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Lancashire 

Published in 1828, Pigot's Directory describes Lancashire as "A palatine and maritime county, in consequence eminently conspicuous as regards manufactures, and of immeasurable importance in its value to the revenue of this kingdom...

The climate of Lancashire is humid, yet is the air generally pure and salubrious; on the north and eastern boundaries, in the elevated regions, it is of course cold and piercing, but in the lower districts towards the south and west, it is in general mild and genial: and although the occupations of a great body of the inhabitants in the manufacturing districts may be supposed to be unfavourable to health, such is the influence of the climate, that as many old people are found in this county in proportion to the number of inhabitants as in most other parts of the kingdom..."

Under the heading of manufactures, "unless many pages were devoted to it, justice could not be done to the vast subject... The county has prospered by all fabrics produced from the fleece, the labours of the silk-worm, and the culture of flax, but more especially by the never-failing bounty of the cotton tree... Inkles, tapes, checks, woollens, flannels, baizes, linens, fine fabrics of cotton and hats, all rank amongst the manufactures of this county; besides silk, which of late years has increased to a prodigious importance. Calico printing, bleaching and dying are performed on a large scale; machine making, iron founding and paper making claim a considerable share of consequence; and the glass and earthenware manufacturing establishments are very numerous..."

Family History, Genealogy and Local History Research Information for Lancashire