Quakers and Industry.

Industrial Revolution.

In Britain, dissenters were not allowed into Oxford or Cambridge universities until 1871 and Quakers were barred from professions where oath taking was a condition of entry (because Quakers believe that taking oaths sets a double standard of integrity and so they refuse to swear). Therefore Quakers turned their talents to the world of industry, banking and commerce, with great success. Some prominent Quakers were at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution which began in Britain in the nineteenth century.

Quakers showed that it is possible to succeed in business by telling the truth, and it is not necessary to lie and cheat. Business relations founded upon honesty and trust encourage the support of business customers and clients, and are an important factor in long term success. The concept of the role of business being pursuit of profit for the owners to the exclusion of other stakeholders, is a foreign one to Quakers. The trades that Quaker pursued had to be "innocent", not contributing to war or its preparations in any way. Ethical business practice is still a concern of many Quakers today, though some of the companies founded by Friends have passed out of Quaker hands.

Ironbridge near Coalbrookdale in Shropshire (left) was one of the centres of industrial innovation in Britain. The Quaker Abraham Darby I (1678?-1717) took over the furnaces at Coalbrookdale in 1708. He was the first in the world to smelt iron with coke successfully (in 1708-1711). His grandson, Abraham Darby III was involved in the building of the first iron bridge in the world, over the River Severn, in 1778-9. The bridge opened in 1781.

Robert Stephenson's Rocket (left) is a symbol of the development of the railways in Britain; a crucial part of the industrial revolution. The Stockton and Darlington Railway (the world's first passenger-carrying steam railway) was formed by Quaker Edward Pease (see below) and a group of businessmen in 1821.

Edward Pease (1767-1858) was the son of a wool merchant. He was Britain's first Quaker Member of Parliament and he helped to found The Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1821. In Parliament he supported the anti-slavery movement and the prison reform work of Elizabeth Fry.

Manufacturing.

Other Quakers set up successful manufacturing companies. Friends refused to haggle over prices, at a time when this was commonplace and no one could guarantee that they would not be cheated, and insisted on setting a fixed price for goods. This began a tradition of trustworthiness that encouraged loyal customers and commercial success. Quaker Oats are not one of these companies, though they use the image of a Quaker as a symbol of trustworthiness.

Most of the manufacturing empires established by Quaker families have now passed out of their control. In the modern world, business practices have changed and in the case of commodities such as chocolate, British companies need to ensure that their suppliers in the countries where cocoa is grown are treating their workers fairly. Many Quakers are concerned that companies that have been associated with their faith are run ethically and in the spirit of their founders.

George Cadbury (1839-1922) was the son of John Cadbury, a tea and coffee dealer. George and his brothers assumed control of the company and built the world famous chocolate business that still exists today. Cadbury's moved their factory from the centre of Birmingham to the ouskirts and built a village called Bournville, to house their workers (and my aunt and uncle used to live there).

Joseph Rowntree (1837-1925) was also in the confectionery business, in York. He was the son of a Quaker grocer and his interest in social reform and politics led to the formation of a charitable trust in his name that supports research into social issues to this day. Like Cadbury, Rowntree moved his factory from central York and established New Earswick.

Josiah Wedgwood (1730-1795) is know for the ceramics factory that bears his name. He was reported to be a Quaker and at one stage Wedgwood made a seal for the anti-slavery society.

Other Quaker firms still well-known today include the following:

  • Huntley and Palmer, manufacturers of biscuits
  • Clark's shoes.
  • Reckitt's (manufacturers of Brasso).

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