AFTER Pauline Lord, of Brazley Avenue, Horwich, visited Wedgwood World, near Stoke, recently, she decided to read a little more about the founder of the firm, and as she worked in the Central Library, borrowed Anthony Burton's book about Josiah Wedgwood.

"I was intrigued to read that Josiah sent his two eldest sons to be educated at school in Bolton," she writes. "The school at the time must have been Bolton Grammar School, the forerunner of the present Bolton School; it was quite a way to travel from Stoke.

"However, in 1779, Josiah was summoned to the school because his eldest son was ill, and he later wrote to a friend that he hadn't expected the journey to be quite so eventful. His arrival in Bolton coincided with the start of one of the most serious outbreaks of rioting in the north of England; in October, 1779, the workers rose against the new mills and new machinery.

He related: "The mob had assembled in the neighbourhood, but they had not done much mischief; they only destroyed a small engine or two near Chowbent. On the Saturday, Arkwright's factory in Chorley was attacked, two of the mob were shot dead, one drowned and several wounded. The mob had no firearms themselves, but spent all Sunday and Monday collecting firearms and melting pewter dishes into bullets.

"They were now joined by the Duke of Bridgewater's colliers and others - we were told they numbered over 8,000. They marched to the beat of a drum, and found Sir Richard Clayton, Arkwright's partner, guarding the place with help from 50 invalids; the mills were destroyed (valued at £10,000).

"On Tuesday we heard their drum at two miles from Bolton, and their professed design was to take Bolton, Manchester, and Stockport on their way to Cromford, and to destroy all the engines not only here but throughout England."

His son wrote after his father left that "on Tuesday the 5th, only an hour after he had started their journey, the mob had contented themselves with breaking the windows and destroying the machinery at the first mill they attacked, but at the next, the machinery had been taken away, so they pulled down the building and broke the mill wheel to pieces. They next proceeded to Mr Keys of the Folds, and destroyed his machine and water wheel. When they completed their business they went to their homes. Everything is quiet now."

Thanks, Mrs Lord, for sending the story - it was obviously a traumatic time in local history!