George Robinson and sons developed a complex of cotton spinning factories in the Leen Valley, north of Nottingham, in the late eighteenth century. For fifty years, after 1778, the firm produced cotton yarn. Many of the workers originated elsewhere, and when the business collapsed, in 1828, they dispersed. Previous research examining the Robinson enterprise has focussed on describing the infrastructure and company history. In this study, some personnel associated with the mills have been identified, charting their employment and migration. In the absence of records of the mill-company, this research chronicles the life events of named individuals, cross-referencing parish records with other contemporary documents. Many of the workers employed by the Robinsons were children and young people, some brought from workhouses. The study closely examines workhouse records, revealing new insights into the processes and context of apprenticeship. The observations and conclusions are illustrated by reference to case studies.
This article explores the origins and enduring legacy of Francis Wise's 1738 publication, A Letter to Dr Mead, and argues that it was Wise who first linked King Alfred the Great to the Uffington White Horse and the Battle of Ashdown. Wise's theory, though historically inaccurate, embedded Alfred into the landscape of the Vale of White Horse, shaping local identity, folklore, and place names. This article examines Wise's motivations within the political and academic context of eighteenth-century Oxford, highlighting his ambition and the influence of Anglo-Saxon scholarship. It then traces the legacy of Wise's imagined history, showing its impact on regional culture, literature, and the direction of archaeological inquiry. Despite contemporary criticism, Wise's narrative endured, influencing generations of scholars and popular writers. This study argues that Wise's work was pivotal in constructing an Alfredian identity in the Vale, demonstrating how antiquarian imagination can reshape historical understanding and cultural identity.
