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industrial biography-第78部分
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to aim at taking a higher position; and entertained the ambition of
beginning business on his own account。 One of his first efforts in
this direction was the preparation of the design of a cast…iron
bridge over the Irwell; at Blackfriars; for which a prize was
offered。 The attempt was unsuccessful; and a stone bridge was
eventually decided on; but the effort made was creditable; and proved
the beginning of many designs。 The first job he executed on his own
account was the erection of an iron conservatory and hothouse for Mr。
J。 Hulme; of Clayton; near Manchester; and he induced one of his
shopmates; James Lillie; to join him in the undertaking。 This proved
the beginning of a business connection which lasted for a period of
fifteen years; and laid the foundation of a partnership; the
reputation of which; in connection with mill…work and the
construction of iron machinery generally; eventually became known all
over the civilized world。
Although the patterns for the conservatory were all made; and the
castings were begun; the work was not proceeded with; in consequence
of the notice given by a Birmingham firm that the plan after which it
was proposed to construct it was an infringement of their patent。 The
young firm were consequently under the necessity of looking about
them for other employment。 And to be prepared for executing orders;
they proceeded in the year 1817 to hire a small shed at a rent of
l2s。 a week; in which they set up a lathe of their own making;
capable of turning shafts of from 3 to 6 inches diameter; and they
hired a strong Irishman to drive the wheel and assist at the heavy
work。 Their first job was the erection of a cullender; and their next
a calico…polishing machine; but orders came in slowly; and James
Lillie began to despair of success。 His more hopeful partner
strenuously urged him to perseverance; and so buoyed him up with
hopes of orders; that he determined to go on a little longer。 They
then issued cards among the manufacturers; and made a tour of the
principal firms; offering their services and soliciting work。
Amongst others; Mr。 Fairbairn called upon the Messrs。 Adam and George
Murray; the large cotton…spinners; taking with him the designs of his
iron bridge。 Mr。 Adam Murray received him kindly; heard his
explanations; and invited him to call on the following day with his
partner。 The manufacturer must have been favourably impressed by this
interview; for next day; when Fairbairn and Lillie called; he took
them over his mill; and asked whether they felt themselves competent
to renew with horizontal cross…shafts the whole of the work by which
the mule…spinning machinery was turned。 This was a formidable
enterprise for a young firm without capital and almost without plant
to undertake; but they had confidence in themselves; and boldly
replied that they were willing and able to execute the work。 On this;
Mr。 Murray said he would call and see them at their own workshop; to
satisfy himself that they possessed the means of undertaking such an
order。 This proposal was by no means encouraging to the partners; who
feared that when Mr。 Murray spied 〃the nakedness of the land 〃 in
that quarter; he might repent him of his generous intentions。 He paid
his promised visit; and it is probable that he was more favourably
impressed by the individual merits of the partners than by the
excellence of their machine…toolsof which they had only one; the
lathe which they had just made and set up; nevertheless he gave them
the order; and they began with glad hearts and willing hands and
minds to execute this their first contract。 It may be sufficient to
state that by working late and earlyfrom 5 in the morning until 9
at night for a considerable periodthey succeeded in completing the
alterations within the time specified; and to Mr。 Murray's entire
satisfaction。 The practical skill of the young men being thus proved;
and their anxiety to execute the work entrusted to them to the best
of their ability having excited the admiration of their employer; he
took the opportunity of recommending them to his friends in the
trade; and amongst others to Mr。 John Kennedy; of the firm of
MacConnel and Kennedy; then the largest spinners in the kingdom。
The Cotton Trade had by this time sprung into great importance; and
was increasing with extraordinary rapidity。 Population and wealth
were pouring into South Lancashire; and industry and enterprise were
everywhere on foot。 The foundations were being laid of a system of
manufacturing in iron; machinery; and textile fabrics of nearly all
kinds; the like of which has perhaps never been surpassed in any
country。 It was a race of industry; in which the prizes were won by
the swift; the strong; and the skilled。 For the most part; the early
Lancashire manufacturers started very nearly equal in point of
worldly circumstances; men originally of the smallest means often
coming to the front … work men; weavers; mechanics; pedlers; farmers;
or labourersin course of time rearing immense manufacturing
concerns by sheer force of industry; energy; and personal ability。
The description given by one of the largest employers in Lancashire;
of the capital with which he started; might apply to many of them:
〃When I married;〃 said he; 〃my wife had a spinning…wheel; and I had a
loomthat was the beginning of our fortune。〃 As an illustration of
the rapid rise of Manchester men from small beginnings; the following
outline of John Kennedy's career; intimately connected as he was with
the subject of our memoirmay not be without interest in this place。
John Kennedy was one of five young men of nearly the same age; who
came from the same neighbourhood in Scotland; and eventually settled
in Manchester as cottons…pinners about the end of last century。 The
others were his brother James; his partner James MacConnel; and the
brothers Murray; above referred toMr。 Fairbairn's first extensive
employers。 John Kennedy's parents were respectable peasants;
possessed of a little bit of ground at Knocknalling; in the stewartry
of Kirkcudbright; on which they contrived to live; and that was all。
John was one of a family of five sons and two daughters; and the
father dying early; the responsibility and the toil of bringing up
these children devolved upon the mother。 She was a strict
disciplinarian; and early impressed upon the minds of her boys that
they had their own way to make in the world。 One of the first things
she made them think about was; the learning of some useful trade for
the purpose of securing an independent living; 〃for;〃 said she; 〃if
you have gotten mechanical skill and intelligence; and are honest and
trustworthy; you will always find employment and be ready to avail
yourselves of opportunities for advancing yourselves in life。〃 Though
the mother desired to give her sons the benefits of school education;
there was but little of that commodity to be had in the remote
district of Knocknalling。 The parish…school was six miles distant;
and the teaching given in it was of a very inferior sortusually
administered by students; probationers for the ministry; or by
half…fledged dominies; themselves more needing instruction than able
to impart it。 The Kennedys could only attend the school during a few
months in summer…time; so that what they had acquired by the end of
one season was often forgotten by the beginning of the next。 They
learnt; however; to read the Testament; say their catechism; and
write their own names。
As the children grew up; they each longed for the time to come when
they could be put to a trade。 The family were poorly clad; stockings
and shoes were luxuries rarely indulged in; and Mr。 Kennedy used in
after…life to tell his grandchildren of a certain Sunday which he
remembered shortly after his father died; when he was setting out for
Dalry church; and had borrowed his brother Alexander's stockings; his
brother ran after him and cried; 〃See that you keep out of the dirt;
for mind you have got my stockings on!〃 John indulged in many
day…dreams about the world that lay beyond the valley and the
mountains which surrounded the place of his birth。 Though a mere boy;
the natural objects; eternally unchangeable; which daily met his
eyesthe profound silence of the scene; broken only by the bleating
of a solitary sheep; or the crowing of a distant cock; or the
thrasher beating out with his flail the scanty grain of the black
oats spread upon a skin in the open air; or the streamlets leaping
from the rocky clefts; or the distant church…bell sounding up the
valley on Sundays all bred in his mind a profound melancholy and
feeling of loneliness; and he used to think to himself; 〃What can I
do to see and know something of the world beyond this?〃 The greatest
pleasure he experienced during that period was when packmen came
round with their stores of clothing and hardware; and display
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