industrial biography-第63章

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necessary　for　them　to　take　immediate　steps　to　obtain　employment。



They　thought　themselves　fortunate　in　getting　the　promise　of　a　job

from　Mr。　Rennie；　the　celebrated　engineer；　whose　works　were　situated

at　the　south　end　of　Blackfriars　Bridge。　　Mr。　Rennie　sent　the　two　young

men　to　his　foreman；　with　the　request　that　he　should　set　them　to　work。

The　foreman　referred　them　to　the　secretary　of　the　Millwrights'

Society；　the　shop　being　filled　with　Union　men；　who　set　their

shoulders　together　to　exclude　those　of　their　own　grade；　however

skilled；　who　could　not　produce　evidence　that　they　had　complied　with

the　rules　of　the　trade。　　Describing　his　first　experience　of　London

Unionists；　nearly　half　a　century　later；　before　an　assembly　of　working

men　at　Derby；　Mr。　Fairbairn　said；　〃When　I　first　entered　London；　a

young　man　from　the　country　had　no　chance　whatever　of　success；　in

consequence　of　the　trade　guilds　and　unions。　　I　had　no　difficulty　in

finding　employment；　but　before　I　could　begin　work　I　had　to　run　the

gauntlet　of　the　trade　societies；　and　after　dancing　attendance　for

nearly　six　weeks；　with　very　little　money　in　my　pocket；　and　having　to

'box　Harry'　all　the　time；　I　was　ultimately　declared　illegitimate；　and

sent　adrift　to　seek　my　fortune　elsewhere。　　There　were　then　three

millwright　societies　in　London：　　one　called　the　Old　Society；　another

the　New　Society；　and　a　third　the　Independent　Society。　　These　societies

were　not　founded　for　the　protection　of　the　trade；　but　for　the

maintenance　of　high　wages；　and　for　the　exclusion　of　all　those　who

could　not　assert　their　claims　to　work　in　London　and　other　corporate

towns。　　Laws　of　a　most　arbitrary　character　were　enforced；　and　they

were　governed　by　cliques　of　self…appointed　officers；　who　never　failed

to　take　care　of　their　own　interests。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

Useful　Information　for　Engineers；　2nd　series；　1860；　p。　211。

　。。。＇



Their　first　application　for　leave　to　work　in　London　having　thus

disastrously　ended；　the　two　youths　determined　to　try　their　fortune　in

the　country；　and　with　aching　hearts　they　started　next　morning　before

daylight。　　Their　hopes　had　been　suddenly　crushed；　their　slender　funds

were　nearly　exhausted；　and　they　scarce　knew　where　to　turn。　　But　they

set　their　faces　bravely　northward；　and　pushed　along　the　high　road；

through　slush　and　snow；　as　far　as　Hertford；　which　they　reached　after

nearly　eight　hours'　walking；　on　the　moderate　fare　during　their

journey　of　a　penny　roll　and　a　pint　of　ale　each。　　Though　wet　to　the

skin；　they　immediately　sought　out　a　master　millwright；　and　applied

for　work。　　He　said　he　had　no　job　vacant　at　present；　but；　seeing　their

sorry　plight；　he　had　compassion　upon　them；　and　said；　〃Though　I　cannot

give　you　employment；　you　seem　to　be　two　nice　lads；〃　and　he　concluded

by　offering　Fairbairn　a　half…crown。　　But　his　proud　spirit　revolted　at

taking　money　which　he　had　not　earned；　and　he　declined　the　proffered

gift　with　thanks；　saying　he　was　sorry　they　could　not　have　work。　　He

then　turned　away　from　the　door；　on　which　his　companion；　mortified　by

his　refusal　to　accept　the　half…crown　at　a　time　when　they　were　reduced

almost　to　their　last　penny；　broke　out　in　bitter　remonstrances　and

regrets。　　Weary；　wet；　and　disheartened；　the　two　turned　into　Hertford

churchyard；　and　rested　for　a　while　upon　a　tombstone；　Fairbairn's

companion　relieving　himself　by　a　good　cry；　and　occasional　angry

outbursts　of　〃Why　didn't　you　take　the　half…crown？〃　　〃Come；　come；　man！〃

said　Fairbairn；　〃it's　of　no　use　crying；　cheer　up；　let's　try　another

road；　something　must　soon　cast　up。〃　　They　rose；　and　set　out　again；　but

when　they　reached　the　bridge；　the　dispirited　youth　again　broke　down；

and；　leaning　his　back　against　the　parapet；　said；　〃I　winna　gang　a　bit

further；　let's　get　back　to　London。〃　　Against　this　Fairbairn

remonstrated；　saying　〃It's　of　no　use　lamenting；　we　must　try　what　we

can　do　here；　if　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；　we　can　'list；　you　are　a

