18. The Decline of Cotton

The contraction in the cotton industry, due to government policy in the 1960s, saw the closure of mill after mill in the Todmorden area, with no financial compensation for the labour force. Being almost entirely dependent on the cotton industry and its associated engineering trades, the area became an unemployment black spot. Typically, Todmordians rose to the challenge. The Council advertised for other businesses to come and take over the empty factories. Some factories were demolished to provide workshop areas. For quite some time these areas scarred the landscape.

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