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John Mercer was born in Great Harwood on 21st February 1791. His father had a spinning mill at Dean, but later found work handloom weaving.
The young John started work as a bobbin winder at the age of nine, later also becoming a handloom weaver.
His father died in 1802, and the family were left very poor. John moved about round various relatives as circumstances varied. His mother later married a Thomas Mercer and had a further child. |