Hargreaves

Hargreaves, James (d. 1778), the inventor of the spinning-jenny. Originally settled as a weaver at Stanhill, near Blackburn in Lancashire, he was obliged to remove to Nottingham, owing to the hostility of his fellow-workmen (1767). He afterwards took out a patent for his invention, but it was rescinded on the ground that, before obtaining it, he had sold some of his machines.