Marlocks of Merriton and Red Windows Hall

Ben Brierley
(1825-1896)
Handloom weaver by trade.
Poet and Novelist by inclination.
Ben Brierley was one of those Lancashire working class men who through a process of self-education, combined with natural talents and a spirit of determination, raised themselves from the morass into which the Industrial Revolution had plunged them, to a point where they could entertain and delight their fellows.
Well known in his home-town of Failsworth and further afield for his poems and novels in both the Lancashire dialect and plain English, Ben was highly regarded throughout the county he loved so much.
Marlocks of Merriton and Red Windows Hall are typical of his many and varied stories.
Published in support of the Working Class Movement Library in Manchester's twin city - Salford.