Mule spinning
The debate goes on as to the merits of adopting the ring frames over the traditional spinning mules and their effect as the industry fell into decline. The faster ring frames, requiring fewer, non-skilled labour and producing a coarser cotton fabric, had been developed and used in America 100 years before the ‘stubborn mules’ in the UK finally put them into production. At the time there was no financial incentive to supplying the niche market for fine cotton or preserving the labour intensive skills of the traditional cotton spinner and, much like today, the world spun on the edge of a coin.
Fred Dibnah in 1985