User talk:Hauntings789

PINK Cotton Factory Pink Cotton Mill was based in Cowley, Oxfordshire.

Founded in 1852, it specialised in undergarments, modernising particularly male lingerie from the traditional British garter style which had been in place since the Medieval era and was named after reclusive eccentric owner Edgebert Pink. The mill used the Workhouse Act of 1834 to provide supposed gainful employment, however the mill and its owners quickly developed a reputation for cruelty. Its legacy on the British sartorial industry has been stained by a trade union conflict in 1893 after which the mill was closed and the land purchased by Oxford University. Little is known of Edgebert Pink outside of his involvement in this factory.

Edgebert Pink: Despite his reclusivety, Pink is credited with using his high social station to convince the upper classes of the uncleanliness and indeed ungodliness of the garter; turning them towards the bloomer, an undergarment much closer to the modern boxer short. Little is known of Pink outside of the cotton sector except for numerous books he wrote on the occult.

Allegations of Cruelty: Even within the context of Dickensian workhouse cruelty and lack of workers rights within the time period, Pink Cotton Mill was considered exceptionally sanguineous. Pink displayed much contempt for the working classes, in particular the children and when challenged on this by famous 19th century industrialist Andrew Carnegie on his 1872 Grand Tour of Europe, he replied "because nits become lice". The dangerous role of untangling the cotton between the blades in a cotton mill falling to children was commonplace, however this was made all the more dangerous by Pink's insistence on long hours and his use of this job as a disciplinary tool. Between 1877 and 1892, 12 children died this way and over 50 more were mutilated. Pink's control over the Oxfordshire judicial system was such that he never faced charges, and indeed we are only aware of this because of a surviving record kept by one of the few workhouse employees educated in writing.

Trade union dispute: Inspired by the Haymarket affair and similar civil rights protests in late 1880s USA, the Pink Cotton Mill workers attempted to unionise in 1893 however found their efforts blocked by Edgebert Pink. This period also saw a dramatic upturn in reported accidents in the factory. Tensions between workers, foremen and Pink swiftly rose and this attracted national attention, being reported in the national news as having the potential to be the 'British Homestead affair', where 9 unionised workers were shot on the property of the aforementioned Carnegie on the orders of Henry Frick. This never materialised however as the Mill was closed and Pink disappeared from public life.

Popular Culture mythology: Unsurprisingly due to the mystery surrounding the events and tragedies at the Pink Cotton Mill, it has attracted many urban myths. It was reported at the time that the unionised workers were fearful for their lives due to Pink's apparently increasing insanity and so were able to convince the foremen on site to rise up against Pink with them. Pink's on site hall caught fire around this date, and there were some unconfirmed local reports that Pink and his family were present for this. One contemporary report discredited by many claimed that the house was subject to an arson attack specifically targeted when the family were present due to increasing fears about Pink's Occultism, and that the family were even locked in the hall's onsite chapel as it burnt. Hauntings789 (talk) 21:29, 27 January 2020 (UTC)