Richard Oastler was born in Leeds in 1789. 
 
By 1807 he became interested in the political scene and was a supporter of William Wilberforce in his anti-slavery campaign.

In 1820 he took the position of steward at Fixby Hall near Huddersfield. He supervised the work of tenants.  Having met the Bradford mill owner John Wood, Oastler became convinced that the objections to transatlantic slavery could equally be applied to the working conditions in the mills.   

To begin his campaign against children's working conditions, Oastler wrote a letter to the Leeds Mercury which was headlined 'Yorkshire Slavery'. Although the letter was not well received by local mill owners, Oastler proved to be an inspirational speaker and this earned him the nickname 'The Factory King’. He was at the heart of the ten-hour working day in its early years.
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Oastler died in 1861 in Harrogate.