Benjamin Thornber, Burnley

iBase ID

267101

Reference identifier

EBU20141211001

Title

Benjamin Thornber, Burnley

Place

Burnley

Personal names

Benjamin Thornber

General notes

Benjamin Thornber was born in Rimington, near Gisburn in 1800. He spent most of his life there before moving with his family to Burnley in c1850, when large scale industrial development was beginning to take hold in the town.

After moving there he started working as a weaver at Oak Mount Mill, only six years later he had gone into partnership with one of his wife's relations, Caleb Duckworth. They began a power loom operation at Hesandford Mill and soon after rented 72 looms at the Market Bridge Mill. Benjamin had found his calling and despite Caleb moving in to the grocery trade, he carried on expanding his business concerns. This culminated in the acquisition of Daneshouse Mill in 1875, where he employed 700 workers running 1,420 looms.

Benjamin died in 1885, but his three youngest sons, whom he had been working in partnership with, carried on the family business.

Medium

Photographic print

Colour

Monochrome

Original image size

11.6 x 16.6

Year of image

c1870

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Locator

M3: Benjamin Thornber