History Mesh

Spinning Jenny (c. 1764)

The spinning jenny is a multi-spool spinning wheel, invented around 1764 by James Hargreaves in Lancashire, England.

The device dramatically reduced the amount of work needed to produce yarn, with a single worker able to work eight or more spools at once; therefore making more clothing materials in a shorter amount of time while reducing the overall cost.

Relation to Textiles:

Much like the flying shuttle, the spinning jenny was an innovation that allowed a single worker to be significantly more productive than before; it allowed the output of the spinning industry to catch up with the growing demands of the weaving industry.

Much like Kay and the shuttle, Hargreaves’ patent for the machine was largely ignored; this wasn’t helped by the fact that he produced (and sold) the machines in secret for a number of years before before other manufacturers made their own copies, making his case against them very weak.

Read more about Spinning Jenny on Wikipedia.