150 years ago, it was common practice for mills to employ child labour. The children would often crawl into or under machines to clean and clear them and would often face hardships and danger. In Dean Clough Mill in Halifax, that danger came from the sadistic and evil Harry Crowther.
Like the worst villain from a Dickens novel, Crowther was an overseer at the world’s biggest carpet manufacturer and would relentlessly whp and brutalise children who worked there.
9 year old Peter Keegan worked at the mill with his sister in 1876, and, unfortunately, Harry Crowther decided that Peter would be his next ‘whipping boy’. A decision that led to a horrifying tragedy.
12 Comments
What a sad tale , that poor lad and no justice was given to him . The good old days hey …they didn't exist. It was good to bump into you at Morrisons this evening , keep up the good work and your new handle will have to be Matt the mauler lol.
Oooo, you have to do one on that revolting creature, Harry Crowther. What vile freaks were created in 'the good old days'
Great video Matt. What a tragic story. Poor little lad.
Heyyy Matt and ur 'Krew' xx
You need better audio brother man. I crank my volume up to hear you and when the adventure is over. Change to a different video and BOOM š„ my ears are bleeding l8lššš
Thanks for the adventure and history.
We love going to Dean Clough theatre, its awful to think of this satanic history. Im enjoying your videos, even ones with such an awful story as this. Thank you.
As a mother and grandmother, this video made me very sad and angry, even viewing it through the lens of 150 years or so. Yes, children were used in mills, factories and mines through necessity before there were any kind of universal benefits – it was that or the workhouse. The sort of treatment this horrible individual meted out to defenceless children was absolutely outrageous and the fact that he went unpunished and the little boy's parents had no justice or compensation is sickening. It makes me wish there was such a thing as a time machine. Believe me, I'd be up the road to Halifax at the speed of light and have big, tough Mr Crowther and his strap running for his life.
That's probably the most imposing looking mill I've seen! It's massive.
What a horrible person this was he deserved to be charged with the brutal assault on poor Peter..
Must be so much generational trauma. I wonder if this is why Head teachers were still physically violent to children in the early 80s?
Wow I worked at Dean Clough for 16 years and never knew of this… it was definitely thought to be haunted though
Fascinating story, thank you for sharing. I currently work in the F Mill at Dean Clough and members of staff have reported some very strange occurrences in the 5 years we've been there. One colleague, not the kind to pull your leg, saw a glimpse of a Victorian lady with a basket of yarn appear infront of him as he turned the corner. Another colleague saw the shadow of something adult sized move at the bottom end of the office as he turned the lights on one winter morning. At least 6 people, myself included, witnessed a bauble on our Christmas tree – not fall and roll – but fly as though thrown across the room. When we first moved in, 3 people heard someone whisper their names but noone in the immediate area had said anything. And then during covid we returned to find an internal meeting room window had been smashed with a small bullseye in the top corner as though something small had hit it. Its just personal feelings but I have always felt incredibly uneasy going into the ladies bathroom as though someone is watching. I am too afraid to use the hand drier mounted on the wall as it would mean having my back to the room and I struggle to find the courage to look in the mirror. I also try follow another colleague into the bathroom because i know the automated lights will be on and I wont have to go in whilst its pitch black in there.
I dont know if its poor Peter,, but its definitely creepy! If im the first in I wait till someone else arrives haha.