car ride takes the traveller, to Firwood Lane. A flagged path leads to number 10 Firwood Fold where Samuel Crompton was born on December 3, 1753.

A large stone plaque marks the building, although as the row of cottages is now privately owned, the leaflet asks people to respect the owners' privacy and simply look at it from the road.

These cottages are thought to date from the 17th century and to have been in the Crompton family for several generations before Samuel was born.

Fields must have surrounded the area in Crompton's time and his family farmed from Firwood Fold as well as Hall i'th' Wood.

Crompton died, at his home in King Street on June 26 1827 at the age of 74 and was buried in Bolton Parish churchyard which is the third port of call on the Trail.

By the time he died, Crompton was an embittered man having made little or no money from his invention which was unpatented and, therefore, copied by many.

In fact, at one time he smashed a carding machine he had also invented saying "They shall not have this, too".

However, although he did not become rich rom the Mule, by the time of his death his contribution to the industry was acknowledged by many -- and by all accounts the funeral was a big affair, with many local factory owners attending.

We are told that the original gravestone was very simple although a granite top paying tribute to him was paid for by local textile workers in 1861.

The fourth stop on the Trail is Nelson Square, where Crompton's statue was unveiled on September 24, 1862 -- just a short walk from the church.

The statue was paid for by public subscription in honour of his contribution to the cotton industry of the town.

It is an imposing bronze statue with a stone plinth featuring relief bronze plaques of the mule itself.

Busy shoppers walking down Bradshawgate rarely even glance at the statue. Perhaps the museum's leaflet will change that.

A brisk walk through the town centrestreets leads to Bolton Museum -- the final port of call -- where the only surviving Spinning Mule takes pride of place. Crompton's invention led to the creation of the Lancashire Cotton Industry -- but it represents much more.

Thomas Telford is credited with kick starting the Industrial Revolution by smelting iron on a large scale, but before Crompton and the Spinning Mule, Telford's creation was destined to be used simply as another building material.

It was the massive industry that became King Cotton that needed power, and steam and steam boilers, factories and ever more complicated machinery -- and ships, more of them and bigger than ever before, to carry the goods and bring the raw cotton to Britain.

It all started with this one machine -- and a weaver called Crompton,.