SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

The following are from John Mayhall's 'Annals of Yorkshire':-October 1 1844. "The new factory act having commenced operation this day, about 3,000 factory workers in Leeds, mostly females struck work on account of the supposed obnoxiousness of some of its provisions."October 1 1855. "Amongst the attractions at the Leeds Royal Gardens, this day, was a grand Baby Show, prizes being awarded to the possessors of the finest babies."I wonder how a fine baby was judged? October 1 1870. "The Hunslet lending branch of the Leeds Free Library was opened this day."Also on October 1 1870. "The North-Eastern Railway directors ordered the Leeds and Wetherby branch to be staked out."    

Apparently the "obnoxious provisions" were the necessity of having regular breaks when machines must be stopped.    

And it finished in a few days, though another strike started in a silk mill

Thanks chemimike for those news items, which are most interesting.