strong　chapthey'll　soon　take　you；　and　as　for　me；　I'll　join　too；　I

think　I　could　fight　a　bit。〃　　After　this　council　of　war；　the　pair

determined　to　find　lodgings　in　the　town　for　the　night；　and　begin

their　search　for　work　anew　on　the　morrow。



Next　day；　when　passing　along　one　of　the　back　streets　of　Hertford；

they　came　to　a　wheelwright's　shop；　where　they　made　the　usual

enquiries。　　The　wheelwright；　said　that　he　did　not　think　there　was　any

job　to　be　had　in　the　town；　but　if　the　two　young　men　pushed　on　to

Cheshunt；　he　thought　they　might　find　work　at　a　windmill　which　was

under　contract　to　be　finished　in　three　weeks；　and　where　the

millwright　wanted　hands。　　Here　was　a　glimpse　of　hope　at　last；　and　the

strength　and　spirits　of　both　revived　in　an　instant。　　They　set　out

immediately；　walked　the　seven　miles　to　Cheshunt；　succeeded　in

obtaining　the　expected　employment；　worked　at　the　job　a　fortnight；　and

entered　London　again　with　nearly　three　pounds　in　their　pockets。



Our　young　millwright　at　length　succeeded　in　obtaining　regular

employment　in　the　metropolis　at　good　wages。　　He　worked　first　at

Grundy's　Patent　Ropery　at　Shadwell；　and　afterwards　at　Mr。　Penn's　of

Greenwich；　gaining　much　valuable　insight；　and　sedulously　improving

his　mind　by　study　in　his　leisure　hours。　　Among　the　acquaintances　he

then　made　was　an　enthusiastic　projector　of　the　name　of　Hall；　who　had

taken　out　one　patent　for　making　hemp　from　bean…stalks；　and

contemplated　taking　out　another　for　effecting　spade　tillage　by　steam。

The　young　engineer　was　invited　to　make　the　requisite　model；　which　he

did；　and　it　cost　him　both　time　and　money；　which　the　out…at…elbows

projector　was　unable　to　repay；　and　all　that　came　of　the　project　was

the　exhibition　of　the　model　at　the　Society　of　Arts　and　before　the

Board　of　Agriculture；　in　whose　collection　it　is　probably　still　to　be

found。　　Another　more　successful　machine　constructed　By　Mr。　Fairbairn

about　the　same　time　was　a　sausage…chopping　machine；　which　he

contrived　and　made　for　a　pork…butcher　for　33l。　　It　was　the　first　order

he　had　ever　had　on　his　own　account；　and；　as　the　machine　when　made　did

its　work　admirably；　he　was　naturally　very　proud　of　it。　　The　machine

was　provided　with　a　fly…wheel　and　double　crank；　with　connecting　rods

which　worked　a　cross　head。　　It　contained　a　dozen　knives　crossing　each

other　at　right　angles　in　such　a　way　as　to　enable　them　to　mince　or

divide　the　meat　on　a　revolving　block。　　Another　part　of　the　apparatus

accomplished　the　filling　of　the　sausages　in　a　very　expert　manner；　to

the　entire　satisfaction　of　the　pork…butcher。



As　work　was　scarce　in　London　at　the　time；　and　our　engineer　was　bent

on　gathering　further　experience　in　his　trade；　he　determined　to　make　a

tour　in　the　South　of　England　and　South　Wales；　and　set　out　from　London

in　April　1813　with　7l。　　in　his　pocket。　　After　visiting　Bath　and　Frome；

he　settled　to　work　for　six　weeks　at　Bathgate；　after　which　he

travelled　by　Bradford　and　Trowbridge　…　　always　on　footto　Bristol。

From　thence　he　travelled　through　South　Wales；　spending　a　few　days

each　at　Newport；　Llandaff；　and　Cardiff；　where　he　took　ship　for

Dublin。　　By　the　time　he　reached　Ireland　his　means　were　all　but

exhausted；　only　three…halfpence　remaining　in　his　pocket；　but；　being

young；　hopeful；　skilful；　and　industrious；　he　was　light　of　heart；　and

looked　cheerfully　forward。　　The　next　day　he　succeeded　in　finding

employment　at　Mr。　Robinson's；　of　the　Phoenix　Foundry；　where　he　was

put　to　work　at　once　upon　a　set　of　patterns　for　some　nail…machinery。

