HORROCKS, JOHN (1768-1804), British cotton manufac turer, was born at Edgeworth, near Bolton. His father was the owner of a small quarry, and John Horrocks spent his early days in dressing and polishing millstones. The Lancashire cotton indus try was then in its infancy. Horrocks obtained a few spinning crames which he erected in a corner of his father's offices. For a time he combined cotton-spinning on a very small scale with stone-working, but finally devoted himself entirely to cotton spinning, working the frames with his own hands, and travelling through the Lancashire manufacturing districts to sell the yarn. In 1791 he removed to Preston, where he began to manufacture cotton shirtings and long-cloths in addition to spinning the cotton yarn. By taking full advantage of the machinery invented for manufacturing textiles, and by rigidly maintaining the quality of his goods, Horrocks rapidly developed his business. Within a year of his arrival in Preston he erected his first large mill, securing shortly afterwards from the East India Company a monopoly of the manufacture of cottons and muslins for the Indian market. In 18oI the firm became Horrockses, Miller and Company.