6th April, 2007
Thomas Darwell - Mill Owner
Thomas Darwell was a cotton spinner who rose to be mayor of Wigan - twice.
He began to achieve prominence in the business world when he founded a small cotton mill in the early years of the 19th century.
Pigot's Wigan Directory of 1816 lists two business enterprises under Thomas Darwell's name. One was in Wallgate. The other was situated at the east end of what is now Darlington Street and was named "Pepper Mill." It later became known as the "Sovereign Mill."
Darwell was a very efficient business man and became prosperous enough to live at Ince Hall and, in the 1820s, the even more prestigious Standish Hall. In 1823, and again in 1830, he became mayor of Wigan.
Death Threat
On the surface it appears that Thomas Darwell was a good example of a local lad who did well. So why was there a conspiracy to murder him?
In 1818 he received the following letter from one of the conspirators, who appeared to have qualms about the apparently imminent action.
"Mr. Darwell Tho I am no friend of yours, but on the contrary, one that would wish to see your destruction in a legal way, I do positively and most solemnly assure you that you will be murdered - I am one of the persons engaged in the conspiracy, with twelve more who are resolved to sacrifice you, for the distress of the poor cries aloud for your blood, therefore you may rely upon it, no change of place can save you, since here and every where else we shall be in quest of you."
"I am touched with remorse and give you this notice but take care of yourself, lest I repent of it, and give proof of so doing, by having it in my power to destroy you who am Your Sworn Enemy"
Exploitation
The truth is, Thomas Darwell exploited his workers mercilessly - in spite of the fact that he himself had once been a humble spinner.
In 1828 he and his partner, Thomas Woods, were reprimanded for making children work for 16 hours per day. This was in contravention of the factory acts of 1802 and 1809.
The following is a satirical poem which was circulated among the Sovereign Mill workers:
"Those Sovran Mills, those Sovran Mills,
If you go there, you'll get no ills:
For daily working fourteen hours
Will only renovate your powers".
"From Clogs to Clogs"
"From clogs to clogs in three generations" is a well known saying that was often applied to early mill owning families.
But Thomas Darwell managed the double leap in his own life time. Shortly after his second spell as mayor (1830), his business failed and he died a poor man.
Despite the death threat, he continued living in Wigan, but in a working class area of the town. A sad end to the cotton spinner who became mayor of Wigan and once lived in Standish Hall.