Samuel Greg

Who was Samuel Greg?

Samuel Greg was a British entrepreneur and a pioneer of the factory system at Quarry Bank Mill.

Greg was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the second son of a successful merchant. At the age of eight, he went to live with his uncle, Robert Hyde, at Ardwick Hall, Manchester. His uncles, Robert and Nathaniel, were linen merchants and, after completing his education at Harrow School, Samuel joined their business in 1778.

After Robert Hyde's death in 1782 and his brother's alcoholism had rendered him incapable of running the business, Greg took over the enterprise. Seeing opportunities for manufacturing opened up by the Industrial Revolution, Greg founded Quarry Bank Mill, a cotton spinning mill in Styal on the bank of the River Bollin in Cheshire. Greg was quick to adopt innovations in the rapidly developing technologies of manufacturing and a partnership with Peter Ewart enabled him to exploit developments in water wheel and steam power.

Already a wealthy man, in 1789, he married Hannah Lightbody, a prominent Unitarian, and set up a family home at 35 King Street, Manchester.