Joseph Livesey: the Walton weaver
A move to Preston was not a success, and with a young family to support Livesey's health broke down in 1816. Advised by a doctor to 'eat a little cheese', Livesey by chance discovered the considerable profits to be made from the cheese trade. Quite quickly he became established as a cheese factor, and the basis of his very considerable fortune was laid, enabling him to concentrate on his philanthropic career. He presented his loom 'to a poor man in Queen Street', but later bought it back, and had it made into a table, which can still be seen in the Livesey Collection at the University of Central Lancashire.
The young reformer witnessed at first-hand the acute social problems of the day. In these drunkenness played a major part. 'The weavers crowded the public houses, and they regularly kept 'St Monday'. The villagers all thought well of drink ... We had a sad wet lot connected with the church. The grave digger and his father were both drunkards: ringers and singers, were both hard drinkers ... The parish clerk was no exception. When the church clock was standing for want of winding up in a morning, as was often the case, the remark was "The clerk was drunk again last night" ... I was surrounded by mental darkness and vice'. When the old bell ringers were replaced, Livesey joined the new group on the second bell. Fines were paid for lateness, and collected for Christmas. 'We had no-one to teach us better, so we decided to spend the money in a jollification at the White Bull ... I need not say what was the effect'.
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