Samuel Crompton's Spinning Mule

It took Samuel Crompton 5 years to invent his famous mule. The term 'mule' indicated that the invention was a hybrid of earlier ideas.

Samuel Crompton was born at Fitwood Fold in 1753 and his family move to Hall i'th' Wood, when he was five, to take the tenancy.  His family were farmers and cotton manufacturers and his frustration at hand spinning led to his famous invention. 

Samuel Crompton's mule produced a finer and stronger thread than had been possible before and it caused such interest that manufacturers travelled miles to Hall i'th' Wood and the cotton trade boomed after 1779 as the machine became widely known. 

He moved from Hall i'th' Wood later in his life and it was in a state of disrepair in 1899 when William Lever bought the hall and gave it to the town of Bolton.  Today visitors can see many items that once belonged to Samuel Crompton and visit the room where he created the mule.

The mule on displayed in the museum dates from 1800 and was used by Crompton in his Back King Street factor.  The carriage has been shortened as originally it had over 200 spindles.