Mr。　Robinson　was　a　man　of　spirit　and　enterprise；　and；　seeing　the

quantities　of　English　machine…made　nails　imported　into　Ireland；　he

was　desirous　of　giving　Irish　industry　the　benefit　of　the　manufacture。

The　construction　of　the　nail…making　machinery　occupied　Mr。　Fairbairn

the　entire　summer；　and　on　its　completion　he　set　sail　in　the　month　of

October　for　Liverpool。　　It　may　be　added；　that；　notwithstanding　the

expense　incurred　by　Mr。　Robinson　in　setting　up　the　new

nail…machinery；　his　workmen　threatened　him　with　a　strike　if　he

ventured　to　use　it。　　As　he　could　not　brave　the　opposition　of　the

Unionists；　then　all…powerful　in　Dublin；　the　machinery　was　never　set

to　work；　the　nail…making　trade　left　Ireland；　never　to　return；　and　the

Irish　market　was　thenceforward　supplied　entirely　with　English…made

nails。　　The　Dublin　iron…manufacture　was　ruined　in　the　same　way；　not

through　any　local　disadvantages；　but　solely　by　the　prohibitory

regulations　enforced　by　the　workmen　of　the　Trades　Unions。



Arrived　at　Liverpool；　after　a　voyage　of　two　dayswhich　was　then

considered　a　fair　passageour　engineer　proceeded　to　Manchester；

which　had　already　become　the　principal　centre　of　manufacturing

operations　in　the　North　of　England。　　As　we　have　already　seen　in　the

memoirs　of　Nasmyth；　Roberts；　and　Whitworth；　Manchester　offered　great

attractions　for　highly…skilled　mechanics；　and　it　was　as　fortunate　for

Manchester　as　for　William　Fairbairn　himself　that　he　settled　down

there　as　a　working　millwright　in　the　year　1814；　bringing　with　him　no

capital；　but　an　abundance　of　energy；　skill；　and　practical　experience

in　his　trade。　　Afterwards　describing　the　characteristics　of　the

millwright　of　that　time；　Mr；　Fairbairn　said〃In　those　days　a　good

millwright　was　a　man　of　large　resources；　he　was　generally　well

educated；　and　could　draw　out　his　own　designs　and　work　at　the　lathe；

he　had　a　knowledge　of　mill　machinery；　pumps；　and　cranes；　and　could

turn　his　hand　to　the　bench　or　the　forge　with　equal　adroitness　and

facility。　　If　hard　pressed；　as　was　frequently　the　case　in　country

places　far　from　towns；　he　could　devise　for　himself　expedients　which

enabled　him　to　meet　special　requirements；　and　to　complete　his　work

without　assistance。　　This　was　the　class　of　men　with　whom　I　associated

in　early　lifeproud　of　their　calling；　fertile　in　resources；　and

aware　of　their　value　in　a　country　where　the　industrial　arts　were

rapidly　developing。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

Lecture　at　DerbyUseful　Information　for　Engineers；　2nd　series；　p。

212。

　。。。＇



When　William　Fairbairn　entered　Manchester　he　was　twenty…four　years　of

age；　and　his　hat　still　〃covered　his　family。〃　　But；　being　now　pretty

well　satiated　with　his　〃wandetschaft；〃as　German　tradesmen　term

their　stage　of　travelling　in　search　of　trade　experience；he　desired

to　settle；　and；　if　fortune　favoured　him；　to　marry　the　object　of　his

affections；　to　whom　his　heart　still　faithfully　turned　during　all　his

wanderings。　　He　succeeded　in　finding　employment　with　Mr。　Adam

Parkinson；　remaining　with　him　for　two　years；　working　as　a　millwright；

at　good　wages。　　Out　of　his　earnings　he　saved　sufficient　to　furnish　a

two…roomed　cottage　comfortably；　and　there　we　find　him　fairly

installed　with　his　wife　by　the　end　of　1816。　　As　in　the　case　of　most

men　of　a　thoughtful　turn；　marriage　served　not　only　to　settle　our

engineer；　but　to　stimulate　him　to　more　energetic　action。　　He　now　began

to　aim　at　taking　a　higher　position；　and　entertained　the　ambition　of

beginning　business