Richard Goodwin to William FitzHerbert Writes "to give you and your good lady an account how the cotton spinners go on in their business. Sarah Spenser and her son both come and I think the lad wil learn. We give him good words and incourage him all we can, and he does at present beyond our expectation. His mother will make a good spinner after a little time but at present their work cannot maintain them two. They must have some assistance. Old Barbara has taken her wheel home and works hard. Many people envie her for being so industrious and painful. I think she ought to be commended for her diligence. I wish some others would copy after her for an honest livelihood and not trust so much to the charity, and make dayly complaints about it; [it is] hard to please any of them. A friend of mine from Middleton near Youlgrieve has been at our house this week [and] says what a great deal of good the cotton spinning dos at their town and Youlgrieve. [He] says it would be very hard to maintain the poor about them if it was not for that business. He says some farmers' children spin cotton and think it no disparagement to `em. They brought bad cotton to our town last time; they complain of it, which will be some hardship for the poor children ...". 20 Jan [1750]