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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Richard Arkwright
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(1732–92, kt 1786) Outstanding example of the type of inventor-entrepreneur who drove forward the early stages of the *Industrial Revolution. Starting out as a travelling wig-maker, he became interested in the machinery for spinning cotton and made important technical advances. To put them into practice he built a factory at *Cromford, in Derbyshire, which was run by water power. It was the first of many, and in his later years he was employing some 5000 workers.
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