Rights of the Child at Quarry Bank

Creative Tourist

Book now

Rights of the Child at Quarry Bank

6 April-29 September 2019

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

National Trust Images, John Millar
Book now

Discover how children’s rights have changed over time in a fascinating new exhibition at Quarry Bank, Rights of the Child.

Explore the experiences of hundreds of children who worked at Quarry Bank, tracing the evolution of children’s rights from the 19th century to today.

See archive material from Quarry Bank and Dunham Massey, including letters, newspaper articles and indentures, which capture the stories of working class people and the evolving right for fair and appropriate treatment of children. Their calls for representation, rights and equality.

It’s pretty special to witness their stories as you feel the thundering of the mill machinery beneath your feet, giving some sense of the working conditions experienced by the children at Quarry Bank.

The exhibition uncovers the stories of Quarry Bank’s child workers asking ‘what are the rights and freedoms we can expect today, and how did we secure them?’The exhibition is part of the National Trust’s year-long programme People’s Landscapes, a series of events and activities that will explore landscapes where people came together to seek dramatic social change.

 

When the mill at Quarry Bank first opened in 1784, children made up over 50% of the workforce  forming a vital part of the mill’s operation. Children as young as 8 years old were employed for cheap labour, brought from the workhouses or their family homes to the Apprentice House at Quarry Bank. As many as 90 children lived together at any one time, working long and gruelling hours in the mill under dangerous conditions, in exchange for food, clothes and board.  Their work shaped the industrial revolution in Manchester and helped Quarry Bank to become one of the largest cotton manufacturing businesses in the world.

As part of one of the first ever industrial communities, these children were on the frontline of a new and emerging relationship between workers and the powerful elite, between rights and responsibilities. Their story is that of the early Industrial Revolution, when society stood at a turning point. 

2019 is a topical year for the rights of children marking the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on Rights of the Child, which outlines the political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children today are entitled to. These include rights to leisure, play and culture, access to health services and protection against child labour. 2019 is also a key year in Manchester’s history of social change marking 200 years since the Peterloo Massacre, a key moment in British history when working people marched to demand a voice and were cut down, leading to a resurgence in demands for representation, equality and opportunity.

It’s fascinating to uncover Quarry Bank’s connection to these events and discover how mill owners Samuel Greg and Robert Hyde Greg witnessed the massacre and spoke out against the atrocities. Nevertheless, the Greg family were part of a manufacturing class who would often put profit before people, silencing calls for improved working conditions and blocking appeals to reduce working hours to 10 hours per day.

Leave time to adventure around the gardens this summer and take part in regular family activities at weekends and school holidays.

 

Where to go near Rights of the Child at Quarry Bank

Hern Food
Leeds
Restaurant
Hern

This produce-driven bistro in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, prides itself on cooking with the only finest ingredients and his headed up by Cordon Bleu-trained chef Rab Adams.

Indie Makers
Leeds
Shop
Indie Makers

Indie Makers, located in Leads’ corn exchange, trades in art and gifts from independent makers across the UK.

Plant Point
Leeds
Shop
Plant Point

Plant Point is designed to help you bring the jungle into your urban or suburban space. The home of beautiful plants in Leeds.

Leeds
Restaurant
Eat Your Greens

Eat Your Greens is a vibrant, organic restaurant bringing a hint of European flair to the city’s plant-based dining scene.

Sela opened in 2004 with an idea to provide quality imported beers from around the world, fun cocktails to compliment the beer selections and a stage for the region’s finest and most talented musicians to play on.Over ten years later, we’re still all about the beer, cocktails, live music and pizza!We carry over a selection of over thirty different beers spanning the globe from Pickering with The Great Yorkshire Brewery’s Yorkshire Blackout, to New York with a selection from Brooklyn Brewery, and Belgium with longtime Sela favourite, Vedett.Our cocktails change regularly too. Our best-sellers are joined by fun, new offerings and our pizza menu is regarded as one of the best the city of Leeds has to offer.As for the live music, Sela has had not only the great and the good from the region. Local funksters, The New Mastersounds are regular visitors and we stage the amazing Mojah Reggae Band for their weekly Wednesday residency.  Our other long running programming incl
Leeds
Restaurant
Sela Bar & Pizzeria

Sela Bar is a cosy Leeds basement spot with live music, great drinks, and a cool, laid-back, atmospheric vibe.

Leeds Beckett SU
Leeds
Restaurant
Leeds Beckett Student Union

Leeds Beckett Student Union hosts big-name artists and supports students through events, live music, and a vibrant campus venue.

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There's ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and entertainment facilities, making for a great evening out!

Watch the latest film releases and enjoy the industry-leading Sony 4K Digital screens, boasting spectacular picture quality, along with enhanced audio quality courtesy of Dolby 'Profound Sound'. Stepped SuperVue seating means you will never miss a second of the action while VIP seating guarantees you an extra touch of luxury whenever you want to upgrade.

Three of the nine screens showcase the newest 3D releases while Vue Classical brings the latest stage sensations to the big screen, and parents can save as they go with Family Tickets and Kids AM screenings offering great value for money.
Leeds
Cinema
Vue Cinema – Leeds Kirkstall Road

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There’s ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and

Restaurant 2
Leeds
Café or Coffee Shop
Empire Café

Empire Café is located in Leeds’ ‘home of day dining’- Fish street!

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Phranakhon

Phranakhon Thai Tapas is a revolutionised Thai dining restaurant with a combination of European indulgence and authentic Thai tastes.

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Wen’s

Wen’s is a family owned Chinese restaurant specialising in authentic, home cooked cuisine.

What's on: Exhibitions

Culture Guides

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

European Poetry Festival European Camarade
Literature Events in the North

From tongue-twisters to twisty page-turners, we have all kinds of spoken word surprises in the latest literature round-up.