Marshalls of Leeds Flax-Spinners 1788–1886

This book was first published in 1960. Its author, W. G. Rimmer, here forms a case study of the Marshalls of Leeds, and their progress and prominence in the field of flax spinning since the outbreak of the French War in 1793. The founder of Marshall and Co., John Marshall, was made a millionaire by the company's success. In documenting the company's economic history, Rimmer draws upon private ledgers, stock books, score letters and notebooks, primarily spanning the years 1806–46. He aims to give a thorough and engaging narrative account of this family and their firm by drawing upon their relationships with the citizens of Leeds, politicians, customers and landowners, as well as looking at the internal development of their business. This engaging and thoroughly researched book will be of great interest to any scholars of nineteenth-century industry in general, or the industrial history of Leeds more specifically.