Thomas Birtwistle

Who is Thomas Birtwistle?

Thomas Birtwistle, Thomas was a trade unionist and factory inspector. From the age of six he worked in a cotton mill becoming a power-loom weaver at the age of fourteen. In spite of limited education he had a flair for mathematics and was skilled at working out the complicated the way cotton workers were paid. This led to involvement in the early trade union movement where he worked to enable British trade unions to gain recognition, respectability, and responsibility in the second half of the 19th century.