The production of woollen cloth from the shearing of sheep to the finished product was a highly labour intensive industry.
There was an unlimited source of water and labour to produce the finest broadcloth in Bradford on Avon but reliance was placed on a workforce paid poverty wages whilst the clothiers grew rich on the profits.
It was not uncommon for angry disputes to arise between weavers and the other trades within the industry for whom life was a constant struggle against the clothiers who employed them.
Matters came to a head when machinery was introduced and the realisation that one machine could carry out the work of ten or more labouring men and women.
This book exposes the gaps between those who produced the cloth, who lived impoverished lives, and those who gained wealth and power as a result. Bradford on Avon today has become a desirable place to live and work. This wasn’t always the case!
“The book captures life in Bradford when communities were torn between wealthy clothiers and workers defending their livelihoods. This turbulent period is hard to imagine as you walk through today's charming town but Rosie's writing brings it to life.”
Nigel Costley, South West Regional Secretary TUC
"I congratulate Rosie on writing an engaging piece on her chosen subject, which is factual, empathetic, and relevant to both local and national issues. She has embodied social and political issues that span 4 centuries of British and local history, and deftly shown the sharp divides in society which are easily overlooked when we gaze at the amazing buildings’ legacy that gives us such pleasure now.”
Mervyn Harris, Honorary Chairman Bradford on Avon Museum