<P> The woven fabric portion of the textile industry grew out of the industrial revolution in the 18th century as mass production of yarn and cloth became a mainstream industry . </P> <P> In 1734 in Bury, Lancashire John Kay invented the flying shuttle--one of the first of a series of inventions associated with the cotton woven fabric industry . The flying shuttle increased the width of cotton cloth and speed of production of a single weaver at a loom . Resistance by workers to the perceived threat to jobs delayed the widespread introduction of this technology, even though the higher rate of production generated an increased demand for spun cotton . </P> <P> In 1761, the Duke of Bridgewater's canal connected Manchester to the coal fields of Worsley and in 1762, Matthew Boulton opened the Soho Foundry engineering works in Handsworth, Birmingham . His partnership with Scottish engineer James Watt resulted, in 1775, in the commercial production of the more efficient Watt steam engine which used a separate condenser . </P> <P> In 1764, James Hargreaves is credited as inventor of the spinning jenny which multiplied the spun thread production capacity of a single worker--initially eightfold and subsequently much further . Others credit the invention to Thomas Highs . Industrial unrest and a failure to patent the invention until 1770 forced Hargreaves from Blackburn, but his lack of protection of the idea allowed the concept to be exploited by others . As a result, there were over 20,000 spinning jennies in use by the time of his death . Also in 1764, Thorp Mill, the first water - powered cotton mill in the world was constructed at Royton, Lancashire, and was used for carding cotton . With the spinning and weaving process now mechanized, cotton mills cropped up all over the North West of England . </P>

Where do textile industries tend to be located and why