Editing Industrial Revolution (section)

====Silk====
[[File:Silkmill1.jpg|thumb|[[John Lombe]]'s silk mill site today in [[Derby]], rebuilt as [[Derby Silk Mill]]]]
Arguably the first highly mechanised factory was [[John Lombe]]'s [[Derby Silk Mill|water-powered silk mill]] at [[Derby]], operational by 1721. Lombe learned silk thread manufacturing by taking a job in Italy and acting as an industrial spy; however, because the Italian silk industry guarded its secrets, the state of the industry at that time is unknown. Although Lombe's factory was technically successful, the supply of raw silk from Italy was cut off to eliminate competition. To promote manufacturing, the Crown paid for models of Lombe's machinery which were exhibited in the [[Tower of London]].<ref>{{cite ODNB|id=75296|first=Richard L.|last=Hills|title=Cotchett, Thomas|authorlink=Richard L. Hills}}</ref><ref>{{cite ODNB|id=47971|first=K. R.|last=Fairclough|title=Sorocold, George}}</ref>