Migration & Famine

Between the years 1824 and 1865, 35 cotton mills were erected in Bacup. People flocked from the agricultural districts such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire to work in Bacup. The beautiful, wooded valleys and the clear fish-filled river Irwell soon disappeared and instead of growing trees, we grew chimneys that belched out and smoked 24 […]

During the American Civil War, the disruption in cotton supply had a significant impact on towns and villages in Lancashire, including Bacup. It is estimated that out of the 6,000 workers in Bacup, half were left unemployed while the other half had reduced working hours, often working only 2-3 days a week. The shortage of

Migration has been an integral part of human history for centuries, with people leaving their homelands in pursuit of seasonal work or better opportunities. As the town of Bacup expanded rapidly during the 1840s, a tragic event in Ireland had a profound impact on its population.   1847, known as ‘Black ’47,’ marked a year