John Horrocks is probably the most important person in the history of Preston's cotton industry. He set up the Horrockses company, which made cotton goods in Preston that were sold all over the world for over 150 years.

John Horrocks was born in Edgeworth, near Bolton in Lancashire in 1768. He was the youngest of two sons in a family of 16 children. His father John Horrocks owned a millstone quarry.

While he was a young John was sent to work in Thomason's engine mill in Edgeworth where he learned to card cotton. John also attended the village school. John attracted the attention of the millowner who sent him to boarding school in Shudehill, Manchester. When Thomason died, however, John returned to Edgeworth to work in his fathers business.

Sometime during the 1780s John began buying cotton and producing yarn which he then took to Preston to sell to John Watson owner of the first cotton mill in Preston. After a disagreement with Watson John was encouraged to set up on his own.

In 1791 John moved to Preston starting off carding cotton and weaving muslin in a building in Turks Head Court. Later, he built the Yellow Factory then a number of other mills followed built with the help of Richard Newsham and John Greaves.

Outside his cotton interests John pursued family and political life. He married Mary Lomax of Edgworth in 1790. After renting several houses in Preston they built their first house in 1793 called Golden Square, near to the Yellow Factory and Yard Factory.

The Yellow Factory, 1910.

In 1801 John Horrocks built himself a mansion in Lower Penwortham known as Penwortham Lodge or Hall. It was like his brother Samuel's house, built in the most up-to-date and fashionable style with all the rooms and facilities that a man with his money and status could afford.

John Horrocks became very rich an important in his own lifetime. He became MP for Preston in 1803 and an advisor on the cotton industry to the government. When he died in 1804 he was believed to have a personal fortune of £750,000.