BLACKBURN, an inland t. of Lancashire, England, 21 m. n.n.w. from Manchester. and 12i tn. by railway e. by s. from Preston. It stands on a stream front which it appears to derive its name, a branch of the Ribble. The surrounding district, formerly known as Bladtharnskire, or Illagbarnshire, was long very wild and dreary, but is now very populous. Coal and lime abound in it. 13. had acquired sonic importance as a market-town in the 16th century. Its manufacturing prosperity can be traced back at least to the middle of the 17th c., when it was noted for the production of a kind of linscy-woolsey known by the name of Blackburn checkl, afterwards superseded by the Blackburn grays, so-called from their being printed unbleached. In the course of the 18t11 c., the cotton mnnufacture became the chief industry of the town, which is now one of the chief seats of it,the number of cotton factories being very large, and many of them employing from 1000 to 2000 opera tives. The value of the calicos and other cotton goods annually produced was estimated some years ago nt nearly .£2.000.000 sterling, and is now certainly much more. The steam-power employed in the works for spinning and weaving cotton has been moro than doubled within the last 20 years. 31any improvements in machinery for the cotton manufacture have been made in 13., among which the first place in importance as well as in date must be assigned to the invention of the spinning-jenny, by James Hargreaves (q.v.), a native of the town, in 1767. His Invention, however, was regarded with so much popular dislike that he was compelled to retnove from the town, mid it was not till the beginning of the present c. that it came into general use in the cotton-works of
Blackburn. The pop of 13. in '51 was 46,586; in '61, 63.126. In '71, pop. of muni cipal borough was 70.380; of part. b.. 82.928. A range of hills on the n. of the town shelters it from the coldest winds. Many of the streets are spacious, and the town is generally well built. A park of 50 acres, known as the cm-potation park, has recently been laid out for public recreation. The most elevated part of this park is about 700 ft. above the level of the sett. and commands a very extensive view. The parish church, St. Mary's, is a very beautiful Gothic building. erected between 80 and 40 years ago. There are numerous other places of worship, both of the established church and of various denominations of dissenters. The grammar-school was founded by queen Elizabeth in 1507; and there are runny other educational establishments, and many benevolent and religious institutions. The finest building in the town is the exchange, built in 1865. in the Gothic style, and containing It magnificent room, 40 yards by 20. The town-hall is also worthy of being tnentioned. 13. is supplied with water from capacious reservoirs, which have been constructed in the neighborhood. The Leeds and Liverpool canal, passing on the s. side of the town, affords important facilities for the conveyance of goods; and 13. is connected by several railways with all the neighboring towns, and so with all parts of the kingdom. II. Is governed by a intlyor,.12 aldermen, and 36 common councilmen. It sends two metnbers to parliament, a privilege which it obtained under the reform bill of 1832.