Crompton, Samuel (1753–1827). Inventor. One of the men who revolutionized the Lancashire textiles industry, Crompton was born near Bolton. His ‘spinning mule’, invented in 1779, improved upon Hargreaves's jenny. It was a cross between the jenny and Arkwright's water frame and produced yarn of high quality, particularly suited to muslins. Like many inventors, Crompton made little out of his discovery and his business ventures failed. He was however given a public grant of £5,000 in 1812.

J. A. Cannon

Crompton, Samuel (1753–1827) English inventor of a spinning machine. His ‘spinning mule’ of 1779 proved a boon to the textile industry reducing the amount of thread-breakage and made possible the production of very fine yarn.