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Entry TypeFamily
SurnameStrutt
PlaceBelper and Derby
Epithetfamily
BiographyThe Strutt family's fame and fortune originated with Jedediah Strutt (1726-1797), inventor of the Derby rib machine. He was also Richard Arkwright's backer and partner as well as founder of a silk stocking firm in Derby and cotton-spinning mills at Belper and Milford.

From a farming background in South Normanton, Jedediah worked as a wheelwright before inventing the Derby rib machine for use on stocking knitting frames in 1756. Soon afterwards Jedediah and his brother William set up a silk stocking firm in Derby, selling mainly in London. The venture was successful enough for Jedediah to back Richard Arkwright and his invention, roller spinning, at Arkwright's Cromford mill from 1771.

By 1780 Strutt had built new cotton-spinning mills at Belper and Milford which operated separately from Arkwright. As the business grew Belper North Mill (1784-1786) and West Mill (1795) and Derby Calico Mill (1792-1793) were built as well as warehousing at Milford. Jedediah also built housing for his employees and was activ... Jedediah Strutt (1726-1797), cotton spinner, developed patents with William Woollat in 1758-1759 and went into partnership with Richard, later Sir Richard, Arkwright (1732-1792). Strutt and his family exchanged correspondence with a wide variety of people, including Samuel Oldknow (d. 1828) cotton mill owner, Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) philosopher, Sir Samuel Bentham (1757-1831), naval architect and engineer, James Watt junior (1769-1848), Joseph Lancaster (1778-1839) educational reformer, Richard Lovell Edgeworth (1744-1817) Irish author and inventor, Maria Edgeworth (1767-1849) novelist, Lord John Romilly (1802-1874), Joseph Chamberlain (1836-1914) businessman and politician.
Title/OccupationTextile mill owners and entrepreneurs
Authorised Form of NameStrutt; family; Belper and Derby; Textile mill owners and entrepreneurs

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