Thank you and Goodbye!

Sadly, it was time for Mr. Greg to go. I had learnt a lot about how Mills were run by different owners and how the Apprentices were treated. I got up to shake his hand however he was still distracted by the Tape Recorder! I cleared my throat and he jumped!

"Oh! I`m sorry!" He said. " The technology of this box still baffles me!"

"It's O.K" I replied " Thank you for your time!" I reached out to shake his hand. He shook it firmly and tipped his hat. I walked over to the door and let him out. Just as I closed the door, I heard a great whoosh! As I quickly opened the door, no-one was there, I looked down the corridor and Samuel Greg was no where to be seen!
" I must be going mad..." I mumbled to myself, closing the door.

Questions 7, 8, 9, & 10

Did you treat male and female workers equally?

Well, men are stronger and more hardworking than women that means they do more work and should be payed more. However sometimes I thought that it was unfair as some women worked hard and produced lots of material. Punishment wise, women were treated better then men as they were not as bad. I also think that young lady apprentices had less work than boys as they did embroidery rather then hard outdoor labour.

As you had children, why did they not work in the Mill?

They did not work in the Mill as I had the money to fund a good education for them. I do not wish for my children to work with the lower class of people who can barely read and write their own name. I think it is perfectly reasonable that if I have the power to give my children the best chance in life , I should give it to them.

Did you ever visit other Mills around the country?

I once visited another Mill. I was quite frankly disgusted about how they treated the workers and apprentices! The children slept on the cold stone flags - on the floor! They also were not given enough food so were frail, weak and lethargic. The Doctor rates were extremely high - the children could not afford them, so slowly and sadly sank away. They were kept in their own filth and had no clean clothes.

As you had visited that Mill, how would you have improved it?

Well! To improve it, i would make it like my own Mill , Quarry Bank! I think my mill is run cleanly, safely and with good hygiene standards. I know now it was not perfect but it was a lot better than most of the other Mills in the country! I never told the Mill owner how I felt about how his Mill was run, however I lost sleep over the welfare of the Children and Workers there... I wish I had told the owner though!

Questions 3, 4,5 & 6

Would you be willing to swap jobs with one of your workers for one week?

Yes! As i said before, i think that the workers conditions are at a VERY high standard for a Mill. As in other Mill's around the country, they are treated very badly. The standard of care I give my workers is also very high as the Apprentices i have at the house have ; their own doctor, beds, food everyday and clean clothes. I admit, the amount of money I payed the workers was quite low, and could have been higher, but what I gave them in return would probably have made the difference. However, I think that the working hours would have been quite hard to manage. Also the amount of work I expected the workers to do was a bit high...

Were there any outbreaks of disease in your factory?

Well, some children fell ill in my factory, complaining of chest or head pains - nothing that a bit of blood letting from the Doctor couldn't sort out! Some children had bloody noses and started developing 'nervous fever' had red spots on their chest area. Very soon after, they died*. The cotton dust was everywhere - even in the water supplies - however I do not think this would affect the children in anyway! A little cotton never hurt anyone! Some children developed Small Pox, however we tried to save as many as we could...

* The symptoms the children showed would show they had Typhoid.

What inspired you to be a Mill owner?

Well, I would not really say I was inspired. My Uncles could not look after the Cotton Enterprise they owned, and with the business opportunities being opened up by the Industrial Revolution I invested in the Mill in the little town of Styal. However I thought about how the Mill would make my life better and help lots of peoples lives be better. I would open up the opportunities for local people to have well payed local jobs!

Why did you employ children?

I employed children because they were small enough to get into the machines safely... well nearly always safely. Sometimes, they would flinch and get hurt. They also worked for no pay, just food, clothes and work. Children were also able to work under threat as they could not have fought back against punishment. However, no physical harm was caused to them. Family's also needed as little mouths to feed as well, so I was doing them a favour by feeding their children.

Samuel Greg; Questions 1 & 2.

If you lived in 2012, would you change anything about your factory?

Well, considering the technology that is in factories now, YES! I would change the workers for machines as they would be, less costly to run, could run 24/7 and you wouldn't have to feed , dress or house them! Also , they could work none stop, meaning that i would earn more money. I could also go and set up more factories around the country. There would also be a lesser risk of injury of my workers.

Did you consider how you treated the workers? Are you ashamed?

Well, personally i thought i treated my workers very well compared to the other Apprentice Houses and Workhouses in the country. I made sure my workers were fit and healthy, I also think that i fed them well and clothed them. I made the Apprentices' sign an indentia to prove they were fit to work as i did not want to have unfit or crippled workers in my factory. I am not ashamed as i think i treated them well and gave the workers the respect and care they needed to work to their best abilities.

Samuel Greg ; Start of Interview.

As I sat twiddling my thumbs, I wondered if Mr Greg would ever arrive! Suddenly there was a bang at the door. " Come in! " I shouted. Mr Greg was dressed in a smart yet quite worn suit, with black firm leather shoes. I told him to take a seat and we would get started with the interview.

"Now, all you have to do is speak into this little box." I told him clearly, however the simplicity of a tape recorder baffled him. He stared at it in awe. " Mr Greg? " I asked, " Could we carry on with the interview please? I`m on a very tight schedule!"

" Okay" He replied, still watching the recorder.

After 5 more minutes of getting comfortable, we got started.

Who is Samuel Greg?

Samuel Greg (March 26, 1758 – June 4, 1834) was the owner of the controversial mill, Quarry Bank Mill. He was born in Belfast, Ireland to a wealthy merchant. When he was 8 in 1766, he was sent to live with his uncle in Manchester. His two uncles, Robert and Nathaniel, were linen merchants and when he had finished his education at Harrow School, he went to join his Uncles in the trade.
In 1782 Robert Hyde died, Nathaniel's alcohol addiction had made him incapable of taking a full part in the business so Samuel took over the Factory. Seeing the opportunities for manufacturing, opened up by the Industrial Revolution, he founded the Quarry Bank Cotton Spinning Mill at the village of Styal on the River Bollin. Greg was quick to use any new invention in the quickly developing technologies of manufacturing. A partnership with Peter Ewart enabled him to exploit novel developments in water and steam power. In 1789 he was already a wealthy man, he married Hannah Lightbody, and bought a family home at 35 King Street, Manchester. She gave him 7 daughters and 6 sons. In 1796, the family added Quarry Bank House in Styal while retaining their town house. Greg built a workers' colony of simple yet satisfactory housing on the Styal estate, not out of any love or care but as an essential part in his vision of the efficient factory system. However, his wife Hannah's religious and social views influenced his approach to the workers' welfare. In 1832, Samuel Greg was attacked by a stag in the grounds of Quarry Bank House where he lived. The injury led to his retirement. By this time, Quarry Bank Mill had become the biggest spinning and weaving business in the UK. Samuel Greg died two years later after never recovering from the attack from the Stag.